Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces judicial appointments in the province of Quebec Français
OTTAWA, ON, April 27, 2021 /CNW/ - The Honourable David Lametti, 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.
The Honourable Peter Kalichman, a puisne judge of the Superior Court of Quebec for the district of Montréal, is appointed a puisne judge of the Court of Appeal of Quebec. Mr. Justice Kalichman replaces Madam Justice M.F. Bich (Montréal), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective March 1, 2021.
The Honourable Annie Breault, a judge of the Provincial Court of Quebec, is appointed a puisne judge of the Superior Court of Quebec for the district of Montréal. Madam Justice Breault replaces Mr. Justice G. Cournoyer (Montréal), who was elevated to the Court of Appeal effective September 30, 2020.
Charles Bienvenu, counsel at Legal Aid Quebec in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, is appointed a puisne judge of the Superior Court of Quebec for the district of Montréal. Mr. Justice Bienvenu replaces Madam Justice C. Baudouin (Montréal), who was elevated to the Court of Appeal effective November 18, 2020.
Quote
"I wish Justices Kalichman, Breault, and Bienvenu every success as they take on their new roles. I am confident they will serve the people of Quebec well as members of the Court of Appeal and Superior Court."
—The Hon. David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Biographies
Justice Peter Kalichman has served on the Superior Court of Quebec (Montréal) since 2017.
Mr. Justice Kalichman earned a B.A. from McGill University before attending the Université de Montréal, where he earned his law degree.At the time of his appointment to the Superior Court of Quebec, Justice Kalichman was a partner at Irving Mitchell Kalichman LLP, a firm based in Montreal that specialized in litigation, where he had worked for 17 years. His entire career as a lawyer was spent in civil and commercial litigation.
In addition to practising as a trial lawyer, Justice Kalichman taught trial advocacy at the Faculty of Law at McGill University for 15 years, and he was a regular speaker and panelist on various aspects of litigation, including evidence and procedure. He also served on various committees of the Montreal Bar Association and acted as an arbitrator on the Conseil d'arbitrage des comptes des avocats du Barreau du Québec. Throughout his career, Justice Kalichman received wide recognition for his accomplishments as a trial lawyer, including being named a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the preeminent organization of trial lawyers in North America. He was also listed among the Top 50 Trial Lawyers in Canada by Benchmark Litigation and was recognized as a leading practitioner in litigation by numerous legal publications, including LEXPERT, Chambers Global, and Best Lawyers.
Apart from his involvement in law, Justice Kalichman has been an active member of Montreal's Jewish community. He has served on a variety of boards and committees of Federation Combined Jewish Appeal and the YM-YWHA Jewish Community Centers of Montreal.
Justice Annie Breault earned her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Montréal's Faculty of Law in 1992. She was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1993.
Before her appointment to the Superior Court of Quebec, Madam Justice Breault was a judge at the Court of Quebec's Civil Division for the Laval-Laurentides-Lanaudière-Labelle region, starting in 2013. She was also assigned to the Court of Quebec's administrative appeal division and sat on several committees. From 1993 to 2013, she practised law as a counsel and associate at the Dufour Mottet Avocats law firm, mainly in civil and commercial litigation. From 2009 to 2013, she taught contract law, civil evidence, and representation at the École du Barreau in Montréal.
Justice Charles Bienvenu earned his Bachelor of Judicial Sciences degree from the University of Quebec at Montréal in 1995 and was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1997. Before becoming a lawyer, he earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Political Science from McGill University as part of the Regular Officer Training Program in 1989. He then served as an Intelligence Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces at the Mobile Command Headquarters.
Mr. Justice Bienvenu first worked as a lawyer in private practice from 1997 to 2004, practising civil, youth and family law, as well as family mediation. In 2004, he joined the Centre communautaire juridique de la Rive-Sud and practised at the Salaberry-de-Valleyfield legal aid office, starting in 2005. He has appeared before the Superior Court, the Court of Quebec, and the Court of Appeal, but favours alternative methods of dispute prevention and resolution. He has represented many diverse clients throughout his career, while honouring his commitment to accessible justice. He has practised family law and civil law for 24 years.
Justice Bienvenu lives with his wife and their blended family of four children in Montréal.
Quick Facts
- At the Superior Court level, more than 450 judges have been appointed since November 2015. These exceptional jurists represent the diversity that strengthens Canada. Of these judges, more than half are women, and appointments reflect an increased representation of visible minorities, Indigenous, LGBTQ2+, and those who self-identify as having a disability.
- The Government of Canada is committed to promoting access to justice for all Canadians. To improve outcomes for Canadian families, Budget 2018 provides 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.
- 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.
SOURCE Department of Justice Canada
media may contact: Rachel Rappaport, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Justice, 613-992-6568, [email protected]; Media Relations, Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]
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