BRITISH COLUMBIA JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

Ottawa , September 18, 2006 – The Honourable Vic Toews, Q.C., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments:

The Honourable Edward Charles Chiasson, partner with the firm Borden Ladner Gervais of Vancouver, is appointed judge of the Court of Appeal for British Columbia. He replaces Mr. Justice J. E. Hall ( Vancouver), who elected to become a supernumerary judge.

Mr. Justice Chiasson received a Bachelor of Laws in 1966 from the University of British Columbia and was admitted to the Bar of British Columbia in 1967. His expertise is in the areas of civil litigation, arbitration and mediation. He is or has been a member of the Hong Kong Arbitrators Institute, the Advisory Committee to the Federal Department of Justice on Private International Law and a chartered arbitrator of the Canadian Institute of Arbitrators. As well, Mr. Justice Chiasson has been active in academic life as an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia and the Hunter Professor of Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, City University, Hong Kong. He is active in the community and was Chair of the Board of Directors of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and is a director of the Bowen Island Community Foundation.

The Honourable Catherine Janet Bruce , Judge of the Provincial Court of British Columbia sitting in Vancouver, is appointed judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. She replaces Mr. Justice R.S.K. Wong ( Vancouver) who elected to become a supernumerary judge.

Madam Justice Bruce received a Master of Laws (with distinction) from the London School of Economics 1978, a Bachelor of Laws in 1976 and a Bachelor of Arts in 1973 from University of British Columbia. She was admitted to the Bar of British Columbia in 1977.

Before her appointment to the Provincial Court, she practised with the Canadian Air Line Flight Attendants’ Association, as associate and partner with Braidwood, McKenzie (1981-1987), as Vice-Chair of Labour Relations Board of British Columbia (1987-1990) and as private arbitrator and mediator in labour matters (1990-1998). Madam Justice Bruce was appointed to the Provincial Court in 1998.

These appointments are effective immediately.

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Ref.:
Mike Storeshaw, Director of Communications
Minister’s office, 613-992-4621