BRITISH COLUMBIA JUDICIAL APPOINTMENT ANNOUNCED

OTTAWA, September 30, 2011 – The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointment:

The Honourable Patrice Abrioux, a lawyer with the firm Quinlan Abrioux in Vancouver, is appointed Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Vancouver, to replace Mr. Justice J.S. Sigurdson, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of April 4, 2011.

Mr. Justice Abrioux received a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in 1976 from the University of Victoria and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from McGill University in 1980. He was admitted to the British Columbia Bar in 1981.

Mr. Justice Abrioux has been a partner with Quinlan Abrioux, Barristers and Solicitors since 1998. He was a partner with Fraser, Quinlan and Abrioux from 1993 to 1998, Ferguson Gifford from 1987 to 1993 and an associate with Fraser Gifford (formerly Fraser Hyndman) from 1981 to 1987. His main area of practice was general litigation, including personal injury, negligence claims, insurance law, commercial law and real estate.

Mr. Justice Abrioux has been a member of La Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique since 1996. He was vice-president and member of the Board of Directors of La Fondation André Piolat from 1987 to 1991 and a member of the Board of Directors of la Chambre de commerce francophone de la Colombie-Britannique from 1985 to 1989. Mr. Justice Abrioux was a member of the B.C. Law Reform Commission and of the Insurance Section of B.C. Branch of the Canadian Bar Association in several positions from 1985 to 1988. He was a lecturer for the British Columbia Continuing Legal Education and Canadian Defence Lawyers Association. He was also a member of both the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees of St. George's School Foundation in various positions from 1999 to 2010.

This appointment is effective immediately.

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Ref.:

• Pamela Stephens
  Press Secretary
  Office of the Minister of Justice
  613-992-4621

• Media Relations
  Department of Justice
  613-957-4207