Government of Canada announces judicial appointments in Nunavut

June 22, 2018 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Justice Canada  

The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments 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.

Susan Charlesworth, senior review counsel at Queen’s University Legal Aid, in Kingston, is appointed a judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit. She replaces Mr. Justice E.D. Johnson, who resigned effective September 30, 2015.

Christian Lyons, general counsel with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, is appointed a judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit. He replaces Mr. Justice R.G. Kilpatrick, who resigned effective September 30, 2016.

Biographies

Justice Susan Charlesworth received both her B.Sc. in mathematics and her LL.B. from Queen’s University. She articled with O’Hara, Cromwell and Wilkin in Kingston before joining the criminal practice of the Honourable T.G. O’Hara, who was later appointed to the judiciary. In addition to practising criminal law, Justice Charlesworth also represented children in Children’s Aid Society matters and supported mental health clients and inmates at administrative hearings. In 1996, Justice Charlesworth joined Queen’s University Legal Aid, supervising law students providing much-needed legal services to people in the Kingston area. Under her guidance, hundreds of law graduates have learned valuable ethical and professional lessons in a practical setting.

Between 2013 and 2015, Justice Charlesworth and her husband, David, lived in Iqaluit, where she was criminal defence counsel at Maliganik Tukisiniarvik Legal Services. During this time, they came to appreciate the beauty of the land and the character of the people of Nunavut.

In her free time, Justice Charlesworth is active in her community. She is the president of the recreational hockey league in which she has played for 20 years. She has also served in various roles on the board of the Independent Living Centre in Kingston for 10 years, including as treasurer. As the current chair of St. Andrew’s-by-the-Lake United Church Council, she has adapted a United Church hymn for her new circumstances: “What does the World require of you? What does the World require of you? To seek justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly on the Land.”

Justice Charlesworth and her husband are the proud parents of three children.

Justice Christian Lyons was born and raised in Ontario. He holds an LL.B. from Queen’s University and a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Toronto. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 2003, the Nunavut Bar in 2006, and the Northwest Territories Bar in 2014.

Justice Lyons began his career as criminal duty counsel at the Scarborough Courthouse. In 2006, he accepted a position with the Maliganik Tukisiniarvik legal aid clinic and moved to Iqaluit, Nunavut. There he represented Nunavummiut – residents of Nunavut – and appeared before the Nunavut Court of Justice in communities across the territory. He was appointed senior counsel with Maliganik Tukisiniarvik in 2010, and worked in that capacity until 2014. He then joined the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) in the Nunavut Regional Office.

At the PPSC, Justice Lyons first worked as a front-line prosecutor, travelling extensively on court circuits throughout Nunavut. He later assumed leadership and management roles, including that of senior counsel and general counsel, Legal Operations. He was active on PPSC national committees dealing with current legal topics. He also met regularly with the Legal Services Board of Nunavut, the Nunavut Court of Justice, and other Nunavut stakeholders to discuss administration of justice issues and potential improvements.

During his 12 years working and living in Nunavut, both as defence counsel and as a prosecutor, Justice Lyons has learned much about Inuit culture and traditional values. In his life outside the legal profession, Justice Lyons enjoys community life in Iqaluit, being on the land, camping, hiking, kite-skiing, and kite-surfing.

Excerpts from Justice Lyons’ judicial application are available.