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

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 19, 2026 /CNW/ -- The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, 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.

The Honourable Julie Audet, a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, Family Court, in Ottawa, is appointed Regional Senior Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario for the East Region. Justice Audet replaces Justice C.U.C. MacLeod, who returned to the regular complement of active Judges effective September 14, 2026.

Gabrielle M.S. Beaulieu, founder of Orbis - Beaulieu Professional Corporation in Ottawa, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, Family Court, in Ottawa. Justice Beaulieu replaces Justice J. Audet (Ottawa), who was appointed Regional Senior Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario for the East Region effective October 15, 2026.

Quote

"I wish Justices Audet and Beaulieu every success as they take on their new roles. I am confident they will serve the people of Ontario well as members of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario."

-- The Hon. Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Biographies

Justice Julie Audet is fluently bilingual. She was raised in the Gaspé Peninsula in a modest and hard-working Francophone family. She graduated from the National Program (LL.B./LL.L.) at the University of Ottawa with the highest honours in 1996 and completed an LL.M. in family law at Osgoode Hall Law School in 2011.

Prior to her appointment to the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, Family Court, in 2017, Justice Audet practised as a family lawyer, mediator, and collaborative practitioner in the Ottawa and Eastern Ontario regions. She co-founded ALT Divorce and Family Law in A Box, two companies aimed at providing services and educational programs on family law to members of the public.

Justice Gabrielle M.S. Beaulieu holds a Bachelor of Civil Law (LL.L.) and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Ottawa, along with a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in international law with a specialization in family and children's law from Loyola University in Chicago. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2012.

Justice Beaulieu began her career articling at the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel of the House of Commons. She subsequently focused her practice on family law as an attorney, a collaborative law attorney, a mediator, and a children's lawyer. She has taught family law at the University of Ottawa and served as a visiting professor at the universities of Calgary, Saskatoon, and Windsor.

Justice Beaulieu has been actively involved in various committees, in the development of resources, and in the editing of a book. She has also provided numerous training courses for legal professionals, practitioners working with victims of violence, and self-represented litigants, with the goal of improving access to justice. In addition to her involvement on the board of directors of the County of Carleton Law Association, she served for seven years on the board of directors of the Vanier Community Service Centre.

Justice Beaulieu enjoys spending time in nature, travelling and cooking with her spouse and their two children.

Quick facts

• 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.

SOURCE Department of Justice Canada

Contacts: For more information, media may contact: Joannie Fogue, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, 613-297-2431, [email protected]; Media Relations: Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]