Appeals court chief justice calls appointment her ‘greatest honour’
Nunavut Court of Justice hosts swearing-in ceremony for Ritu Khullar in Iqaluit
Nunavut Court of Justice Chief Justice Neil Sharkey shakes hands with Nunavut Court of Appeals Chief Justice Ritu Khullar during Khullar’s swearing-in ceremony Monday at Iqaluit’s courthouse. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
An Iqaluit courtroom was a site of ceremony Monday where, for the first time, a Nunavut appeals court chief justice was sworn into the role in territory.
Chief Justice Ritu Khullar was appointed Chief Justice of Alberta in November 2022. As Alberta’s chief justice, she also takes on the role as chief justice of the appeals courts in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
Several judges, lawyers, court staff, dignitaries and other members of the public attended ceremony at the courthouse.
Chief Justice Neil Sharkey remarked on the significance of the event in his opening remarks, calling it “historic.”
Premier P.J. Akeeagok shared his praise for Khullar as well.
He spoke of Khullar, whose parents are teachers from India, as a woman of colour from rural Alberta. That life experience will help her handle sensitive files related to vulnerable Inuit from Nunavut’s hamlets, Akeeagok said.
“I am confident you will excel in your role,” he said.
“May your wisdom always guide your decisions.”
Dignitaries gathered for the swearing in of Nunavut Court of Appeals Chief Justice Ritu Khullar in Iqaluit Monday. From left: Premier P.J. Akeeagok, Justice Christian Lyons, Commissioner Eva Aariak, Khullar, Justice Jo’Anne Strekaf, Justice Minister David Akeeagok, Justice Kevin Feth and Chief Justice Neil Sharkey. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Joanne Smith, president of the Law Society of Nunavut, also praised Khullar’s appointment, calling it a “great achievement” for any lawyer or judge.
She encouraged Khullar to engage with Nunavut’s community of lawyers.
A question and answer session is scheduled for later this week between Khullar, along with appeals court justices Jo’Anne Strekaf and Kevin Feth, and law society members.
Khullar delivered a brief series of remarks after the ceremony, saying she was happy to be there and excited for the opportunity to continue her work in Nunavut.
“I’m hoping that the light of the qulliq will guide me,” she said.
“Becoming chief justice is the greatest honour of my life.”
Khullar has been practising law since 1998, according to a biographical handout from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office. She was appointed to the Court of Queen’s bench in Alberta in 2017 and joined Alberta’s court of appeals as a justice in 2018, which also hears cases from the N.W.T. and Nunavut.
She was born in Fort Vermilion, in northern Alberta, and spent her childhood in Morinville, Alta., which is just north of Edmonton.
Maybe they can upgrade the court process to have things done faster.
Instead of waiting 18 months to warp up charges the Nunavut Court should pull up their sleeves and get busy and reduce the wait time down to 6 months.
The longer people wait for their cases to be heard and done with the harder it is on everyone, victims, offenders, witnesses etc.
Try and speed up the process and give people timely remedies so people are not stressing out about their court dates for months on end while other charges rack up making their situation worse.
Perhaps take your criticism to the appropriate Office. The chief justice of the Appeals Court has nothing to do with your issue.
They are all part of the Nunavut Court of Justise system.
You need to learn how the court process works. Nunavut Court of Appeals only sit a few times a year and comprises of a panel of judges appointed to the Nunavut Court of Appeals. Appeals court Justices hear appeals alone a lot of the time.
Being appointed as Alberta’s Chief Justice, and Chief Justice of Appeals in both Nunavut and NWT may actually slow down the court processes in Nunavut and NWT.
Having one guy wearing three hats is not always a good solution to speeding up the process in three different judicial jurisdictions.
There was only one Appeals Chief before this – who lasted for more than 25 years. We inherited her from the NWT.
It is not automatic that the Alberta Appeals CJ is the Nunavut Appeals CJ. Canada could choose to appoint someone from another Court. We may not be tied to Alberta’s bootlaces forever.