McGuinty Government Appoints 100th Justice Of The Peace

Ministry of the Attorney General
For Immediate Release
June 10, 2007

McGuinty Government Appoints 100th Justice Of The Peace
13 Additional Justices Of The Peace Appointed

Attorney General Michael Bryant today announced 13 justice of the peace appointments to the Ontario Court of Justice, effective June 20, 2007.

“Justices of the peace play a significant role in the administration of justice in this province,” said Bryant. “These appointments demonstrate the quality of the Ontario Court of Justice lay bench and will help us meet our goal of ensuring that Ontario courts have the resources necessary to operate efficiently and effectively.”Justice of the Peace Tessa Benn-Ireland was most recently head of the Children’s Department at the Milliken Mills Community Branch of the Markham Public Libraries. She served as a trustee with the York Region District School Board for nine years. She was a governor of Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology. She has been a member of the board of directors of the United Way of York Region and was on the board of the Markham Historical Museum. Justice of the Peace Benn-Ireland was also president of the Markham African Caribbean Association. She holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Toronto. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Donald A. Ebbs has assigned Justice of the Peace Benn-Ireland to Newmarket in the Central East region.

Justice of the Peace Gordon Chaput has worked in the justice system since 1973, and since 1995 has been a provincial prosecutor. In that capacity, he has gained an in-depth understanding of various provincial statutes including the Provincial Offences Act, the Highway Traffic Act and the Liquor Licence Act. Justice of the Peace Chaput has been president of the Provincial Prosecutors’ Association, a member of the Big Brothers Association and has served on the Board of Directors of the Lambeth Horticultural Society. He holds a general arts and science diploma from Lambton College of Applied Arts and Technology. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Donald A. Ebbs has assigned Justice of the Peace Chaput to Kitchener in the West region.

Justice of the Peace Maxine Coopersmith has worked as a lawyer and an adjudicator. As a lawyer, she has been a workplace safety and insurance specialist for Canada Post Corporation. She practised with Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP and clerked at the Superior Court of Justice. She was a senior adjudicator for the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. Justice of the Peace Coopersmith served as a member of the board of directors at Cancer Care Ontario and the Juravinski Cancer Centre Foundation. She holds a masters in business administration from the University of Ottawa and a bachelor of laws from the University of Toronto. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Donald A. Ebbs has assigned Justice of the Peace Coopersmith to Oshawa in the Central East region.

Justice of the Peace Joseph Claude Jacques Desjardins has been a provincial prosecutor in the Peel Crown attorney’s office since 1999. He has worked for the Ministry of Community and Social Services as an eligibility review officer and was also an immigration adjudicator with the federal Employment and Immigration Board. He is bilingual and began his career as a lawyer in Laval, Quebec. He has a bachelor of laws degree from the University of Montreal. Justice of the Peace Desjardins has been a member of the Provincial Prosecutors Association. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Donald A. Ebbs has assigned Justice of the Peace Desjardins to Brampton in the Central West region.

Justice of the Peace Cheri Emrich has worked as a criminal court office administrator, assistant trial coordinator, superior court room registrar and family court clerk. She has a legal administration diploma from St. Clair College. Justice of the Peace Emrich has been on the executive of the board of directors for the St. Thomas Elgin Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization. She was the chairperson of the Port Stanley School Council. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Donald A. Ebbs has assigned Justice of the Peace Emrich to London in the West region.

Justice of the Peace Ruth Legate Exon has been a principal with the Waterloo Region District School Board and a vice-principal with both that board and the Renfrew County District School Board. She founded a school for students with mental health issues and has developed community workshops addressing issues such as substance abuse, bullying and Internet safety. Justice of the Peace Legate Exon has served on the Central South Courts Management Advisory Committee and participated in the Canadian Bar Civil Justice Review. She has a master of science in education from Niagara University in New York and a bachelor of arts from the University of Waterloo. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Donald A. Ebbs has assigned Justice of the Peace Legate Exon to Ottawa in the East region.

