Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces a judicial appointment in the province of Quebec
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.
Sophie Leblanc, Counsel at the Centre communautaire juridique de l'Outaouais in Gatineau, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Quebec for the district of Gatineau. Justice Leblanc fills one of the four new positions authorized under Bill C-74 (2018) in Terrebonne. The Chief Justice has transferred Justice C. Therrien (Gatineau) into this vacancy. The vacancy is therefore located in Gatineau.
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“I wish Justice Leblanc every success as she takes on her new role. I am confident she will serve Quebecers well as a member of the Superior Court of Quebec.”
—The Hon. Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Biography
Justice Sophie Leblanc is originally from the Chaudière-Appalaches region. She received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Ottawa in 1993 and was called to the Quebec Bar in 1994.
Justice Leblanc started her private practice from 1994 to 1999. At the time of her appointment to the bench, she had been practising at the Outaouais Community Legal Centre since 1999, including 14 years at the Buckingham office. Throughout her career, she primarily practised family law, labour law, civil law, and administrative law. She has appeared before the Quebec Superior Court, the Court of Quebec, and various administrative tribunals.
Justice Leblanc’s involvement in the legal community included seven years as secretary-treasurer at the Association des avocates et avocats en droit de la famille de l’Outaouais and at the Outaouais Bar Social Committee. She has taught various courses to family law attorneys, including on professional ethics. She has also provided pro bono training on behalf of Centraide Outaouais to numerous non-profit organizations in the region. She generously provided support and shared experiences to young lawyers as well as several aspiring students. Throughout her career, she has also been active on the boards of various community organizations.
Justice Leblanc is grateful for the constant support of her husband of over 30 years, Rémi Bourgault, and of their two now adult sons.
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
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