Anick Pelletier named as new associate chief justice of the Tax Court of Canada

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced the appointment of Anick Pelletier as the new associate chief justice of the Tax Court of Canada.

Pelletier, a seasoned jurist serving as a judge in the Tax Court since 2022, steps into the shoes of Lucie Lamarre, who retired in August 2021. Pelletier's journey to the bench is marked by a distinguished career at the Department of Justice Canada, where she started in 1993. Her early years involved litigating in areas such as bankruptcy and insolvency, administrative law, Crown liability, and tax collection. Notably, her expertise in tax law led her to handle intricate Indigenous tax cases. She also held various management positions with a significant law management component in the department's Quebec Regional Office.

In 2008, Pelletier joined the Tax Law Services Portfolio as associate assistant deputy minister. In 2019, she was appointed deputy assistant deputy attorney general of the national litigation sector. Three years later, Pelletier returned to the department's Tax Law Services Portfolio as assistant deputy minister, a position she held until her appointment to the Tax Court of Canada in 2022.

Pelletier's commitment to legal education is evident in her past roles, where she lectured as part of the Barreau du Québec's training activities. She has also mentored students from the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Civil Law, participating in the Pierre-Basil Mignault Moot Court Competition.

Pelletier's academic achievements include obtaining her Licentiate in Civil Law and her Master of Laws from the University of Ottawa, and she was called to the Barreau du Québec in 1993.

The Prime Minister expressed his confidence in Associate Chief Justice Pelletier and conveyed his best wishes for her success in this elevated role, emphasizing her potential as a great asset to the Tax Court of Canada.

"I wish the Honourable Anick Pelletier every success as she takes on her new role as Associate Chief Justice of the Tax Court of Canada. She is a respected member of the legal community and has decades of experience in many areas of the law," Trudeau said.

The governor general appointed Pelletier on the cabinet's advice and the prime minister's recommendation. Chief Justices and Associate Chief Justices in Canada are responsible for the leadership and administration of their courts. They also serve as members of the Canadian Judicial Council, which works to improve the quality of judicial services in Canada's superior courts.