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

Press Release

From: Department of Justice Canada

November 1, 2024  – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Justice Canada

The Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments 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 Scott N. Latimer, a Judge of the Ontario Court of Justice in Milton, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Welland. Justice Latimer replaces Justice D.L. Edwards (Welland), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective December 13, 2022.

Amy J. Ohler, a sole practitioner in Toronto, is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in St. Catharines. Justice Ohler replaces Justice K.A. Carpenter-Gunn (Hamilton), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective February 20, 2023. Due to internal court transfers by the Chief Justice, the vacancy is located in St. Catharines.

Quote

“I wish Justices Latimer and Ohler every success as they take on their new roles. I am confident they will serve Ontarians well as members of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario”.

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

Biographies

Justice Scott N. Latimer was born and raised in Northern Ontario, in Thunder Bay.  He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Lakehead University in 1999 and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New Brunswick in 2002.  He was admitted to the Law Society of Ontario in 2003.

Justice Latimer was appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice in 2017. He was active in judicial administration and education, acting as local administrative judge in Halton Region and the OCJ’s West Region Educational Co-chair. He chaired multiple committees that sought to improve access to justice for Indigenous persons in Halton and Waterloo Regions and co-chaired a committee that provided free continuing legal education to legal professionals in Halton Region. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Justice Latimer was counsel at the Crown Law Office – Criminal in Toronto.  He argued criminal appeals before the Court of Appeal for Ontario and provided legal advice to Crown Attorneys and investigators, particularly in the areas of cybercrime and online child exploitation.  He was also an Assistant Crown Attorney in Peel Region, appearing before the Ontario and Superior Courts of Justice.

Justice Latimer has been committed to continuing legal education throughout his career, regularly lecturing to the bench and bar throughout Ontario.  He has also published several journal articles in criminal law.

Justice Latimer lives in Oakville with his wife, Patti, and their children, Finlay and Braden.

Justice Amy J. Ohler was born and raised in Windsor. She received a BA and MA in Philosophy from the University of Windsor and McMaster University, respectively. In 2008, she graduated from the University of Windsor, Faculty of Law and completed dual articles of clerkship at the Court of Appeal for Ontario and Superior Court of Justice, Central West Region. She received her LLM from the University of Cambridge in 2011 and summered at the Inns of Court in London as a Pegasus Trust scholar. She was called to the bar in Ontario in 2010.

Justice Ohler practiced criminal and regulatory law, with a special focus on appeals.  She has appeared at every level of court in Ontario and the Supreme Court of Canada.  She has taught at the law schools at the University of Windsor and Queen’s University and tutored aspiring lawyers for the Law Society of Ontario Barrister examination. She has been committed to providing pro bono legal services, including as a member of the Barbra Schilfer Commemorative Clinic – Criminalization of Women Project and duty counsel at the Law Society of Ontario. Since 2016, she has been an active member of the Pro Bono Inmate Appeal Program, arguing appeals on behalf of unrepresented and indigent appellants in the Court of Appeal for Ontario.

Quick facts

• The Government of Canada has appointed more than 795 judges since November 2015. This includes 169 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.

Contacts
For more information, media may contact:

Chantalle Aubertin
Deputy Director, Communications
Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General
613-992-6568
Chantalle.Aubertin@justice.gc.ca

Media Relations
Department of Justice Canada
613-957-4207
media@justice.gc.ca

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