Trudeau appoints Manon Savard new chief justice of Quebec

MONTREAL -- Quebec has a new chief justice: Manon Savard, currently a judge of the provincial Court of Appeal, the highest court in Quebec.

She will now take the helm of that court.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Justice Savard’s appointment on Thursday. She will replace Nicole Duval Hesler, who was the first woman to hold the position.

Chief Justice Hesler retired on April 8, according to a news release from the prime minister’s office.

Le premier ministre du Canada, le très honorable Justin Trudeau, a annoncé aujourd'hui la nomination de l’honorable Manon Savard au poste de juge en chef de la Cour d’appel du Québec. Le décret entrera en vigueur sous peu.

— Cour d'appel Québec (@cour_d_appel) June 11, 2020

“Chief Justice Savard brings 23 years of experience practising law in Montréal and, more recently, over 10 years of service as a judge in Quebec,” Trudeau said in the statement.

“I am confident she will serve Quebecers well in her new position.”

According to Justice Savard’s biography on the court website, she’s originally from Montreal and used to be a lawyer with the firm currently called Norton RoseFulbright, where she largely specialized in employment and labour law and advised the Quebec Minister of Labour.

She also practiced human rights and administrative law, according to the bio.