Michelle O'Bonsawin facts for kids

Michelle O'Bonsawin was born on May 2, 1974. She is a Canadian judge who serves on the Supreme Court of Canada. She became a justice on Canada's highest court in 2022. Before this, she was a judge on the Ontario Superior Court of Justice from 2017 to 2022. Michelle O'Bonsawin is very important because she is the first Indigenous Canadian person to become a Supreme Court justice.

Early Life and Background

Michelle O'Bonsawin was born in Hanmer, Ontario. This is a community near Sudbury where many people speak French. Her father worked as a machinist, and her mother was a teacher. She is part of the Abenaki people from the Odanak First Nation. She is also a Franco-Ontarian, meaning she is a French-speaking person from Ontario.

Her Journey in Law

Michelle O'Bonsawin started her career in law working for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. She then worked for Canada Post for nine years. In 2009, she joined the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group. There, she created their legal department. She also helped the organization with cases about mental health in court.

While working, she continued her studies. She earned a master's degree in law from Osgoode Hall Law School. Her work focused on areas like mental health, workplace rules, human rights, and privacy. She also taught a course at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law about Indigenous peoples and the law.

Becoming a Judge

In 2017, Michelle O'Bonsawin made history again. She was the first Indigenous Canadian to be appointed as a judge to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Ottawa. She started this role on May 18, 2017.

While serving as a judge, she also completed her doctorate degree in law from the University of Ottawa. She finished her thesis in February 2022. Her thesis was about Gladue principles, which are special rules for sentencing Indigenous offenders in Canada.

One important case she handled was CM Callow Inc v Zollinger. Her decision in this case was later reviewed by higher courts. In 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada agreed with her original decision. This helped make rules clearer for how people should act fairly in contracts.

Supreme Court of Canada

On August 19, 2022, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau chose Michelle O'Bonsawin to join the Supreme Court of Canada. She was chosen to replace Justice Michael Moldaver, who was retiring.

On August 24, she met with members of Parliament and the Senate. She answered their questions about her experience and views. On August 26, 2022, her appointment was officially confirmed. She began her role on the Supreme Court on September 1, 2022. This made her the first Indigenous person to serve on Canada's highest court.

Personal Life

Michelle O'Bonsawin is fluent in both English and French. In 2022, she also started learning the Abenaki language. She is married and has two sons.