The federal government has appointed another judge to the Court of Queen’s Bench in Calgary.
Janice Ashcroft, the senior legal counsel with the Alberta Human Rights Commission, has been appointed to the bench by Canada’s Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould.
Ashcroft, a native of Trochu, Alta., began her legal career in civil litigation, with a focus on family law, before moving to the Alberta Human Rights Commission in 1998. She has also taught at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Law.
Today’s announcement follows the appointment of four judges in March to deal with a shortage in the province, leading to a backlog in the courts.
In the federal budget the government pledged $55 million over five years, starting in 2017-18, and $15.5 million annually in the following years, for 28 new federally-appointed judges.
Twelve of those positions will be in the Alberta courts.