Department of Justice

, June 25, 1998 -- The Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments:

Wailan Low of Toronto is appointed a judge of the Ontario Court (General Division) in Toronto. She replaces Mr. Justice H.M. O'Connell, who has chosen to become a supernumerary judge.

Madam Justice Low graduated in law from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1978, and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1980. Madam Justice Low first practised law with the firm of Porter & Posluns. In 1981, she joined the firm of Tepliski, Colson, with whom she has been a partner since 1984. Madam Justice Low has practised mainly civil litigation concentrating on commercial matters.

Madam Justice Low has been Vice-Chair of the Grievance Settlement Board under the Crown Employees Collective Bargaining Act since 1989 and Vice-Chair of the Classification Rating Committee under the Public Service Act of Ontario since 1990. In addition, she has been an Arbitrator under the Ontario Labour Relations Act since 1993.

This appointment is effective immediately.

Antoine de Lotbinière Panet, QC, of Ottawa is appointed a judge of the Ontario Court (General Division) in Ottawa. He replaces Mr. Justice D.L. McWilliam, who has chosen to become a supernumerary judge.

Mr. Justice Panet graduated in law from the University of Ottawa in 1963, and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1965. He has also been a member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants since 1964.

Mr. Justice Panet first practised law with the firm known then as Gowling, MacTavish, Osborne and Henderson. From 1968 to 1970, he was special assistant to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Commerce. Since 1971, he has been practising corporate and commercial law and international trade law with the firm of Perley-Robertson, Panet, Hill and McDougall. In 1989, Mr. Justice Panet was appointed by the Government of Canada to serve on Bi-National Panels under Chapter 19 of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement to resolve disputes relating to anti-dumping and countervailing duty.

Mr. Justice Panet has lectured in legal accounting, corporate finance and international business transactions at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ottawa. He founded the Canadian Customs and Excise reports and was Editor-in-Chief from 1980 to 1990; he also founded and was Editor-in-Chief of the National Trade and Tariff Service, a component of the Trade and Tariff Reports.

S. Bruce Durno of Toronto is appointed a judge of the Ontario Court (General Division) in Brampton. He replaces Mr. Justice J.C. Scime, who has chosen to become a supernumerary judge.

Mr. Justice Durno graduated in law from the University of Toronto in 1974, and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1976. He then joined the firm of Humphrey, Locke, Ecclestone & Kane. Since 1994, he has been a sole practitioner, mainly in the area of criminal law.

Mr. Justice Durno was president of the Criminal Lawyers' Association from 1993 to 1997. He has also been director of the Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers since 1993. Mr. Justice Durno has appeared on numerous panels and has lectured extensively on criminal law issues.

These appointments are effective June 29, 1998.

Ref.: Johanne Senécal
 Minister's Office
 (613) 992-4621