Colleagues hail appointment of 1st Indigenous B.C. Chief Justice in court's history

Colleagues and friends are praising the appointment of Leonard Marchand, the first Indigenous chief justice in B.C. history, calling it a historic moment that could advance Indigenous rights.

Colleagues and friends are praising the appointment of Leonard Marchand, the first Indigenous chief justice in B.C. history, calling it a historic moment that could advance Indigenous rights.

Marchand has previously served at all three levels of the B.C. court system, having been appointed to the Court of Appeal in 2021 after previous stints in the Provincial and Supreme Court. He is the son of former MP Len Marchand, who was the first cabinet minister of First Nations descent.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed him to his role on Friday to replace former chief justice Robert Bauman, who retired on Oct. 1. In the process, Marchand — who is Syilx and a member of the Okanagan Indian Band — was also appointed chief justice of the Court of Appeal of Yukon.