Government of Canada announces judicial appointment in the province of Alberta

News Release

May 12, 2017 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Justice Canada  

The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointment under the new judicial application process announced on October 20, 2016. The new process emphasizes transparency, merit, and diversity, and will continue to ensure the appointment of jurists who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity. 

Johnna C. Kubik, a sole practitioner with Kubik & Company, is appointed a judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta in Calgary. She replaces Mr. Justice B.E. Mahoney, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective November 15, 2016.

Biography

Madam Justice Johnna C. Kubik holds a B.A. from the University of Calgary and an LL.B. from Queen’s University. Born in Lethbridge and raised on a family farm in southern Alberta, she returned to Lethbridge to complete her articles and at the time of her appointment was a sole practitioner. She spent her career as a civil litigator representing a wide range of clients – including parties in insurance defence, personal injury, and estate litigation; the Lethbridge Police in a public fatality inquiry; claimants in the Indian Residential School Independent Assessment Process; children and parents in child protection hearings; and patients in mental health proceedings.

Madam Justice Kubik’s participation in community life reflects her commitment to those in need, justice issues, and the arts. In 2009, the City of Lethbridge recognized her as a Community Hero for providing life-saving CPR to a victim of sudden cardiac arrest. She has helped promote access to justice through twelve years of service on the Regional Appeals Committee (Southern Region) of Legal Aid Alberta and her regular volunteer work at Lethbridge Legal Guidance, a local pro bono legal clinic. From 2007 to 2013, she was a Director of the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, serving as president for four years. During that time, she guided the gallery through its first comprehensive strategic plan, a facility expansion, and a major fundraising initiative, contributing to its success as a leading Canadian contemporary art gallery.

Excerpts from Madam Justice Kubik’s judicial application will be available shortly.

Quick Facts

  • Budget 2017 proposes additional funding of $55 million over five years beginning in 2017-2018 and $15.5 million per year thereafter for 28 new federally-appointed judges. Of these new positions, 12 would be allotted to Alberta and one to the Yukon, with the remaining 15 being assigned to a pool for needs in other jurisdictions.
  • To ensure a judiciary that is responsive, ethical and sensitive to the evolving needs of Canadian society, the Canadian Judicial Council will receive $2.7 million over five years and $0.5 million ongoing thereafter. This will support programming on judicial education, ethics and conduct, including in relation to gender and cultural sensitivity.
  • Today’s appointments are separate from the Budget 2017 announcement.
  • Federal judicial appointments are made by the Governor General, acting on the advice of the federal Cabinet and recommendations from the Minister of Justice.
  • The Judicial Advisory Committees across Canada play a key role in evaluating judicial applications. There are 17 Judicial Advisory Committees, with each province and territory represented.
  • Significant reforms to the role and structure of the Judicial Advisory Committees, aimed at enhancing the independence and transparency of the process, were announced on October 20, 2016.
  • The Judicial Advisory Committees in ten jurisdictions have been reconstituted. Most recently, Minister Wilson-Raybould announced the composition of three new Judicial Advisory Committees on April 13, 2017.
  • This process is separate from the Supreme Court of Canada judicial appointment process announced on August 2, 2016. Nominees to the Supreme Court of Canada are selected by the Prime Minister from a thoroughly vetted list of candidates.

Contacts

For more information, media may contact:

Kathleen Davis
Communications and Parliamentary Affairs Advisor
Office of the Minister of Justice
613-992-4621

Media Relations
Department of Justice Canada
613-957-4207
media@justice.gc.ca

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