Leonard Marchand appointed new chief justice of British Columbia
Posted December 8, 2023 9:20 pm.
Last Updated December 8, 2023 10:11 pm.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story had a photo of Chief Justice Leonard Marchand’s father, who shares the same name.
Leonard Marchand has been appointed as the new chief justice of British Columbia and chief justice of the Court of Appeal of Yukon. This makes him the first Indigenous chief justice of a court of appeal in Canada.
Marchand is Syilx and a member of the Okanagan Indian Band.
“Chief Justice Marchand has dedicated a substantial portion of his career to achieving reconciliation for Indigenous Peoples, including by advancing civil claims on behalf of residential school survivors,” the Prime Minister’s office said in a statement.
“In 2005, he helped negotiate and was a signatory to the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. He then served on the Oversight Committee for the Independent Assessment Process and the Selection Committee for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.”
Marchand was a judge in the Provincial Court of B.C. from 2012 to 2017. He was appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 2017, and in 2021, was appointed to the province’s Court of Appeal.
B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma says Marchand’s appointment is a testament to his contributions to the legal community.
“He has dedicated much of his career to advancing reconciliation for Indigenous Peoples, including leading civil claims on behalf of residential school survivors, and helping to negotiate the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement in 2005,” Sharma said. “His experience and keen legal insight make Chief Justice Marchand an outstanding choice for this esteemed position.”
Chief justices are appointed by the Governor General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. They are responsible for the leadership and administration of their courts and serve as members of the Canadian Judicial Council.
Marchand replaces Robert Bauman, who retired in October after serving in the role since 2013.
With files from Liza Yuzda.
