Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces a judicial appointment in the province of New Brunswick

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 27, 2025 /CNW/ - 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.

Maurice C. Richard, K.C., Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Division of Family Crown Services, at the Department of Justice and Public Safety for the Province of New Brunswick in Moncton, is appointed a Judge of the Court of King's Bench of New Brunswick, Family Division, in Moncton. Justice Richard replaces Justice I. Robichaud (Bathurst – Trial Division), who was elevated to the Court of Appeal of New Brunswick effective July 19, 2024. The Chief Justice has transferred Justice J.D. Roy (Moncton – Family Division) into this vacancy. The vacancy is therefore located in Moncton – Family Division.

Quote

"I wish Justice Richard every success as he takes on his new role. I am confident he will serve the people of New Brunswick well as a member of the Court of King's Bench of New Brunswick."

—The Hon. Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Biography

Justice Maurice C. Richard, K.C., was born in Fredericton. He attended Université de Moncton, where he obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1994, followed by his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1997. He was called to the New Brunswick Law Society in 1998.

Justice Richard is fluently bilingual. During his 26 years as a lawyer, Justice Richard practised in both official languages primarily in the field of Family Law. After having been in private practice for five years, he joined the New Brunswick Legal Aid Services Commission in 2004 as a lawyer. In 2009, he joined the New Brunswick Office of the Attorney General as Family Crown Counsel and in 2018, he was appointed Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Family Crown Services. He has appeared as counsel before all levels of the New Brunswick courts and before various administrative tribunals. Since 2013, he had been an adjunct professor at the Université de Moncton where he taught Law and Social Work. He was appointed King's Counsel in 2024. 

Justice Richard had numerous years of involvement with the Law Society of New Brunswick as a guest instructor for the Bar Admission Program. In 2023, he was awarded the Queen's Platinum Jubilee medal for his contributions to the Province of New Brunswick.

Justice Richard lives in Moncton with his wife and he has three children.

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada has appointed more than 825 judges since November 2015. This includes 202 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.
• 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.
• 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. 
• 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.
• 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.

SOURCE Department of Justice Canada