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

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.

The Honourable Marcella Henschel, a Judge of the Ontario Court of Justice in Newmarket, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Oshawa. Justice Henschel replaces Justice S. Bale (Oshawa), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective January 1, 2024.

Quote

"I wish Justice Henschel every success as she takes on her new role. I am confident she will serve Ontarians well as a member of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario."

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

Biography

Justice Marcella Henschel was born in Saskatoon. She studied history and sociology at the University of Saskatchewan before moving to Toronto in 1989 to study law at Osgoode Hall Law School. She obtained her Bachelor of Laws in 1992 and was admitted to the Law Society of Ontario in 1994.

Justice Henschel was appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice in 2016. She was active in judicial administration and had been the Local Administrative Judge for York Region, since 2021. She has also been involved in judicial education and is a former co-chair of education for the Ontario Court of Justice. She worked as an Assistant Crown Attorney at the Newmarket Crown Attorney's Office from 1994 to 2016, appearing regularly before courts in the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice. During that period, she also worked as Counsel at the Crown Law Office Criminal, where she argued appeals before the Court of Appeal for Ontario, provided advice to Crown Attorneys and investigators, and was involved in numerous complex prosecutions.

Justice Henschel has been committed to continuing education throughout her legal career, regularly lecturing to the bench and bar throughout Ontario. She has been a long-time faculty member of the National Criminal Law Program and is a former contributing author and co-editor of a book on dangerous and high-risk offenders.

Justice Henschel is very thankful for the love and ongoing support of her husband, daughter, and two sons.

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