Government of Canada announces judicial appointment in the province of New Brunswick
OTTAWA, June 7, 2018 /CNW/ - The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointment under the new judicial application process announced on October 20, 2016. The new process emphasizes transparency, merit, and diversity, and will continue to ensure the appointment of jurists who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.
The Honourable Lucie A. LaVigne, a Judge of the Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick, Trial Division, is appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal of New Brunswick. She replaces Mr. Justice J.C. Marc Richard, who was appointed Chief Justice of New Brunswick on May 1, 2018.
Biography
Justice Lucie A. LaVigne holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Université de Moncton and an LL.B. from the Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick (1980). She was called to the New Brunswick Bar that same year and began her career in private practice in Edmundston. In 1996, she was appointed Queen's Counsel. She was appointed to the Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick in Edmundston in 2001.
Justice LaVigne is a well-known advocate for women's equality and has been extensively involved in promoting women in the legal profession. Among her many efforts in that regard, she served on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) from 2010 to 2014. She is a former president of the IAWJ's Canadian Chapter.
Justice LaVigne has also been an active member of her community. Prior to her appointment to the Court of Queen's Bench, she served on the boards of several local organizations. She is the former president of the Edmundston Chamber of Commerce, L'Escale MadaVic (a transition home for women victims of violence and their children), and the Edmundston Regional Hospital Foundation. In addition, she is a former vice-president of the Board of Governors of the Université de Moncton.
Justice LaVigne is fluently bilingual and is frequently asked to speak on legal topics, often those related to women in the legal profession.
Justice LaVigne has been married to Paul Albert since 1982 and the couple has two daughters, Marie-Claude and Jolène.
Quick Facts
- In 2017, the Minister of Justice made 100 appointments and elevations ? the most a Minister of Justice has made in one year in at least two decades. Of these appointees, half are women, four are Indigenous, and 16 have self-identified as a member of a visible minority population, LGBTQ2, or a person with a disability.
- The Government of Canada is committed to promoting access to justice for all Canadians. To improve outcomes for Canadian families, Budget 2018 proposes $77.2 million over four years to support the expansion of unified family courts, beginning in 2019-2020. This investment in the family justice system will create 39 new judicial positions in Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
- In addition, Budget 2018 proposes funding for a further seven judicial positions in Saskatchewan and Ontario, at a cost of $17.1 million over five years.
- The funding outlined in Budget 2018 comes on top of resources allocated under Budget 2017, which created 28 new judicial positions across the country.
- Additionally, the Government will ensure that a robust process remains in place to allow Canadians to voice their concerns and submit complaints about judicial conduct to the Canadian Judicial Council and the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs. This investment of $6 million over two years, beginning in 2018-2019, will support the judicial discipline process through which allegations of judicial misconduct are investigated.
- 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. Sixteen Judicial Advisory Committees have been reconstituted to date.
SOURCE Department of Justice Canada
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