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Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada announces judicial appointment in the province of Quebec

Department of Justice Canada
Monday at 1:25pm AST · November 17, 2025 3 min read

OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 17, 2025 /CNW/ – The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, today announced the following appointment under the judicial application process established in 2016. 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.

Alexandre-Philippe Avard, Partner at Dentons in Montréal, is appointed as Judge of the Superior Court of Quebec for the district of Montréal. Justice Avard replaces Justice D.R. Collier (Montréal), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective March 24, 2025.

Quote

“I wish Justice Avard every success as he takes on his new role. I am confident he will serve the people of Québec well as a member of the Superior Court of Québec.”

— The Hon. Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Biography

Justice Alexandre-Philippe Avard was born and raised in Trois-Rivières. He obtained a B.C.L./LL.B. from McGill University’s Faculty of Law (2001) and a Master of Laws from Oxford University (2004). He was called to the Barreau du Québec in 2005.

Justice Avard worked as a law clerk to the Honorable William Ian Corneil Binnie of the Supreme Court of Canada. He began his career as a litigator with the law firms McCarthy Tétrault and Woods, before joining Dentons (then Fraser Milner Casgrain) in 2012. He has worked primarily in commercial litigation and Indigenous law. His litigation practice has allowed him to develop expertise in a variety of areas, including administrative and constitutional law, international law, municipal and regulatory law, and construction law. Between 2019 and 2024, he focused on Indigenous law as a senior lawyer in Hydro-Québec’s Legal Affairs department.

At the time of his appointment, Judge Avard was chair of the organizing committee for the Citizenship and Charters Program of the Canadian Bar Association (Quebec Division). He has given numerous speeches and was part of the team of editors for the book Grand Collectif – Code de procédure civile. He has also served as a member of the board of directors of the Alzheimer Society of Montréal.

Justice Avard values his family and loved ones greatly. He loves the outdoors and travelling, and is also an avid tennis player.

Quick Facts

  • Federal judicial appointments are made by the Governor General, acting on the advice of the federal Cabinet and recommendations from the Minister of Justice.
  • The Judicial Advisory Committees across Canada play a key role in evaluating judicial applications. There are 17 Judicial Advisory Committees, with each province and territory represented.

SOURCE Department of Justice Canada

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