Quebec Judicial Appointments Announced

OTTAWA, November 8, 2013 – The Honourable Peter MacKay, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Central Nova, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments:

The Honourable Claude C. Gagnon, a puisne judge of the Superior Court of Quebec is appointed a puisne judge of the Court of Appeal of Quebec to replace Madam Justice F. Thibault (city of Québec), who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of  April 26, 2013.

Mr. Justice Gagnon was appointed a puisne judge of the Superior Court of Quebec in 2003. Prior to his appointment, he had been a partner with the firm Fontaine, Gagnon, Dugal & Associés and, earlier, with the firm Roussy, Blanchard, Babin.  He was also Crown counsel from 1981 to 1985.

Mr. Justice Gagnon received a Bachelor of Laws from l’Université Laval in 1972 and was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1974. He was a professor of criminal law at l’Université Laval and an instructor at the Bar Admission Course. He was also a founding member and vice-president of the Association des criminalistes en défense de Québec.

The Honourable Pierre C. Bellavance, a lawyer with Heenan Blaikie in Québec is appointed a puisne judge of the Superior Court of Quebec to replace Mr. Justice Y. Alain (city of Québec), who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of November 5, 2012.

Mr. Justice Bellavance obtained a Bachelor of Arts in 1983 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1986, both from l’Université Laval.  He was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1987.

Mr. Justice Bellavance has been a partner with Heenan Blaikie since 1998.   He also practised with Pothier Delisle from 1987 to 1998.  His areas of practice were civil litigation, real estate law, construction law, municipal law and administrative law.

Mr. Justice Bellavance has appeared before all levels of courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada.   He was recognized in the 2014 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada in the area of Administrative and Public Law.

These appointments are effective immediately.

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