Justice of the Peace Marsha Farnand holds a bachelor of arts degree from Carleton University and a diploma in family mediation from McMaster University. Most recently, she has been a board member and adjudicator for the Social Benefits Tribunal. She was a case presenting officer in the Disability Adjudication Unit at the Ministry of Community and Social Services. She has been a mediator volunteer for the Etobicoke Conflict Mediation Team providing mediation services through a community-based organization to the public at the Etobicoke Private Information Court. She has also helped newcomers integrate into the community through the Settlement and Integration Services Organization in Hamilton. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Donald A. Ebbs has assigned Justice of the Peace Farnand to Brantford in the Central West region.

Justice of the Peace Richard Kivell has been a police officer and most recently helped to co-ordinate the integrated dispatch and records management system across a number of municipal police services for the Ontario Police Technology and Information Cooperative. He has also been a superintendent with the Halton Regional Police Service, a senior investigator at the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services and an adjudicator in police discipline tribunals in Halton, Sarnia and Kitchener/Waterloo. Justice of the Peace Kivell has a certificate of public administration from Ryerson Polytechnic University. He has been president of the Board of Directors for the Halton Children’s Aid Foundation and a member of the Cops Care committee, which raises funds for community hospitals and cancer research. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Donald A. Ebbs has assigned Justice of the Peace Kivell to Brampton in the Central West region.

Justice of the Peace Martha Meikle has worked as manager of the Corporate Services Unit in the Criminal Law Division of the Ministry of the Attorney General. She has managed programs and projects related to domestic violence, bail and other initiatives in the justice sector. She also worked as an employee/labour relations consultant presenting employment related cases before boards and tribunals. She has been an accredited coach with the Ajax United Soccer Club and has been involved with the Ontario Basketball Association as a board member and as the team manager for the Ajax Lions basketball club. She holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Waterloo. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Donald A. Ebbs has assigned Justice of the Peace Meikle to Newmarket in the Central East region.

Justice of the Peace Felix Mora was most recently a member of the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board. He also served as a member of the Immigration and Refugee Board for more than a decade. He has been a member of the Resettlement Deployment Program Roster for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees/International Catholic Migration Commission Resettlement Deployment Program. He has been president of the Canadian Hispanic Congress and was a member of the Board of Presidents for the Canadian Ethocultural Council. He has been a member of the Society of Ontario Adjudicators and Regulators. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Donald A. Ebbs has assigned Justice of the Peace Mora to Barrie in the Central East region.

Justice of the Peace Ronald Prestage began his career as a police officer and most recently has been a provincial prosecutor with the Crown attorney’s office in the Regional Municipality of Durham. He was the owner and operator of Pointts Durham working as court agent in Provincial Offences Act matters. He has been a member of the Paralegal Program Advisory Committee at Durham College and a member of the Professional Paralegal Association of Ontario. Justice of the Peace Prestage has also been a member of the Whitby Chamber of Commerce. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Donald A. Ebbs has assigned Justice of the Peace Prestage to Oshawa in the Central East region.

Justice of the Peace Zeljana Radulovic has been in the legal field for more than 25 years. She holds a bachelor of laws degree from the University of Sarajevo. She served as a judge of the Provincial Court – Criminal Division in Zenica in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. She has volunteered at the Sunnyside Home for the elderly in Kitchener. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Donald A. Ebbs has assigned Justice of the Peace Radulovic to Kitchener in the West region.

Justice of the Peace Beverly Souliere most recently was the coordinator of a problem gambling prevention program and has worked as a long-term care supervisor for the Metis Nation of Ontario in Ottawa. She was a crisis line worker and transitional support worker and counsellor at Minwaashin Lodge. She has been the board president for the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health in Ottawa. Justice of the Peace Souliere has a diploma as a child and youth worker from the Northern College of Applied Arts and Technology in South Porcupine. Associate Chief Justice/Coordinator of Justices of the Peace Donald A. Ebbs has assigned Justice of the Peace Souliere to Ottawa in the East region.

These appointees have been interviewed by the Justice of the Peace Appointments Advisory Committee, established through the Access to Justice Act, 2006.

Attorney General Michael Bryant has announced the appointment of 100 justices of the peace since the McGuinty government was sworn in on October 23, 2003.

– 30 –

Contacts:

Brendan Crawley
Ministry of the Attorney General
Communications Branch
416-326-2210

Disponible en français
www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca