Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces a judicial appointment in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador

OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 19, 2024 /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.

Justin S.C. Mellor, Manager of Litigation at the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Justice and Public Safety, in St. John's, is appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, General Division, in St. John's. Justice Mellor replaces Justice G.L.C. Noel (Gander), who was elevated to the Court of Appeal of Newfoundland and Labrador effective November 27, 2024. Due to internal court transfers by the Chief Justice, the vacancy is located in St. John's.

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"I wish Justice Mellor every success as he takes on his new role. I am confident he will serve the people of Newfoundland and Labrador well as a member of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador."

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

Biography

Justice Justin S.C. Mellor was raised in St. John's. He holds a Bachelor of Arts, (Hons) in history from Memorial University, a Master of Arts in War Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada, as well as Bachelor and Master of Laws degrees from Dalhousie Law School. He was called to the Newfoundland and Labrador Bar in 2001.

During his 24 years at the Department of Justice and Public Safety, Justice Mellor worked in a variety of areas including: litigation, human rights, environmental assessment, constitutional and indigenous law. He appeared before all levels of court in the province, as well as the Supreme Court of Canada, and was counsel on many significant public law cases. Between 2007-2012, he was a part of a four-person provincial team that successfully negotiated the Innu Land Claim Agreement in Principle, for which the team was awarded the Public Service Award of Excellence.

Justice Mellor served on Memorial University's Interdisciplinary Committee in Ethics in Human Research and the Health Ethics Research Board's genetics and clinical trials committees, as well as chairing panels on legal ethics. He has worked as an instructor in Memorial's Law and Society program, and guest lecturers in Osgoode Hall Law School's Graduate Program in Law. He has published in law journals in both the United States and Canada, in areas such as maritime security, international nuclear regulation and environmental law. He has served as a Governor of the Law Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Justice Mellor lives in St. John's with his wife Mary Jane and his sons Eli and Samuel.

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada has appointed more than 815 judges since November 2015. This includes 189 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