Justin Trudeau appoints Richard Wagner as Supreme Court Chief Justice

Mr. Wagner, 60, was born in Montreal and earned a law degree from the University of Ottawa in 1979.

Justice Wagner was called to the Quebec Bar in 1980 and practised law until being appointed to the Quebec Superior Court in 2004. He sat in the Civil Division, the Commercial Division, and the Criminal Division of the Quebec Superior Court until 2011, when he was appointed to the Quebec Court of Appeals. He was first appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court on October 5th, 2012.

The current Chief Justice, Beverley McLachlin, is stepping down after 28 years on the court, including almost 18 years as Chief. McLachlin, 74, is the first woman to hold the top job on the high court and also Canada’s longest-serving Chief Justice.

As scheduled, Mr. Wagner will take the oath of office on December 18th.

In a statement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he has the utmost confidence in Wagner’s ability to lead the court.

“The judiciary, the legal profession, and all Canadians will be well served by his dedication to upholding the laws and Constitution upon which this country is founded,” Mr. Trudeau said./.