Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces a judicial appointment in the province of Ontario
News release
December 4, 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Justice Canada
The Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointment under the judicial application process established in 2016. This process emphasizes transparency, merit, and the diversity of the Canadian population, and will continue to ensure the appointment of jurists who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.
Kerry Lee McVey, Crown Attorney at the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario in Perth, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Ottawa. Justice McVey replaces Justice R. Laliberté (L'Orignal), who resigned effective June 7, 2023, and whose vacancy was transferred to Ottawa.
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“I wish Justice McVey every success as she takes on her new role. I am confident she will serve Ontarians well as a member of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario.”
—The Hon. Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Biography
Justice Kerry Lee McVey was raised in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. After receiving the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal and Governor General’s Medal for academic excellence and community involvement, she obtained a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and computer science from Acadia University in 1999. After graduating, she moved to Ottawa, Ontario, where she began a career in software design. In 2007, just a few short months after welcoming her first child, she began law school at the University of Ottawa. While raising a young family, she worked as a criminal law tutor and research assistant and graduated as the silver medalist in 2010.
After obtaining her Bachelor of Laws, Justice McVey clerked for the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (East Region) and then the Honourable Justice Morris J. Fish at the Supreme Court of Canada. She was called to the Ontario bar in 2011 and became an Assistant Crown Attorney in Ottawa. In 2019, she joined the Office of the Director of Crown Operations as a member of the provincial internet child exploitation team. Justice McVey taught numerous courses at the Canadian Police College on internet child exploitation as well as search and seizure and served as a co-director for the Cybercrime crown summer school program. In 2022, she became the Crown Attorney for Lanark County and Smiths Falls.
In her spare time, Justice McVey can be found on the golf course or spending time with her wonderful partner of 17 years, Giuseppe, and their two beautiful children, Saro and Luca.
Quick facts
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The Government of Canada has appointed more than 675 judges since November 2015. The Honourable Arif Virani has made 49 appointments since becoming Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada on July 26, 2023. These exceptional jurists represent the diversity that strengthens Canada. Of these judges, more than half are women, and appointments reflect an increased representation of racialized persons, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQI+, and those who self-identify as having a disability.
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To support the needs of the courts and improve access to justice for all Canadians, the Government of Canada is committed to increasing the capacity of superior courts. Budget 2022 provides for 22 new judicial positions, along with two associate judges at the Tax Court of Canada. Along with the 13 positions created under Budget 2021, this makes a total of 37 newly created superior court positions. Since Budget 2017, the government has funded 116 new judicial positions.
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Changes to the Questionnaire for Federal Judicial Appointments were announced in September 2022. The questionnaire continues to provide for a robust and thorough assessment of candidates but has been streamlined and updated to incorporate, among other things, more respectful and inclusive language for individuals to self-identify diversity characteristics.
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Federal judicial appointments are made by the Governor General, acting on the advice of the federal Cabinet and recommendations from the Minister of Justice.
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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.
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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.
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The Government of Canada is committed to promoting a justice system in which sexual assault matters are decided fairly, without the influence of myths and stereotypes, and in which survivors are treated with dignity and compassion. Changes to the Judges Act and Criminal Code that came into force on May 6, 2021, mean that in order to be eligible for appointment to a provincial superior court, candidates must agree to participate in continuing education on matters related to sexual assault law and social context, which includes systemic racism and systemic discrimination. The new legislation enhances the transparency of decisions by amending the Criminal Code to require that judges provide written reasons, or enter them into the record, when deciding sexual assault matters.
Contacts
For more information, media may contact:
Chantalle Aubertin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Justice
613-992-6568
Chantalle.Aubertin@justice.gc.ca
Media Relations
Department of Justice Canada
613-957-4207
media@justice.gc.ca
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