SASKATCHEWAN JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

OTTAWA, November 16, 2005 -- The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Irwin Cotler, today announced the following appointments:

The Honourable Janet E. McMurtry, of Regina is appointed a judge of the Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench. She replaces Mr. Justice W.R. Matheson who has retired.

Madam Justice McMurtry received a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University in 1985, and was admitted to the Saskatchewan Bar in 1986.

Prior to her initial appointment to the Bench, she was a partner with the firm Woloshyn and Company. She was appointed to the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan in 1994.

In the past, Madam Justice McMurtry has acted as Associate Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan and as an administrative judge for Regina and southern Saskatchewan. She is the past president and member of the executive of the Saskatchewan Provincial Court Judges Association.

Neil G. Gabrielson, of Saskatoon, is appointed a judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Saskatchewan. He replaces Madam Justice G.A. Smith, who was appointed to the Court of Appeal of Saskatchewan.

Mr. Justice Gabrielson received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Saskatchewan in 1971 and was admitted to the Saskatchewan Bar in 1972.

At the time of his appointment, he was a partner with the firm McKercher McKercher and Whitmore, where he practised primarily in the areas of general litigation, medical malpractice, labour and employment law and administrative law.

Mr. Justice Gabrielson is a former President and Bencher of the Law Society of Saskatchewan. He has been a member of many committees of the Canadian Bar Association including the Ethics and Professional Issues Committee. In the past he has acted as Chair of the Canadian Lawyers Insurance Association, as a member of the Canadian Association of University Solicitors and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Ronald C. Mills, Q.C., of Birch Hills, is appointed a judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Saskatchewan. He replaces Mr. Justice G.W. Baynton who has elected to become a supernumerary judge.

Mr. Justice Mills received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Saskatchewan in 1977 and was admitted to the Saskatchewan Bar in 1978.

At the time of his appointment, Mr. Justice Mills was a partner with the firm Mills Wilcox Zuk, where he practised primarily in the areas of general litigation, family law, real estate law and criminal law.

In the past, Mr. Justice Mills has served as Director of the Canadian Bar Financial Services Corporation and is the former President of the Saskatchewan Branch of the Canadian Bar Association. In addition, he is a past member of the National Executive of the Canadian Bar Association and a former member of the National Council of the Canadian Bar Association. He has acted as a member of the Saskatchewan Arbitration Association and of the Canadian Association for the Practical Study of Law in Education.

These appointments are effective immediately.

Ref.:

François Giroux
Judicial Affairs Advisor
Office of the Minister of Justice
(613) 992-4621