The Young Bar of Montreal thanks the Honourable David Lametti and welcomes his successor, the Honourable Arif Virani.

The Young Bar Association of Montreal (" JBM ") would like to extend its warmest thanks to the Honourable David Lametti for his commitment and invaluable work in favour of a fairer and more inclusive justice system. Following the recent cabinet shuffle, he will be stepping down as Canada's Minister of Justice and will be replaced by the Honourable Arif Virani, MP for Parkdale-High Park.

As Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the Honourable David Lametti has made a significant contribution to improving Canada's justice system. His expertise and progressive vision led to the introduction of several bills aimed at making justice more accessible and inclusive, and at strengthening the representation of marginalized communities on various judicial bodies and commissions of inquiry. Her commitment to ensuring fair and inclusive justice for all deserves our recognition and admiration.

The JBM would also like to congratulate the Honourable Arif Virani on his appointment as Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. Prior to his election, Minister Virani pursued a career as a constitutional lawyer and advocate for human rights and social justice. Since 2015, Minister Virani has held various positions as Parliamentary Secretary. Most notably, he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice, a role in which he actively promoted access to justice, improved legal aid funding and tackled systemic barriers within the justice system. At the same time, he has also been a staunch defender of the fight against systemic racism in the House of Commons. The JBM is therefore convinced that his appointment is a step in the right direction in the pursuit of a fairer and more accessible justice system for all. We wish him every success in his new role and are committed to working with him to improve access to justice.

About the JBM

Founded in 1898, the JBM brings together lawyers with ten years' practice or less in Montreal, representing more than 6,000 members. This makes it one of the largest associations of young lawyers in the world, in terms of numbers for a single city. Its mission is twofold. On the one hand, it defends and promotes the interests of its members. On the other, it provides pro bono legal information services to the general public, and offers a number of services to help Quebecers gain access to justice. In August 2021, the JBM was awarded the Lieutenant-Governor's Medal for Exceptional Merit, "in recognition of the remarkable dynamism shown by [its] members in the ongoing pursuit of collective well-being".

Information and interviews:

Adam Alaoui| Communications and Public Relations Manager

514 954-6936 |aalaoui@ajbm.qc.ca | www.ajbm.qc.ca