Sophie Matte appointed as associate judge of the Tax Court of Canada

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Arif Virani, has announced the appointment of Sophie Matte as an associate judge of the Tax Court of Canada.

Prior to her appointment, Matte served as the executive director and general counsel at the Courts Administration Service in Ottawa, where she was responsible for registry operations and judicial support services.

Matte’s career began after earning degrees from both Université Laval and the University of Ottawa, obtaining her Bachelor of Business Administration in 1993, followed by law degrees in civil and common law in 1996 and 1997, respectively. She was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1998.

Matte brings over 20 years of experience in litigation, specializing in contractual and extra-contractual liability, insolvency, banking, and administrative law, with a particular focus on tax collection. She first articled and practised civil litigation with the law firm Noël & Associés before joining the Tax Law Directorate at the Department of Justice Canada in Ottawa in 2002.

She has argued cases in both official languages before the Federal Court, the Superior Court of Quebec and the Court of Quebec. She has also appeared before the Federal Court of Appeal, the Court of Appeal of Quebec, the Tax Court of Canada, and the Ontario Superior Court.

Throughout her career, Matte has also shown a dedication to mentoring law students and colleagues while serving on several Department of Justice Canada committees. She frequently contributes to training conferences at both the Department of Justice Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency.

Minister Virani expressed confidence in Matte's ability to contribute significantly to the Tax Court. "I wish Associate Judge Matte every success as she takes on her new role. I am confident she will serve Canadians well as a member of the Tax Court of Canada,” Minister Virani said.