Two women from Thunder Bay will serve on the federal government's Judicial Advisory Committee for northern and eastern Ontario.
Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould recently announced the appointments of the Regional Senior Judge of the Superior Court of Justice, The Honourable Bonnie Warkentin, and Celina Reitberger, executive-director of Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services.
Justice Warkentin chaired the Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee for Ontario - East and North from 2012 to 2015.
Reitberger was called to the bar in 1980, is involved in aboriginal justice and equity initiatives, and currently serves on the advisory committee for the creation of an Indigenous Peoples' Court in Thunder Bay.
The committees are independent bodies that provide non-binding, merit-based recommendations to the justice minister on federal judicial appointments. They review applications for judgeships and create a shortlist of candidates for consideration by the minister.
There are 17 committees across the country, with members serving a two-year term.
A government news release states that they have been given a revised mandate "which will serve to strengthen their independence." Members will receive "on-line training on unconscious bias as well as training on the importance of diversity in the judiciary" by Chief Justice of Canada Beverley McLachlin.
In the announcement, the justice department noted that women make up a strong majority of the new committees, and minority groups have unprecedented representation.
