February 28, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Justice Canada
The Honorable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointments 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 Appointment. of jurists who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.
Sandra Sukstorf, Military Judge in the Office of the Chief Military Judge, is appointed Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Port Coquitlam. Judge Sukstorf occupies one of the three newly created positions authorized after the Budget Execution Law, 2022, No. 1.
Christopher Greenwood, Senior General Counsel of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Canada in Vancouver, is appointed Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Vancouver. Judge Greenwood replaces Judge GS Funt (Vancouver), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective November 26, 2022.
Maegen Giltrow, Kansas, Partner at Ratcliff LLP in North Vancouver, he is appointed Judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Vancouver. Judge Giltrow replaces Judge G. Macintosh (Vancouver), who retired effective April 30, 2023.
Karrie Anne Wolfe, Kansas., legal advisor to the Legal Services Branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia in Victoria, is appointed judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in Victoria. Justice Wolfe replaces Justice RD Punnett (Prince Rupert), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective July 23, 2022. Due to internal court moves by the Chief Justice, the vacancy is located in Victoria.
Y. Liliane Bantourakis, Crown Counsel to the British Columbia Prosecutor’s Office in Vancouver, is appointed judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia in New Westminster. Judge Bantourakis replaces Judge PW Walker (Vancouver), who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective June 18, 2023. The Chief Justice has transferred Judge B. Elwood (New Westminster) to this vacancy. Therefore, the vacancy is in New Westminster.
Appointment
“I wish Judges Sukstorf, Greenwood, Giltrow, Wolfe and Bantourakis every success as they assume their new role. “I am confident that they will serve the people of British Columbia as well as the members of the Supreme Court of British Columbia.”
—The Hon. Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Biographies
Justice Sandra Sukstorf He completed his Master of Laws from Queen’s University (2012) and a Master of Defense Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMCC) (2012) to complement a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University (1998) and a Bachelor of Arts with honors (Economics and Commerce) from RMCC (1986).
Judge Sukstorf is a military veteran who most recently served as a military judge (2017-2024) and presided over courts-martial across Canada. He was initially a legal officer in the Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG) of the Canadian Armed Forces, then took on a key role in managing the Investigations, Monitoring and Enforcement department of the Law Society of British Columbia. Throughout his legal career at OJAG, he demonstrated expertise in military discipline, national and international criminal and maritime law, contracts and agreements. His specialized knowledge of maritime and international criminal law was instrumental in addressing legal challenges related to Royal Canadian Navy military operations. Notably, he was one of the inaugural legal advisors to the legal working group convened in Copenhagen for the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia.
Judge Sukstorf’s dedicated service was recognized with her induction as an Officer of the Order of Military Merit and her receipt of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Justice Christopher Greenwood He was born and raised in Vancouver. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia in 1989. After a brief period on the road, working as a mail carrier and working in business with his brother, he attended law school at McGill University and earned a law degree. B. in 1996. He was called to the bar of British Columbia in 1997 and to the bar of the Northwest Territories in 2009 and 2010.
Judge Greenwood began his career at the Department of Justice of Canada and has worked in what is now the Public Prosecution Service of Canada since September 1997. During that time, he gained extensive experience conducting trials and appeals, as well as providing advice on complex investigations. His practice included lengthy prosecutions involving criminal organizations, complex wiretapping cases, and national security files. He represented the crown in numerous appeals, appearing before the British Columbia Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. He appeared in complex cases, as well as traveling and conducting court proceedings in several remote communities.
During his time at the PPSC, Judge Greenwood was a member of the National Litigation Committee, the Prosecution Policy Committee, and the BC Appeals Committee. He appeared regularly as a PPSC instructor and as a guest speaker for the Canadian Bar Association, BC Continuing Legal Education Society and other organizations.
Judge Maegen Giltrow, K.C., He was born and raised in Port Moody. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Anthropology from Simon Fraser University in 1999 and a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University in 2003.
Judge Giltrow served as a law clerk to Justices Rowles and Southin of the British Columbia Court of Appeal before working under Greg McDade, QC at Ratcliff and Company LLP in Vancouver, where she continued to practice, most recently as leader of the Indigenous Law. Cluster. Her legal career has focused on working for First Nations, primarily in Aboriginal and treaty rights litigation, as well as Indigenous child welfare matters. She has acted as a lawyer in Aboriginal and treaty rights trials, appeals and judicial reviews. Beyond Aboriginal law, she has represented landowners, farmers and local governments in natural resource disputes and regulatory hearings, and has acted as pro bono counsel in public interest cases involving Charter rights. She was appointed a King’s Counsel in 2021.
Judge Giltrow has served as an elected member of the Board of Directors of Vancity Credit Union and was founding director of the Pacific Center for Environmental Law and Litigation and the Kilala Lelum Urban Indigenous Health and Healing Cooperative in Vancouver. She was also a director of the Savary Island Land Trust.
Judge Giltrow turns to sports for fun and relaxation, and most of all, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her spouse George and daughter Sonja.
Judge Karrie Anne Wolfe, K.C.., was born and raised in Kitchener. He earned a Bachelor of Honors (High Distinction) from the University of Toronto in 2000 and a Doctor of Laws from the University of Victoria in 2004. While studying law, he earned awards for academic achievement and community involvement, and completed three formative co-op terms. She was called to the BC bar in May 2005.
Judge Wolfe worked in the Legal Services Branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General of British Columbia, where she spent the majority of her legal career as a lawyer, specializing in constitutional and administrative litigation. She has extensive experience in public law, having appeared at all levels of court in British Columbia and in the Supreme Court of Canada, most recently in cases involving minority language education rights. Her legal practice has also included constitutional opinions, supervisory functions, legal work and advice to support both administrative decision-making and conciliation. She was appointed King’s Counsel in 2023.
Justice Wolfe was a member of the editorial board and contributing author of the Administrative Law Practice Manual of the Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia (CLEBC). She has been a frequent contributor to various legal education programs throughout his career. She regularly volunteered as a practice judge for debates and also gave guest lectures at the University of Victoria Law School, mainly in administrative law and defence. She designs lighting for community theater and has served on the boards of several arts organizations, including Intrepid Theater and Lawyers on Stage Theatre.
Judge Wolfe and her husband, Todd Ayotte, are the proud parents of Joshua.
Judge Y. Liliane Bantourakis He was born to Greek and Franco-Ontarian parents. He earned his undergraduate degree (BA Hons.) from the University of British Columbia and his law degrees (LL.B. and BCL) from McGill University, graduating with the Aimé Geoffrion Gold Medal.
Judge Bantourakis is fluent bilingual and has argued cases in both of Canada’s official languages. After interning at the Supreme Court of Canada for McLachlin, CJC, she joined the Department of Justice Canada in Vancouver, eventually becoming Senior Counsel and Special Adviser to the Regional Director General. There she exercised a complex practice in civil, administrative and constitutional law. She subsequently joined the British Columbia Prosecutor’s Office as Crown Counsel in Criminal Appeals, specializing in criminal law and appellate advocacy. As a career litigator, she has appeared before all levels of federal and British Columbia courts and before the Supreme Court of Canada.
Justice Bantourakis has been an advocacy advisor and member of the British Columbia Regional Committee for the Supreme Court Advocacy Institute and has spoken on a variety of public law topics at conferences and continuing legal education events.
Justice Bantourakis grew up in Quebec, Ontario and abroad, but has long called British Columbia home. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and her son, surrounded by close family and dear friends.