Judicial vacancies all filled

All of Prince Edward Island’s vacant Supreme Court judiciary appointments are now filled.

Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Tracey Clements to chief of the Supreme Court of P.E.I.

Clements replaces Jacqueline Matheson, who became a supernumerary judge in January. Justice Gordon Campbell has been serving as acting chief justice.

Clements was appointed to the Supreme Court on March 8 replacing Justice Wayne Cheverie, who elected supernumerary status effective Sept. 1, 2016.

Later Friday afternoon, federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould appointed two more Supreme Court justices.

Terri MacPherson will fill the vacancy left by Ben Taylor, who resigned Aug. 1; while James Gormley, a partner with Stewart McKelvey in Charlottetown, replaces Clements.

Until her appointment to the judiciary, MacPherson was a senior lawyer with the provincial Department of Justice and Public Safety. Most recently, she held the position of Prothonotary of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal of P.E.I. MacPherson was born and raised in Sherwood.

Gormley grew up in Murray River and joined the firm of Scales Jenkins and McQuaid (currently Stewart McKelvey) in Charlottetown, after graduating from Dalhousie University.

The 2017 federal budget includes additional funding of $55 million over five years, and $15.5 million per year afterwards, for 28 new federally appointed judges.

Of the new positions, 12 were allotted to Alberta and one to the Yukon, with the remaining 15 being assigned to a pool for needs in other jurisdictions.