Government of Canada announces a judicial appointment in the province of British Columbia

The Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointment under the judicial application process established in 2016. (Photo by Government of Canada)

The Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointment under the judicial application process established in 2016. This process emphasizes transparency, merit, and diversity, and will continue to ensure the appointment of jurists who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.

Lindsay M. Lyster, Q.C., partner at Moore Edgar Lyster LLP in Vancouver, is appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Madam Justice Lyster replaces Mr. Justice A.H. Silverman (Vancouver), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective November 26, 2019.

Biography
Justice Lindsay M. Lyster, Q.C., was born in Armstrong, B.C. and grew up on the family ranch with her sisters, Kim and Lea. She received her B.A. in History from the University of Victoria in 1986 and her LL.B. from the University of British Columbia in 1991, graduating as the Gold Medalist.

Madam Justice Lyster served as law clerk to the Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin at the Supreme Court of Canada. She then articled and was an associate at Heenan Blaikie in Vancouver, where she practised labour and public law. In 2002, she became a member of the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal, where she applied her passion for human rights to the adjudication and mediation of human rights complaints. In 2010, she joined what soon became Moore Edgar Lyster LLP, where she practised labour, administrative and human rights law. Justice Lyster appeared before all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada. She was honoured to be appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2018.

Justice Lyster was the President of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association for many years and has been an adjunct professor at the Allard School of Law, teaching labour arbitration, administrative, human rights and constitutional law. She is dedicated to continuing legal education, including co-chairing CLEBC’s Annual Human Rights Conference since 2012. She has frequently acted for social justice organizations and individuals pro bono.

Justice Lyster lives in Whistler, B.C., with her husband, Tim, and their daughter, where she enjoys gardening, cooking, and the outdoors.

Quick facts
At the Superior Court level, more than 390 judges have been appointed since November 2015. These exceptional jurists represent the diversity that strengthens Canada. Of these judges, more than half are women, and appointments reflect an increased representation of visible minorities, Indigenous, LGBTQ2S, and those who self-identify as having a disability.

The Government of Canada is committed to promoting access to justice for all Canadians. To improve outcomes for Canadian families, Budget 2018 provides funding of $77.2 million over four years to support the expansion of unified family courts, beginning in 2019-2020. This investment in the family justice system will create 39 new judicial positions in Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

In addition, Budget 2018 provides funding for a further seven judicial positions in Saskatchewan and Ontario, at a cost of $17.1 million over five years.

Federal judicial appointments are made by the Governor General, acting on the advice of the federal Cabinet and recommendations from the Minister of Justice.

The Judicial Advisory Committees across Canada play a key role in evaluating judicial applications. There are 17 Judicial Advisory Committees, with each province and territory represented.

Significant reforms to the role and structure of the Judicial Advisory Committees, aimed at enhancing the independence and transparency of the process, were announced on October 20, 2016.