June 26, 2015 – Ottawa, ON – Department of Justice.
The Honourable Peter MacKay, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Central Nova, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments:
The Honourable Jennifer Ann Pfuetzner, a judge of the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba, is appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal of Manitoba to replace Madam Justice B.M. Hamilton (Winnipeg), who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of January 1, 2014.
Madam Justice Pfuetzner was appointed a judge of the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba in 2014. Prior to that appointment, she had been a lawyer with the firm Taylor McCaffrey LLP in Winnipeg since 2009. She was previously a partner with the firm Dickson MacGregor Appell LLP in Toronto (2002-2008); a lawyer with BMO Nesbitt Burns as a consultant in estate and will planning (2001-2002); and a partner with Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP (1993-2000). Her main areas of practice were wills and estates, corporate law, family law, real estate, and tax law.
Madam Justice Pfuetzner received a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1993. She was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1995 and to the Bar of Manitoba in 2008.
The Honourable Janice leMaistre, the Associate Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba, is appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal of Manitoba to replace Madam Justice F.M. Steel (Winnipeg), who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of May 1, 2014.
Madam Justice leMaistre was appointed to the Provincial Court of Manitoba in 2006. At the time of her appointment, she was Acting Director of the Manitoba Prosecution Service, where she had been a lawyer since 1992.
Madam Justice leMaistre received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Manitoba in 1991 and was admitted to the Bar of Manitoba in 1992.
The Honourable Kaye E. Dunlop, a sole practitioner in Winnipeg, is appointed to the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench, Family Court Division, to replace Madam Justice L.P. Allen (Winnipeg), who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of April 13, 2015.
Madam Justice Dunlop, from Sudbury, Ontario, had been a sole practitioner with Kaye E. Dunlop, Q.C. Law Office since 1984. She also served as Deputy Chief Adjudicator for the Office of Indian Residential Schools Resolution of Canada since 2007 and as an adjudicator from 2003 to 2007.
Madam Justice Dunlop received a Bachelor of Laws in 1983 from the University of Manitoba and was admitted to the Bar of Manitoba in 1984. She was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1994.
The Honourable Regan Thatcher, a sole practitioner in Winnipeg, is appointed to the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench, Family Court Division, to replace Madam Justice M. Rivoalen (Winnipeg), who was appointed Associate Chief Justice on May 21, 2015.
Mr. Justice Thatcher, from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, had been a sole practitioner with Regan Thatcher Law Office since 2002. He was an associate with Corne & Corne from 2001 to 2002 and with Sinclair & Associates from 1995 to 2000. He practised primarily in the areas of civil litigation and family, administrative and criminal law.
Mr. Justice Thatcher received a Diploma of International Law in 1992 from the University of Detroit Mercy and a Bachelor of Laws in 1993 from the University of Saskatchewan. He was admitted to the Bar of Manitoba in 1994.
Appointments to the country's Superior Courts not only reflect the rich and diverse social fabric of our country, but also take into consideration the merit and legal excellence of each individual jurist. Through these appointments, the Government of Canada has demonstrated an awareness of the need to bring greater gender balance to the bench, to help ensure that the judiciary is more representative of Canadian society.
These appointments are effective immediately.
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