Department of Justice

BRITISH COLUMBIA JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

OTTAWA, March 22, 2001 -- The Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments:

Austin F. Cullen, Q.C., of Vancouver is appointed a Judge of the British Columbia Supreme Court. He replaces the Honourable Donald Brenner who was appointed Chief Justice of the British Columbia Supreme Court.

Mr. Justice Cullen received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of British Columbia in 1975 and was admitted to the Bar of British Columbia the following year. He served as Regional Crown Counsel in the Fraser Region and the Vancouver Region before taking on the duties of Assistant Deputy Attorney General with the Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia, Criminal Justice Branch in 1999. A frequent panellist and lecturer on a wide range of criminal law issues, Mr. Justice Cullen has also been an active member of various criminal law committees including the Task Force for the Creation of Rules Respecting Criminal Case Flow Management in the Provincial Court and the Criminal Justice Reform Initiative Committee. Mr. Justice Cullen was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1996.

Nicole Garson, Q.C., of Vancouver is appointed a Judge of the British Columbia Supreme Court. She replaces the Mr. Justice Ken M. Lysyk who elected to become a supernumerary judge.

Madam Justice Garson received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Saskatchewan in 1975. She was admitted to the Bar of Manitoba in 1977, and the Bar of British Columbia in 1981. Just prior to her appointment, Madam Justice Garson was a partner with the Vancouver firm of Campney & Murphy, praticing primarily in commercial and insurance litigation. She has been active with the Canadian Bar Association serving on various committees. Madam Justice Garson has been an instructor for numerous civil litigation courses through the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia. She was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1999.

Heather Holmes of Vancouver is appointed a Judge of the British Columbia Supreme Court. She replaces the Mr. Justice R.T. Low who was appointed to the British Columbia Court of Appeal.

Madam Justice Holmes received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto in 1979 maintaining a position on the Dean's Honours List for all three years of study. She was admitted to the Bar of British Columbia in 1981. Madam Justice Holmes began practice with Shrum, Liddle and Hebenton (now McCarthy, Tétrault) in Vancouver later spending four years with the Criminal Law Section of the Department of Justice in Ottawa. At the time of her appointment, she was Crown Counsel with the Commercial Crime Section of the Office of the Attorney General of British Columbia conducting commercial crime prosecutions and from time to time, appeals in general criminal law areas. Throughout her career, Madam Justice Holmes has been active with various committees of the Canadian Bar Association including having served as an elected member of the Provincial Council for Vancouver County and as the Chair of the Legislation and Law Reform Committee.

Carol Ross of North Vancouver is appointed a Judge of the British Columbia Supreme Court. She replaces the Mr. Justice R.M. Paris who elected to become a supernumerary judge.

Madam Justice Ross received a Bachelor of Laws from University of British Columbia in1981, and was admitted to the Bar of British Columbia the following year. Just prior to her appointment, Madam Justice Ross was a partner in the Vancouver firm of Hordo, Ross and Bennett practicing exclusively in civil litigation with a particular emphasis on commercial matters and negligence claims. She is a former member of the Credentials Committee and of the Ethics Committee of the Law Society of British Columbia. Madam Justice Ross has been a contributor to various civil litigation programs for the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia.

These appointments are effective immediately.

- 30 -

Ref.:

Farah Mohamed
Minister's Office
(613) 992-4621