Jurists in Chairs Drinking Coffee (Answering Questions)

Justice Champagne is the former case management master of the Superior Court of Justice. She was appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice in Cornwall in May 2018. Prior to her appointment as a case management master, Justice Champagne enjoyed an 18-year career with Legal Aid Ontario, last serving as Director General for the Eastern District. In that capacity, she served a vulnerable client population, about which she is passionate. She has case-managed many criminal and family law matters and conducted mediations and settlement conferences in family and child protection files. She has also helped implement a number of local court-based projects, including the first Family Law Information Centre in Ontario, Drug Treatment Court, Pathways Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Coordinated Case Management, among others. Prior to joining Legal Aid Ontario, Justice Champagne practiced family law, criminal law, and civil litigation. She has served on a number of committees and boards, including the Board of Directors of Action Logement. Outside of law, Justice Champagne volunteers in her community and has served as a leader for the Girl Guides of Canada, as a Sunday school teacher, and as a director and teacher for a local non-profit children's drama club. She enjoys snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, paddling, painting, and writing.

Justice Hackland was appointed to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in October of 2003. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1978 after completing his legal studies at the University of Ottawa Law School (LL.B,1975) and Oxford University (B.C.L.,1977) and articling at the Supreme Court of Canada. Prior to his appointment, he was a senior partner at Gowlings LL.P. (Ottawa) specializing in employment and administrative law and the representation of physicians and other professionals. Justice Hackland served as Regional Senior Judge of the Superior Court of Justice, East Region, (2008-14). During that period he served as Chair of the Committee of Administrative Judges of the Small Claims Court. Justice Hackland is currently a member of the Superior Court bench in Ottawa and a member of Deputy Judges’ Council (which administers Ontario’s Small Claims Court), and Chair of the Council’s Education Advisory Committee. He currently serves on the Canadian Judicial Council’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics and is a facilitator in the National Judicial Institute’s Evidence Workshop and Seminar for New Federally Appointed Judges.

Madam Justice Michelle O’Bonsawin is fluently bilingual and the first Indigenous judge named to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Ottawa. Prior to joining the Superior Court of Justice, she was General Counsel at the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group and previously Counsel at the Canada Post Corporation. Madam Justice O’Bonsawin practiced in the areas of mental health, labour, employment, human rights and privacy law. She has also taught part-time at the University of Ottawa’s French Common Law program. Madam Justice O’Bonsawin is a frequent guest speaker on issues of mental health, labour and privacy law. She received her LL.M. (Health) at Osgoode Hall in 2014 and is currently a PhD Candidate at the University of Ottawa where she received her LL.B. from the French Common Law program. Madam Justice O’Bonsawin was awarded the Rising Star Award by Lexpert Magazine, recognizing her as one of Canada’s leading lawyers under 40.

Madame la juge Michelle O’Bonsawin est parfaitement bilingue et la première juge autochtone nommée à la Cour supérieure de justice de l’Ontario à Ottawa. Avant d’être nommée juge, elle était l’Avocate-générale au Groupe de soins Royal Ottawa et auparavant, Avocate à la Société canadienne des postes. Madame la juge O’Bonsawin pratiquait dans les domaines de la santé mentale, du droit du travail et de l’emploi, des droits de la personne et de la protection de la vie privée. Elle a également enseigné à temps partiel à l’Université d’Ottawa, au programme de common law en français. Madame la juge O’Bonsawin est régulièrement conférencière sur des questions liées à la santé mentale, au droit du travail et à la protection de la vie privée. Elle a reçu son LL.M. (Santé) à Osgoode Hall en 2014 et est candidate au doctorat à l’Université d’Ottawa d’où elle a obtenu son LL.B. du programme de common law français. Madame la juge O’Bonsawin était Lauréate du prix Rising Star par le magazine Lexpert, la reconnaissant comme l'une des meilleures avocates de moins de 40 ans au Canada.