OTTAWA — A woman with ties to Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario has been appointed a judge of the Federal Court of Canada.
Julie L. Blackhawk's appointment was announced Monday by Justice Minister Arif Virani.
Justice Blackhawk obtained a bachelor of arts degree from Lakehead University with a focus on political science and Indigenous studies in 1995, and a bachelor of laws from the University of British Columbia in 1998.
She is a member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte Nation and has ties to the Lac Seul First Nation through her spouse, Carl Blackhawk, and their two teenaged daughters.
Blackhawk was called to the BC bar in 1999 and the Ontario bar in 2004.
After entering private practice, she moved to the federal justice department in 2000 where she has focused exclusively on Aboriginal law and Indigenous issues.
She has also contributed to the development of the department's practice guidelines for Aboriginal law proceedings.
According to a government news release, her appointment was made under the judicial application process established in 2016.
"This process emphasizes transparency, merit, and the diversity of the Canadian population, and will continue to ensure the appointment of jurists who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity," the announcement stated.
The Federal Court is Canada's national trial court, which hears and decides legal disputes arising in the federal domain, including claims against the Government of Canada, civil suits in federally-regulated areas and challenges to federal government decisions.
