BRITISH COLUMBIA JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

, August 7, 1996 -- The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Allan Rock, today announced the following appointments:

Nancy Elizabeth Morrison, Q.C. of Vancouver is appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Vancouver. She replaces Mr. Justice H.A.D. Oliver who retired.

Madam Justice Morrison graduated in law from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1961. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1963, to the Bar of Saskatchewan in 1966, and to the Bar of British Columbia in 1970.

From 1963 to 1966, Madam Justice Morrison practised law with the firm of LeMarsh & LeMarsh in Niagara Falls, Ontario. From 1966 to 1970, she practised with the firm of Morrison, MacDonald & Morrison, in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. In 1970, she became Assistant City Prosecutor in Vancouver, and then practised with the firm of Deverell, Harrop, Morrison & Wood. In 1972, Madam Justice Morrison was appointed to the Provincial Court of British Columbia, Criminal Division, where she sat until 1981, although she acted as Vice-Chairperson of the British Columbia Labour Relations Board and Labour Arbitrators from 1973 to 1976. Madam Justice Morrison returned to private practice in 1981, and has since practised civil litigation and acted as arbitrator in labour and civil matters.

Madam Justice Morrison has been an active public speaker for the past 30 years on issues concerning labour law, criminal and family law, minority rights, education and the environment.

T. Mark McEwan of Trail is appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Nelson. He replaces Mr. Justice R.M. Cooper who resigned.

Mr. Justice McEwan graduated in law from the University of British Columbia in 1977, and was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 1978.

Mr. Justice McEwan has mainly practised law in Trail, where he has been a partner with the firm of McEwan, Harrison & Co. since 1979. He has mainly practised civil litigation and occasionally practised family law and criminal law.

Mr. Justice McEwan has been Director and Chair of the Legal Services Society. He has also been a Bencher for the Law Society, County of Kootenay, since 1984. He is currently Governor of the Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia.

Alison Beames of Kelowna is appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Kelowna. She replaces Mr. Justice H.J. Hamilton who has chosen to become a supernumerary judge.

Madam Justice Beames graduated in law from the University of Alberta in 1982. She was called to the Bar of Alberta in 1983 and to the Bar of British Columbia in 1989.

Madam Justice Beames practised law with the firm of Milner & Steer in Edmonton until 1989, when she joined the firm of Salloum, Doak in Kelowna, with whom she has been a partner since 1990. She has practised civil litigation with emphasis on construction litigation, personal injury matters, insurance litigation (defence) and family law.

These appointments are effective immediately.

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