17 December, 2004
Prime Minister Paul Martin announces appointments

Prime Minister Paul Martin announced that Her Excellency the Governor
General has approved his recommendation that the Honourable J. Michael
MacDonald be appointed Chief Justice of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal
and that the Honourable Deborah K. Smith be appointed Associate Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, effective December 31, 2004.

Chief Justice MacDonald was first appointed a judge of the Supreme Court
of Nova Scotia in 1995. He was appointed Associate Chief Justice of the
same court in 1998. He is a member of the Canadian Judicial Council and
sits on many of its committees. He graduated in law from Dalhousie
University and was admitted to the Nova Scotia Barristers Society in
1979. Prior to serving as a judge, he practised law as a partner with the
firm of Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales. He will replace the Honourable
Constance Glube who has decided to retire.

Associate Chief Justice Smith, who will replace Chief Justice MacDonald
in his former position, has been a judge of the Supreme Court of Nova
Scotia since 2001. She graduated in law from Dalhousie University in 1983
and was admitted to the Nova Scotia Barristers Society in 1984. Before
being appointed to the bench, she was a partner with the firm of McInnes
Cooper.