Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces a judicial appointment in the province of Ontario
News release
December 6, 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.
Gordon J. Cudjoe, Lawyer Manager at Legal Aid Ontario in Toronto, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Brampton. Justice Cudjoe replaces Justice L. Ricchetti (Brampton), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective July 30, 2023.
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“I wish Justice Cudjoe every success as he takes on his new role. I am confident he 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 Gordon J. Cudjoe was born in Ottawa and raised in Ghana. He returned to Canada in 1993. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours) from the University of Ghana. A few years after his arrival in Canada, he attended the University of Toronto where he received a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Arts degree in Criminology. He was admitted to the Ontario bar in 2001.
Justice Cudjoe practiced primarily criminal law throughout his career. He joined the duty counsel (criminal) office in Toronto in 2001 and then joined the law office of Michael Tulloch & Associates in 2002. In 2006, he formed a criminal defence practice, Cudjoe Bremner Law. In 2015, he joined Legal Aid Ontario and most recently served as the manager of the Provincial Case Management Office. He appeared at all levels of court in Ontario including the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
Justice Cudjoe had been an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University since 2020. He taught advanced criminal law with a focus on race and racism. He was a director of the Second Chance Scholarship Foundation from 2006 until now. The Second Chance Scholarship Foundation is an organization that assists at-risk youth in getting back on track through education and mentoring.
Justice Cudjoe lives in Oakville with his wife, Bindu and three children.
Quick facts
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The Government of Canada has appointed more than 805 judges since November 2015. This includes 181 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