ONTARIO, Jamaican-born judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario Michael H. Tulloch has been appointed the new Chief Justice of Ontario, and President of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday.
He replaces George R. Strathy, who retired on August 31 this year.
“The Honourable Michael H. Tulloch is a highly respected member of Ontario and Canada’s legal community. As he takes on his new role as Chief Justice of Ontario and President of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, I wish him continued success. I know he brings a wealth of experience to the position and will continue to serve Ontarians well,” Trudeau said.
The Governor General appointed Tulloch on the Cabinet’s advice and the Prime Minister’s recommendation.
As Chief Justice, he is responsible for the leadership and administration of the courts. Also, he serves as a member of the Canadian Judicial Council, which works to improve the quality of judicial services in the superior courts of Canada.
Tulloch was appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice for Ontario in 2003. He was elevated to the Court of Appeal for Ontario in 2012, becoming the first Black Canadian to sit on any appellate court in Canada.
Before his appointment to the bench, he had served as an assistant Crown Attorney in Peel and Toronto from 1991 to 1995 before entering private practice, where he specialized in criminal law.
In 2016, Chief Justice Tulloch was appointed by the Ontario government to conduct important reviews, which resulted in two extensive reports: the Report of the Independent Police Oversight Review (2017) and the Report of the Independent Street Checks Review (2018).
He also served on the Government Response Team for the Commission on Systemic Racism while working as a Crown Attorney. He was chair of a review panel on Osgoode Hall Law School’s admissions policy in 2006.
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