/R E P E A T -- Media Advisory - The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould to receive Special Call June 15/

Canada's Minister of Justice and Attorney General to join Ontario Bar

OTTAWA, June 15, 2016 /CNW/ - The Law Society of Upper Canada will call The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, to the Ontario Bar on June 15 in Ottawa.

The Special Call will take place during the first of six Call to the Bar ceremonies to be held across the province this month to admit Ontario's newest lawyers to the legal profession.

Appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last November, Minister Wilson-Raybould is the first Indigenous person in Canada's history named to the position.

Minister Wilson-Raybould was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 2000, and began her legal career working as a provincial Crown prosecutor in Vancouver. (See full biography below.)

Wednesday's Special Call is held under Section 1 of the Barristers Act.

Law Society Treasurer Janet E. Minor will admit Minister Wilson-Raybould to the Ontario Bar. The Minister will then deliver the keynote address to the new lawyers.

The Honourable George R. Strathy, Chief Justice of Ontario, will preside over the Call ceremony.

The Law Society will call 243 new lawyers to the Bar of Ontario at the June 15 ceremony. More than 1,500 new lawyers will be called at ceremonies this month.

When:	Wednesday, June 15, 2016
	4:00 p.m.
Where:	National Arts Centre
	53 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON

Biography of The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould

The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and sworn-in in November 2015. 

The historic appointment made Minister Wilson-Raybould the first Indigenous person in Canada's history named to the position.

A Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of Vancouver Granville, Minister Wilson-Raybould is a lawyer, advocate, and leader among British Columbia's First Nations.

After being called to the Bar of British Columbia in 2000, she began her legal career working as a provincial Crown prosecutor in Vancouver.

She later served as an advisor at the BC Treaty Commission, a body established to oversee treaty negotiations between First Nations and the Crown. In 2004, she was elected as Commissioner by the Chiefs of the First Nations Summit.

A former Regional Chief of the BC Assembly of First Nations, Minister Wilson-Raybould brings extensive experience in law, public service, and First Nations governance to Cabinet.

As Attorney General, Minister Wilson-Raybould announced in December the launch of the first phase of a national inquiry into the murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls of Canada.

More recently, she introduced Bill C-16 on gender identity and Bill C-14 on medical assistance in dying before the House of Commons.

SOURCE The Law Society of Upper Canada

Media please note: Please confirm your attendance in advance by contacting Susan Tonkin, Communications Advisor, [email protected], or 416-947-7605. @LawsocietyLSUC