A senior Sikh-Canadian lawyer has been appointed Justice of the BC Supreme Court in the latest round of judicial appointments. Baljinder Kaur Girn, the daughter of tireless Sikh community servant Rattan Sigh Girn, who served for decades at Akali Singh Sikh Temple, is a senior Crown Counsel at the Public Prosecution Service of Canada in Vancouver. Justice Girn began her legal career with the law firm, Heller, Rubel in Toronto. In 2002, she joined the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) in British Columbia, and went on to become Senior Crown Counsel. For the past twenty years at the PPSC, she has litigated a broad range of criminal prosecutions of offences under various federal statutes in courts across British Columbia.

By R. Paul Dhillon – Editor-Founder DESIBUZZCanada

VANCOUVER – A senior Sikh-Canadian lawyer has been appointed Justice of the BC Supreme Court in the latest round of judicial appointments.

Baljinder Kaur Girn, the daughter of tireless Sikh community servant Rattan Sigh Girn, who served for decades at Akali Singh Sikh Temple, is a senior Crown Counsel at the Public Prosecution Service of Canada in Vancouver.

Appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Girn replaces Justice D.M. Masuhara (Vancouver), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective May 23, 2021.

Girn was born in India and immigrated to Canada with her family at the age of six. She grew up in Burnaby and is a proud member of Canada’s Punjabi Sikh community. She is fluent in Punjabi and has conversational fluency in Hindi. She was the first member of her extended family to attend university, earning a B.A. from Simon Fraser University and LL.B. from Queen’s University. She was called to the Ontario bar in 1999 and the British Columbia bar in 2002.

Justice Girn began her legal career with the law firm, Heller, Rubel in Toronto. In 2002, she joined the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) in British Columbia, and went on to become Senior Crown Counsel. For the past twenty years at the PPSC, she has litigated a broad range of criminal prosecutions of offences under various federal statutes in courts across British Columbia. At the PPSC, she also mentored law students and young lawyers and provided legal education to lawyers and law enforcement agencies. In 2020, she received the PPSC’s Leadership Excellence Award.

Girn was a member of the PPSC’s Advancement Centre for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team, National Advisor for Racialized Persons, and Co-Champion of the PPSC Bias-Free Workplace Initiative. She was actively involved with the Canadian Bar Association – BC Branch, including serving on its board and provincial council for the past three years.

Girn and her spouse are the proud parents of a teenaged son. She is an avid sports fan and a competitive soccer player, as well as being a community volunteer, aspiring chef, and gardener.

The new appointments were announced Wednesday by David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. He said this process emphasizes transparency, merit, and the diversity of the Canadian population, and will continue to ensure the appointment of jurists who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.

“I wish Justices Elwood, Stephens, Thomas, Girn, Gibb-Carsley, Hughes, and Hardwick every success in their new roles. I know they will serve the people of British Columbia well as members of the Supreme Court,” said Lametti.

The List Of All Appointments:

Bruce Elwood, Master at the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Vancouver, is appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Justice Elwood fills one of the two new positions authorized further to the Budget Implementation Act, 2021, No. 1.

K. Michael Stephens, Equity Counsel at Hunter Litigation Chambers in Vancouver, is appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Justice Stephens replaces Justice J. Watchuk (Vancouver), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective May 1, 2021.

Michael G. Thomas, Partner at Harper Grey LLP in Vancouver, is appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Justice Thomas fills one of the two new positions authorized further to the Budget Implementation Act, 2021, No. 1.

Baljinder Kaur Girn, Senior Crown Counsel at the Public Prosecution Service of Canada in Vancouver, is appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Justice Girn replaces Justice D.M. Masuhara (Vancouver), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective May 23, 2021.

John Gibb-Carsley, Senior Counsel at the Department of Justice Canada in Vancouver, is appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Justice Gibb-Carsley replaces Justice J. Harvey (New Westminster), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective August 22, 2021.

Jacqueline D. Hughes, Q.C., Senior Legal Counsel at the Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia in Vancouver, is appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Justice Hughes replaces Justice E.J. Adair (Vancouver), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective September 21, 2021.Briana Hardwick, Partner at Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP in Kelowna, is appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Justice Hardwick replaces Justice L. Marchand (Kamloops), who was elevated to the Court of Appeal effective March 23, 2021. The Chief Justice has transferred Justice D. Hori (Kelowna) into this vacancy. The vacancy is therefore located in Kelowna.