Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces judicial appointments in the province of Quebec

OTTAWA, ON, June 25, 2024 /CNW/ - The Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments under the judicial application process established in 2016. This process emphasizes transparency, merit, and the diversity of the Canadian population, and will continue to ensure the appointment of jurists who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.

Jonathan Coulombe, Partner at RPGL Lawyers in Gatineau, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Quebec for the district of Gatineau. Justice Coulombe replaces Justice D. Goulet (Gatineau), who resigned effective December 31, 2023.

Justin Roberge, Associate Lawyer at Caron Roberge Inc. in Montréal, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Quebec for the district of Montréal. Justice Roberge replaces Justice M. Pinsonnault (Montréal), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective December 17, 2023.

Antoine Aylwin, Partner at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP in Montréal, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Quebec for the district of Montréal. Justice Aylwin replaces Justice P. Labelle (Montréal), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective May 9, 2024 

Quote

"I wish Justices Coulombe, Roberge, and Aylwin every success as they take on their new roles. I am confident they will serve Quebecers well as members of the Superior Court of Quebec."

—The Hon. Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Biographies

Justice Jonathan Coulombe received his Civil Law degree from the University of Ottawa in 1998 and his Master of Business Administration from the same university in 2004. He was admitted to the Barreau du Québec in 1999.

Justice Coulombe began his practice with the firm RPGL Lawyers (formerly known as Legault Roy) in 1999 and became a partner in 2004. For several years, he acted as the managing partner of the firm. His practice focused on civil and commercial litigation, as well as corporate law. He has appeared before the Cour du Québec, the Superior Court, and the Court of Appeal of Québec, as well as before various administrative tribunals.

Justice Coulombe taught business law at the École du Barreau du Québec and in a business start-up program in the Outaouais region. Not to mention, he mentored and trained numerous colleagues. He has also been actively involved with the Gatineau Chamber of Commerce, notably as a governor. Alongside his professional endeavours, he continued to practise several sports, including running, kickboxing, and hockey; he even volunteered as a minor hockey coach for many years.

Justice Coulombe and his wife, Isabelle Côté, are the proud parents of two young adults, Maxim and William.

Justice Justin Roberge holds a Bachelor of Laws (1997) and a Master of International Law (2000) from the Université de Montréal. These studies enabled him to complete a training at the René Cassin Foundation—International Institute for Human Rights (1999) and an internship at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (2000), before being admitted to the Barreau du Québec in 2000.

Justice Roberge was a partner at Caron Roberge Inc., a firm he co-founded (2004), to focus on the practice of family law. There, he acquired in-depth experience in family litigation matters, including constitutional aspects or an international component.

Justice Roberge was a member of the Association des avocats et avocates en droit familial du Québec. In 2009, he was named Family Lawyer of the Year by the Young Bar of Montreal, and he co-authored a collective publication, entitled Droit familial : jurisprudence en tableaux. From 2011 to 2016, he was a member of the Liaison avec la Cour supérieure en matière familiale Committee, which he chaired from 2017 to 2020. In 2018, he was named a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers. He had been involved in community organizations since his college days. Since 2016, he has been a member of the Board of Directors of a cooperative.

Justice Roberge and his wife are the proud parents of two daughters. He is very appreciative of their support, as well as that of his colleagues and extended family at home, in the United States, and in Italy.

Justice Antoine Aylwin holds a Civil Law degree from the Université de Montréal and was admitted to the Barreau du Québec in 2003.

Justice Aylwin joined the law firm Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP in 2004, where he became a partner and national co-leader of the privacy and cybersecurity practice. His expertise is recognized in the following areas: protection of personal information, cybersecurity, access to information, economic regulation of agricultural markets, as well as linguistic obligations, estates, and trusts. He focused his practice on civil and administrative litigation before various administrative and civil authorities, including the Supreme Court of Canada.

Over the years, Justice Aylwin has shared his knowledge and insight through publications and conferences in Canada and the United States. He was active in many aspects of the legal profession. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Barreau du Québec, even serving as vice-president for several years. He sat on the Board of Directors of CanLII and chaired the Board of Directors of Lexum. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of Théâtre de la Ligue nationale d'improvisation, for which he served as ambassador for several years.

Justice Aylwin is fortunate to share his life with his better half of 20 years and their two sons, of whom he is very proud.

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada has appointed more than 750 judges since November 2015. This includes 126 appointments since the Honourable Arif Virani became Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada on July 26, 2023, a pace of appointments that has no precedent in Canadian History. These exceptional jurists represent the diversity that strengthens Canada. Of these judges, more than half are women, and appointments reflect an increased representation of racialized persons, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQI+, and those who self-identify as having a disability.
• To support the needs of the courts and improve access to justice for all Canadians, the Government of Canada is committed to increasing the capacity of superior courts. Budget 2022 provides for 22 new judicial positions, along with two associate judges at the Tax Court of Canada. Along with the 13 positions created under Budget 2021, this makes a total of 37 newly created superior court positions. Since Budget 2017, the government has funded 116 new judicial positions.
• Changes to the Questionnaire for Federal Judicial Appointments were announced in September 2022. The questionnaire continues to provide for a robust and thorough assessment of candidates but has been streamlined and updated to incorporate, among other things, more respectful and inclusive language for individuals to self-identify diversity characteristics.
• Federal judicial appointments are made by the Governor General, acting on the advice of the federal Cabinet and recommendations from the Minister of Justice.
• The Judicial Advisory Committees across Canada play a key role in evaluating judicial applications. There are 17 Judicial Advisory Committees, with each province and territory represented.
• Significant reforms to the role and structure of the Judicial Advisory Committees, aimed at enhancing the independence and transparency of the process, were announced on October 20, 2016.
• The Government of Canada is committed to promoting a justice system in which sexual assault matters are decided fairly, without the influence of myths and stereotypes, and in which survivors are treated with dignity and compassion. Changes to the Judges Act and Criminal Code that came into force on May 6, 2021, mean that in order to be eligible for appointment to a provincial superior court, candidates must agree to participate in continuing education on matters related to sexual assault law and social context, which includes systemic racism and systemic discrimination. The new legislation enhances the transparency of decisions by amending the Criminal Code to require that judges provide written reasons, or enter them into the record, when deciding sexual assault matters.

SOURCE Department of Justice Canada

Contacts: For more information, media may contact: Chantalle Aubertin, Deputy Director, Communications, Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, 613-992-6568, [email protected]; Media Relations, Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]