April 17, 2019 - Ottawa, Ontario - Department of Justice Canada
The Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointment under the new judicial application process introduced on October 20, 2016. The new process emphasizes transparency, merit, and diversity, and will continue to ensure the appointment of jurists who meet the highest standards of excellence and integrity.
David E. Spiro, a sole practitioner, is appointed a Judge of the Tax Court of Canada. Mr. Justice Spiro would replace
Mr. Justice B. Paris, who elected to resign effective April 3, 2019.
Biographies
Justice Spiro was born and raised in Toronto. He received a B.A. (with distinction) from York University in 1984 and an LL.B. from the University of Toronto in 1987 where he was awarded the CCH Canada Ltd. Prize in Tax Policy.
Justice Spiro was called to the Ontario Bar in 1989 and practiced with Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (1989-1991) before joining the tax litigation section of the Department of Justice (1991-2004). He continued his tax litigation practice at Blakes (2004-2009) and Dentons LLP (2009-2014) before becoming a sole practitioner.
Justice Spiro has appeared before the Tax Court of Canada, Federal Court, Federal Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court of Canada and has served as a member of the Tax Court of Canada Bench and Bar Committee and the Judicial Advisory Committee for the Tax Court of Canada.
Justice Spiro has spoken and written for the Canadian Tax Foundation, the Canadian Bar Association, and The Advocates' Society where he established the Tax Litigation Skills Certificate Program to provide hands-on skills training to young advocates.
Along with Pro Bono Students Canada and Dentons, Justice Spiro developed the Tax Advocacy Program as a pro bono initiative to train and prepare law students to represent low-income taxpayers before the Tax Court of Canada.
Justice Spiro has held a number of significant volunteer leadership responsibilities within the Jewish community. He has also been active in the arts community where he served on the boards of the Canadian Opera Foundation and the Canadian Opera Company.
Quick facts
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At the Superior Court level, more than 290 judges have been appointed since November 2015. These exceptional jurists represent the diversity that strengthens Canada. Of these judges, more than half are women, and appointments reflect an increased representation of visible minorities, Indigenous, LGBTQ2S and those who self-identify as having a disability.
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The Government of Canada is committed to promoting access to justice for all Canadians. To improve outcomes for Canadian families, Budget 2018 will provide funding of $77.2 million over four years to support the expansion of unified family courts, beginning in 2019-2020. This investment in the family justice system will create 39 new judicial positions in Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
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In addition, Budget 2018 provided funding for a further seven judicial positions in Saskatchewan and Ontario, at a cost of $17.1 million over five years.
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The funding outlined in Budget 2018 comes on top of resources allocated under Budget 2017, which created 28 new judicial positions across the country.
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In addition, the Government will invest $6 million over two years, beginning in 2018-2019, to support the judicial discipline process through which allegations of judicial misconduct are investigated. In this way, the Government will ensure that a robust process remains in place to allow Canadians to voice their concerns and submit complaints about judicial conduct to the Canadian Judicial Council and the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs.
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Federal judicial appointments are made by the Governor General, acting on the advice of the federal Cabinet and recommendations from the Minister of Justice.
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The Judicial Advisory Committees across Canada play a key role in evaluating judicial applications. There are 17 Judicial Advisory Committees, with each province and territory represented.
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Significant reforms to the role and structure of the Judicial Advisory Committees, aimed at enhancing the independence and transparency of the process, were announced on October 20, 2016. Sixteen Judicial Advisory Committees have been reconstituted to date.
