WHAT WAS YOUR PATH INTO LAW AND ONTO THE BENCH?

My mother tells me that when I was five years old I was at my great-grandparents’ house when their lawyer made a home visit.  Immediately after that, I told her that I wanted to be lawyer when I grew up.  I do not remember that event but I do know that I have always been interested in the law.

My path to being a lawyer was straightforward.  I earned my Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees at the University of Manitoba.  I articled for and started working as a Crown attorney for the Government of Manitoba in 1989.  In 1999, I entered into a one-year job exchange program and worked as a solicitor for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in New South Wales, Australia.  Upon completion of the exchange, I resumed my position as a Crown attorney. 

I believe that the time that I spent as a Crown attorney exposed me to a variety of diverse sectors of our society.  It required learning about victims, witnesses and accused persons alike and trying to fairly and impartially balance all of the varying interests of the public. 

In 2004, I accepted a new position as Crown counsel in the Constitutional Law Branch of the Manitoba Government. 

The time that I spent as Crown counsel in the Constitutional Law Branch provided me with time to reflect on larger Canadian societal values.  It prepared me to consider the significant policy issues that are sometimes before the Court and the implications that decisions made regarding those issues have beyond their significance to the parties.

I was hesitant to apply to become a judge.  However, I was encouraged to do so by a friend who was a judge.  She gave me the confidence to apply and supported me until my appointment to the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench in 2011.  She also supported me in the achievement of my elevation to the Manitoba Court of Appeal in 2012.

WHAT EXPERIENCE IN YOUR LEGAL CAREER BEST PREPARED YOU FOR WORK ON THE BENCH?

The justice system is frequently criticised on many levels. I believe that what is under recognized is how hard the people in the justice system work, including judges, and how much they care about the public that they serve.  It is trite to say that members of the public do not generally engage with the justice system unless there is a problem.  Each side to a dispute feels that they have a significant stake in the outcome.  People who work in the justice system are aware of the importance of their role in helping those who have become involved in it.  Despite the toll that such work can take, they do their best to ensure that the participants are treated with respect and dignity and that their issues are dealt with fairly.