Department of Justice

BRITISH COLUMBIA JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

OTTAWA, July 2, 1999 -- The Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments:

The Honourable Mary E. Saunders, a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Vancouver, is appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal for British Columbia. She replaces Mr. Justice D. Michael M. Goldie, who has resigned.

Madam Justice Saunders obtained her LL.B. from the University of British Columbia in 1974, and was called to the Bar of that province the following year. Prior to her appointment to the Bench in 1991, Madam Justice Saunders was a partner in the firm of Campney & Murphy.

Douglas A. Halfyard, Q.C., of Terrace is appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Prince Rupert. He replaces Mr. Justice Robert T. Errico, who has resigned.

Mr. Justice Halfyard graduated in law from the University of British Columbia in 1972, and was called to the Bar of that province the following year. Through his legal career, Mr. Justice Halfyard has practised mostly in the fields of criminal law and civil litigation both as a sole practitioner and as a partner in several firms. Until his appointment to the Bench, Mr. Justice Halfyard practised with the law firm of Halfyard & Wright in Terrace.

Kathryn E. Neilson, Q.C., of Vancouver is appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Vancouver. She replaces Madam Justice Mary E. Saunders, who has been appointed to the Court of Appeal for British Columbia.

Madame Justice Neilson received her Masters degree in psychology from the University of British Columbia in 1971 and her law degree from Dalhousie University in 1974. She was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 1975.

Madam Justice Neilson went on to earn a Bachelor of Civil Law from Oxford University (England) in 1980. She then practised law as a sole practitioner before joining the Vancouver firm of Doust & Smith in 1982. From 1984 to 1994, she practised law with the firm of Harper Grey Easton.

Madam Justice Neilson worked as a Human Rights Officer for the United Nations in Cambodia from 1994 to 1995, and as Senior Associate for the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives at the University of Victoria in 1996. At the time of her appointment to the Bench, Madam Justice Neilson was practising primarily civil litigation, administrative and criminal law with the firm of Harper Grey Easton. She was also working as a part-time member of the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal.

These appointments are effective immediately.

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