Government of Canada announces judicial appointment to the Federal Court

Press Release

November 29, 2017 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Justice Canada

The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointment under the new judicial application process announced on October 20, 2016. The new process emphasizes transparency, merit, and diversity, and will continue to ensure the appointment of jurists who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.

Paul Favel, Q.C., a partner at McKercher LLP in Saskatoon, is appointed a judge of the Federal Court effective December 11, 2017. He will replace Mr. Justice J. Russell, who has elected to become a supernumerary judge effective December 11, 2017.

Biography

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Justice Paul Favel was a partner at McKercher LLP in Saskatoon, specializing in Aboriginal law with an emphasis on corporate and commercial law related to First Nations development. In that role, he acted as legal counsel to various First Nations, advising them on issues such as land designations, leases for commercial developments, land claims, and self-government negotiations.

Justice Favel has served as Deputy Chief Commissioner with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission since 2011 and as a member of the Oversight Committee on the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement since 2010. In addition, he has taught First Nations economic development at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Law.

Justice Favel obtained a B.A. from the University of Saskatchewan and a law degree from Dalhousie University. A member of both the Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia Bars, he was appointed Queen’s Counsel for Saskatchewan in 2010.

A member of Poundmaker Cree Nation, Justice Favel maintains close connections with his community and served on the Band Council from 2012 to 2013.

Excerpts from Justice Favel’s judicial application will be available shortly.

Quick Facts

• Budget 2017 includes additional funding of $55 million over five years beginning in 2017-2018 and $15.5 million per year thereafter for 28 new federally appointed judges. Of these new positions, 12 have been allotted to Alberta and one to the Yukon, with the remaining 15 being assigned to a pool for needs in other jurisdictions.
• To ensure a judiciary that is responsive, ethical and sensitive to the evolving needs of Canadian society, the Canadian Judicial Council will receive $2.7 million over five years and $0.5 million ongoing thereafter. This will support programming on judicial education, ethics and conduct, including in relation to gender and cultural sensitivity.
• Federal judicial appointments are made by the Governor General, acting on the advice of the federal Cabinet and recommendations from the Minister of Justice.
• 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.
• 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. Sixteen Judicial Advisory Committees have been reconstituted to date.
• This process is separate from the Supreme Court of Canada judicial appointment process currently under way. Nominees to the Supreme Court of Canada are selected by the Prime Minister from a thoroughly vetted list of candidates.

Contacts

For more information, media may contact:

Kathleen Davis
Communications and Parliamentary Affairs Advisor
Office of the Minister of Justice
613-992-4621

Media Relations
Department of Justice Canada
613-957-4207
media@justice.gc.ca

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