Government of Canada announces judicial appointments in the province of Saskatchewan
OTTAWA, Nov. 2, 2018 /CNW/ - The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments under the new judicial application process introduced 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 Brian A. Barrington-Foote, a judge of Her Majesty's Court of Queen's Bench for Saskatchewan, is appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan. He fills a new position created under Bill C-74, the Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 1.
Brenda R. Hildebrandt, Q.C., a sole practitioner, is appointed a judge of Her Majesty's Court of Queen's Bench for Saskatchewan in Battleford. She replaces Justice G.N. Allbright, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective August 31, 2016.
Charlene M. Richmond, a partner at Richmond Nychuk Barristers and Solicitors, is appointed a judge of Her Majesty's Court of Queen's Bench for Saskatchewan in Regina. She replaces Justice A.R. Rothery, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective December 31, 2015.
Biographies
Justice Brian A. Barrington-Foote was appointed to the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench in April 2012. He has chaired the Court's Innovation Committee, which promotes access to justice, and the Paralegal Committee, in addition to serving on the Court's Civil Justice Committee and class action panel. He is also chair of the Judicial Advisory Committee for Saskatchewan.
Born in Vancouver, Justice Barrington-Foote holds a B.A. in history from Simon Fraser University and an LL.B. from the University of British Columbia. He was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1988, the Saskatchewan Bar in 1995, and the Alberta Bar in 2002.
Prior to becoming a judge, Justice Barrington-Foote practiced with law firms in Victoria, Calgary, and Regina. His practice focused on civil litigation, public law, and Aboriginal law. In Regina, he was a partner with McKercher McKercher & Whitmore (1995-2002) and with MacPherson Leslie & Tyerman (2002-2012). He acted for Saskatchewan and Alberta First Nations as general counsel, including in governance and commercial matters, consultation and Treaty rights, and general and specific claims. He appeared at all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada.
Justice Barrington-Foote also devoted part of his legal career to public service in both British Columbia and Saskatchewan. From 1987 to 1992, he served as Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General for Saskatchewan. He was the lead legal advisor to Saskatchewan in Métis Self-Government Negotiations, the Aboriginal constitutional process mandated by the Constitution Act 1982, the Meech Lake negotiations, the Treaty Land Entitlement Framework Agreement negotiations, and the Canada?US Free Trade Agreement.
Justice Barrington-Foote was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1988 and received the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal in 2005. In the community, he has served as a director and coach for Hockey Regina, a director of the United Way of Regina, a member of the Law Foundation of Saskatchewan, and on the provincial council of the Saskatchewan Branch of the Canadian Bar Association.
Justice Barrington-Foote and his wife, Linda Zarzeczny, Q.C., Assistant Deputy Attorney General for Saskatchewan, live in Regina. They have one adult son.
Justice Brenda R. Hildebrandt obtained her LL.B. from the University of Saskatchewan in 1983 and was called to the Saskatchewan Bar in 1984 after articling with Gauley & Co. in Saskatoon. Following 13 years with the firm, working primarily in health law and civil litigation, she moved to southeastern Saskatchewan and established a sole practice in addition to participating in a joint farming and ranching operation. Justice Hildebrandt served clients throughout Saskatchewan, with a focus on professional discipline. In addition, she obtained her LL.M. in health law from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2011.
A frequent lecturer for both the bar admission course and continuing professional development, Justice Hildebrandt served six years on the board of Saskatchewan Legal Education Society Inc. (SKLESI), holding the position of President during 2003-2004. She has also been published in the areas of health law and estate administration. In recognition of these contributions, she received the SKLESI Award for Excellence in Legal Education Development in December 2004. That same year, she was appointed Queen's Counsel for Saskatchewan.
From 2013 until her appointment to the judiciary, Justice Hildebrandt was a Bencher of the Law Society of Saskatchewan, serving as President in 2015, when she moved her practice back to Saskatoon. Beginning in June 2016, she was also an adjudicator appointed to hear appeals pursuant to the Saskatchewan Employment Act.
Along with her professional commitments, Justice Hildebrandt has served on boards and committees of various charitable organizations and actively participated in her community, particularly in musical productions and fitness instruction.
Justice Charlene M. Richmond obtained her B.A. with distinction (1985) and her LL.B. with distinction (1988), both from the University of Saskatchewan. She articled with the Saskatchewan Department of Justice and went into private practice with the Merchant Law Group. In 1991, she co-founded a law firm, and was later joined in the firm by her spouse, Barry Nychuk, while she was expecting their first child. Twenty-seven years and four children later, the firm of Richmond Nychuk now boasts over a dozen lawyers and is well-known for both its family and criminal law representation.
Early in her career, Justice Richmond practised in the areas of criminal law, agricultural law (with an emphasis on debtor/creditor matters), and family litigation. She spent several years representing First Nations, before returning to focus on family law. An experienced litigator, Justice Richmond has appeared at all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada. She has also taken mediation training and collaborative law training.
Justice Richmond is an advocate for women's issues. She was able to put these beliefs into effect as a board member and past president of the YWCA Regina, an organization that focuses on women and families, and more recently as a Justicia Project member. Justice Richmond is committed to mentoring other women lawyers, and is particularly proud that her firm has consistently had approximately equal representation of men and women lawyers.
Justice Richmond was raised in a Francophone community, and remains committed to promoting French-language rights. She was a member of L'Association des juristes d'expression française de la Saskatchewan for many years. In addition, she served on the board of her alma mater, Collège Mathieu.
Having raised four bright and athletic children, Justice Richmond has volunteered for school and extracurricular activities too diverse and numerous to mention. She assisted in the establishment of an Organized Hamlet, and recently represented her community as a Rural Municipality Councillor. Justice Richmond also served as Honourary Consul for the Kingdom of Morocco from 2013 to 2017.
Quick Facts
- Since taking office, the Minister of Justice has made over 230 judicial appointments, including 100 in 2017 ? the most a Minister of Justice has made in one year in at least two decades. Of the individuals appointed, over half are women, eight are Indigenous, 20 identify as visible minorities, 13 identify as LGBTQ2, and three identify as persons with disabilities.
- The Government of Canada is committed to promoting access to justice for all Canadians. To improve outcomes for Canadian families, Budget 2018 will provide funding of $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 provided 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.
- In addition, the Government will invest $6 million over two years, beginning in 2018-2019, to support the judicial discipline process through which allegations of judicial misconduct are investigated. In this way, 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.
- 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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