Susan Borsic, James Sawa, Gina Toni are three new justices of Alberta Court of Justice
New appointments to the Alberta Court of Justice include Eric Brooks and Eric Tolppanen as assistant chief justices, as well as Susan Borsic, James Sawa, and Gina Toni as justices.
In Calgary, Tolppanen and Sawa have both been appointed to the Calgary criminal division/Calgary region, while Borsic has joined Calgary’s family and youth division.
On the other hand, Brooks will serve in the Southern region, which includes the base courts in Medicine Hat and Lethbridge and the regional circuit courts. Toni’s appointment is in the Central region, covering the base courts in Red Deer, Camrose, and Wetaskiwin.
Mickey Amery, Alberta’s justice minister and attorney general, congratulated the five appointees in the provincial government’s news release.
“They have consistently demonstrated their deep understanding of the law and commitment to justice throughout their careers,” Amery said in the announcement. “I am confident that they will bring the same intelligence and fairness to these new roles.”
Alberta’s new justices
Tolppanen’s appointment took effect on Aug. 28. Since joining the bench in 2020, he has been president of the Alberta Provincial Justices’ Association and a board member of the Canadian Institution for the Administration of Justice.
With the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, he has been assistant deputy minister, assistant chief Crown prosecutor, appellate counsel, and trial counsel. He also worked at the Alberta Securities Commission and as a private practitioner. He earned a bachelor of laws degree from Queen’s University in 1991 and a master of laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2009.
Appointed effective Sept. 30, Brooks joined the Southern region of the Alberta Court of Justice in 2011 and served as lead justice of the Medicine Hat Drug Treatment Court. He has also acted as Crown counsel with the Alberta justice department.
He has been a staff defence lawyer at the Legal Aid Youth Office and an Edmonton-based sole practitioner focusing on criminal and family law. He received his bachelor of laws degree from the University of Alberta in 1986.
Borsic, appointed effective Oct. 15, was most recently the Canadian Bar Association’s manager of professional development. Previously, she was senior legal counsel to Alberta’s chief justice, senior legal counsel for the Alberta Human Rights Commission, and resolution counsel at the Alberta Court of King’s Bench.
She also worked as a litigation associate at two national law firms. She received a bachelor of laws degree with distinction from the University of New Brunswick in 1998 and articled as a clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada.
Appointed effective Sept. 3, Sawa joined the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service in 2006. Since then, his roles in the prosecution service have included acting as senior counsel, deputy chief prosecutor, assistant chief Crown prosecutor, and Crown prosecutor.
He has been a partner with Valin Partners LLP in Ontario, a staff lawyer for the Kenora Legal Clinic in Ontario, and a prosecutor for the Manitoba justice department in Winnipeg. He earned a bachelor of laws degree from the University of Calgary in 1991.
Appointed effective Sept. 6, Toni focused her practice on family law while working as an associate and as a partner with Altalaw LLP in Red Deer. She has been a member of the Alberta Court of King’s Bench family law consulting committee.
She joined the Association of Collaborative Law Lawyers of Central Alberta in 2007. She has since become an active member of the association, including serving as past membership chairwoman and treasurer. She received her bachelor of laws degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 2004.
