ALBERTA JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED

OTTAWA, April 18, 2002 - The Honourable Martin Cauchon, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments:

The Honourable Keith G. Ritter a judge of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench is appointed a judge of the Alberta Court of Appeal. He replaces the Honourable John W. McClung, who has chosen to become a supernumerary judge.

Mr. Justice Ritter received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Alberta in 1972, and was admitted to the Bar of Alberta the following year. He was appointed to the Court of Queen's Bench in 1993.

Eric F. Macklin, Q.C., of Edmonton is appointed a judge of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench in Edmonton. He replaces the late Madam Justice Eileen M. Nash.

Mr. Justice Macklin received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Alberta in1979. He was admitted to the Bar of Alberta in 1980 and in 1990, to the Bar of British Columbia. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Justice Macklin was a partner specialising in civil litigation at the Edmonton firm of Duncan & Craig LLP. He has extensive litigation experience before both the trial and appellate courts in a range of areas including professional liability, motor vehicle and personal injury, product liability and insurance law. Mr. Justice Macklin is the immediate Past President of the Law Society of Alberta.

Vital O. Ouellette of St. Paul, Alberta is appointed a judge of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench in Edmonton. He replaces Mr. Justice Ernest A. Marshall who has chosen to become a supernumerary judge.

In 1981, Mr. Justice Ouellette received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Moncton. The Faculty of Law of the University of Moncton was first established in 1978, and offers a common law program in French. Mr. Justice Ouellette is the second graduate in the history of that institution to be appointed to a superior court. Since his admission to the Bar of Alberta in 1983, Mr. Justice Ouellette has been in general practice in St. Paul, Alberta where he acquired broad experience in criminal and civil litigation, real estate, wills and estates and family law. Mr. Justice Ouellette is the immediate Past President of l'Association des juristes d'expression française de l'Alberta and a former member of the St. Paul Regional Legal Aid Appeals Committee.

Donna C. Read of Edmonton is appointed a judge of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench in Edmonton. She replaces Mr. Justice Keith G. Ritter who was appointed to the Alberta Court of Appeal.

An English teacher before returning to the University of Alberta to obtain a Bachelor of Laws in 1983, Madam Justice Read clerked with the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench. Following her admission to the Bar of Alberta, she joined the Edmonton firm of Emery Jamieson LLP where at the time of her appointment, Madam Justice Read was a partner practicing primarily in the area of municipal law. Throughout her career, she has been active with various professional organizations including having served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Edmonton Bar Association as well as the Professional Responsibility Committee of the Law Society of Alberta.

These appointments are effective immediately.

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Ref.: Suzanne Thébarge
Director of Communications
Minister's Office
(613) 992-4621