PM announces Ontario judicial appointment

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced the following appointment:

The Honourable George R. Strathy, a Judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, is appointed Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, to replace Mr. Justice W. Winkler who retired effective December 10, 2013.

Mr. Justice Strathy was appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario in April 2013. Prior to that, he served for five years as a Judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in the Toronto Region, dealing with civil and criminal matters as well as class actions. Immediately prior to his appointment, he was a partner with Strathy & Isaacs in Toronto, where he specialized in civil litigation, with particular emphasis on maritime and transportation law. He has also practised with the firms of MacKinnon, McTaggart, Campbell Godfrey and Lewtas, as well as Fasken Martineau Walker.

Prior to his appointment, he was an active member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Canadian Maritime Law Association, the Canadian Association of Maritime Arbitrations and the Association of Average Adjusters of Canada. He is the author of The Law and Practice of General Average in Canada and The Law and Practice of Marine Insurance in Canada.

Mr. Justice Strathy received a Bachelor of Arts from McGillUniversity in 1970. He completed a Master of Arts in International Relations in 1971 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1974, both from the University of Toronto. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1976.

This appointment is effective immediately.