Nova Scotia Supreme Court gets 2 new women and 1st Mi'kmaq judge

The Nova Scotia Supreme Court has three new judges.

The appointments were announced this afternoon by federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould as part of 17 new judicial appointments across the country.

The new judges are Timothy Gabriel, Pamela MacKeigan and Ann Smith. Gabriel is being promoted from the provincial court.

Gabriel was Nova Scotia's first Mi'kmaq judge when he was appointed to the provincial court in 2010. He is a member of the St. George's Indian Band Council in Newfoundland, which is soon to become Qalipu Mi'kamq First Nation Band.

Gabriel himself grew up in the Fairview neighbourhood of Halifax.

Since 2008, Pamela MacKeigan has been a senior lawyer with the Nova Scotia Justice Department, serving as senior counsel in the child protection division. Prior to that, she was a partner with Blois, Nickerson and Bryson in Halifax.

Smith was a partner with Burchells LLPprior to Thursday's announcement. Before that, she was a partner in Stewart McKelvey, another large Halifax law firm.