Canadian Association of Black Lawyers lauds Jamaica-born judge

AUDREY P. C. RAMSAY, a Jamaican-Canadian lawyer, has been appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario. She replaces Justice G. Czutrin of Toronto, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective January 30, 2020.

Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti made the announcement, which also included the names of eight other judges, on May 22.

Justice Ramsay was born in Jamaica and immigrated to Canada at the age of 10.

She received a bachelor of arts degree in political science and French from Wilfrid Laurier University and a bachelor of law degree from the University of Ottawa.

Called to the bar in 1995, Ramsay has worked both in house and in private practice, focusing on insurance defence, including property and casualty law, professional negligence, commercial law, and automobile insurance. She joined Blouin Dunn LLP in 2015.

The Canadian Association of Black Lawyers has congratulated Ramsay, a lifetime member, on her appointment to the bench.

Meanwhile, Renu J. Mandhane, chief commissioner at the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) in Toronto, was also appointed a judge, replacing Justice P.A. Daley in Brampton, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective January 31, 2020.

Justice Mandhane was appointed chief commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission in 2015. She appeared before parliamentary standing committees and led public inquiries into discrimination in policing, education, and child welfare.

Under her leadership, the OHRC obtained an order from the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario requiring Ontario to prohibit segregation for prisoners with mental-health disabilities.

Since November 2015, at the Superior Court level, more than 380 judges have been appointed.

The Department of Justice Canada says that these “exceptional jurists represent the diversity that strengthens Canada. Of these judges, more than half are women, and appointments reflect an increased representation of visible minorities, indigenous, LGBTQ2S, and those who self-identify as having a disability”.