OTTAWA, ON, May 13, 2024 /CNW/ - The Honourable Arif Virani, 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 the diversity of the Canadian population, and will continue to ensure the appointment of jurists who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.

Michael U. Ezri, General Counsel at the Department of Justice Canada in Toronto, is appointed a Judge of the Tax Court of Canada. Justice Ezri replaces Justice K. Lyons, who resigned effective June 30, 2023. 

"I wish Justice Ezri every success as he takes on his new role. I am confident he will serve Canadians well as a member of the Tax Court of Canada."

—The Hon. Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Justice Michael U. Ezri was born in Montreal. He received his BA Hons in philosophy and history from Carleton University and obtained his JD from Osgoode Hall Law School. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1998. 

Justice Ezri speaks English and French. He worked as a GST Rulings Officer for the Canada Revenue Agency before joining the Department of Justice Canada as a tax litigator in 1999 becoming General Counsel in 2019. He has argued significant and high-profile tax cases before the Tax Court of Canada, the Federal Court, and the Federal Court of Appeal. He is recognized within the Department of Justice Canada and in the tax bar as a leader in the area of GST/HST law. He has testified before the Senate's Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs.

Justice Ezri has lectured in tax law at Toronto Metropolitan University's Lincoln Alexander School of law and has coached their tax mooting team for the Bowman moot. He has served for many years as an articling principal and as a tax tutor for the Law Society of Ontario's tutoring program. He has regularly presented at the CPA's Commodity Tax Symposium.

Justice Ezri and his spouse Julie have one teenage daughter. They enjoy travelling and spending time with family and friends.

• The Government of Canada has appointed more than 733 judges since November 2015. This includes 106 appointments since the Honourable Arif Virani became Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada on July 26, 2023.These exceptional jurists represent the diversity that strengthens Canada. Of these judges, more than half are women, and appointments reflect an increased representation of racialized persons, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQI+, and those who self-identify as having a disability.
• To support the needs of the courts and improve access to justice for all Canadians, the Government of Canada is committed to increasing the capacity of superior courts. Budget 2022 provides for 22 new judicial positions, along with two associate judges at the Tax Court of Canada. Along with the 13 positions created under Budget 2021, this makes a total of 37 newly created superior court positions. Since Budget 2017, the government has funded 116 new judicial positions.
• Changes to the Questionnaire for Federal Judicial Appointments were announced in September 2022. The questionnaire continues to provide for a robust and thorough assessment of candidates but has been streamlined and updated to incorporate, among other things, more respectful and inclusive language for individuals to self-identify diversity characteristics.
• 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.
• The Government of Canada is committed to promoting a justice system in which sexual assault matters are decided fairly, without the influence of myths and stereotypes, and in which survivors are treated with dignity and compassion. Changes to the Judges Act and Criminal Code that came into force on May 6, 2021, mean that in order to be eligible for appointment to a provincial superior court, candidates must agree to participate in continuing education on matters related to sexual assault law and social context, which includes systemic racism and systemic discrimination. The new legislation enhances the transparency of decisions by amending the Criminal Code to require that judges provide written reasons, or enter them into the record, when deciding sexual assault matters.

SOURCE Department of Justice Canada