Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces a judicial appointment to the Federal Court
News release
October 28, 2024 – 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.
Love Saint-Fleur, Commissioner for the Refugee Appeal Division at the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada in Montréal, is appointed a Judge of the Federal Court. Justice Saint-Fleur fills the new position authorized under the Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 1.
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“I wish Justice Saint-Fleur every success as she takes on her new role. I am confident she will serve Canadians well as a member of the Federal Court.”
—The Hon. Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Biography
Justice Love Saint-Fleur holds a Bachelor of Laws (1995) from the Université de Montréal, an advanced studies diploma in international law and international organizations from the Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University (1999), and a master’s degree in international law (2006) from the Université du Québec à Montréal. She was called to the Barreau du Québec in 1997.
Justice Saint-Fleur is fluent in French, English, Haitian Creole, and Spanish. Her practice focuses on international law and human rights. She worked for the federal agency Rights and Democracy, participating in the following United Nations bodies: the Commission on Human Rights, the Working Group on the Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. She has held decision-making positions with provincial and federal immigration departments; in 2012, she became a board member of the Refugee Protection Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada—the country’s largest administrative tribunal—where she trained new decision-makers. In 2019, she was appointed to the Refugee Appeal Division, where she served as a coordinating member. Over the course of her professional and academic career, she has earned several honours.
Justice Saint-Fleur worked as a legal expert for the United Nations International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti before joining the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Venezuela and Ecuador.
Justice Saint-Fleur and her husband Christian are the proud parents of Gabriel and Mathieu.
Quick facts
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The Government of Canada has appointed more than 790 judges since November 2015. This includes 163 appointments since the Honourable Arif Virani became Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada on July 26, 2023, a pace of appointments that has no precedent in Canadian history. 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 provided 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
Deputy Director, Communications
Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General
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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