MONTREAL — Prime Minister Mark Carney has appointed Court of Appeal judge Geneviève Cotnam as the new Chief Justice of Quebec, the federal government announced. Cotnam succeeds Manon Savard, who stepped back from the role on Aug. 10.
Experience and academic background
Cotnam is a graduate of Université Laval and pursued further legal studies at York University. Before her elevation to the bench, she worked as an instructor at the Quebec Bar School and at Université Laval, and she has delivered lectures across the country. Her career blends academic work and judicial service, a profile that federal and provincial legal communities often view as favourable for a chief justice.
Prominent rulings and public profile
As a Court of Appeal judge, Cotnam was part of a panel in 2019 that largely upheld a decision ordering comedian Mike Ward to pay damages after mocking a singer with a disability. That ruling was subsequently overturned by the Supreme Court of Canada. The case remains one of the higher-profile matters on which she sat, illustrating the sometimes contentious intersection of free expression and rights protections that appellate courts confront.
Judicial philosophy and approach
“Being a judge requires great curiosity, open-mindedness, discipline, lots of empathy, listening skills and the ability to learn. Judges have to be willing to work hard, be collegial and, above all, love law, reading and writing,”
Cotnam expressed these views in a profile series for the Canadian Bar Association, portraying a judge who stresses continual learning, collegiality and empathy. Those qualities will be closely watched as she assumes administrative and leadership responsibilities at the head of the province’s highest court.
What the role entails
The Chief Justice of Quebec presides over the Court of Appeal, the province’s final arbiter on many civil and criminal matters short of the Supreme Court of Canada. The role combines judicial duties—hearing and deciding appeals—with administrative tasks, including court governance, case management priorities and representing the judiciary in discussions with governments and legal institutions.
- Successor: Geneviève Cotnam
- Predecessor: Manon Savard (stepped back Aug. 10)
- Announced by: Prime Minister Mark Carney
Context and local impact
Quebec’s Court of Appeal shapes legal precedent that affects institutions, municipalities and individual rights across the province. The appointment of a new chief justice can shift priorities on case management, access to justice initiatives and how the court engages with emerging legal questions. Lawyers, advocacy groups and lower courts will be looking to see how Cotnam steers administrative reforms and whether she will prioritise timelines, technology, or access initiatives.
Reaction and next steps
The federal announcement marks the formal naming of a new chief justice; formal installation and administrative transition details typically follow. As with other senior judicial appointments, legal organisations and practitioners will likely comment in the coming days on her suitability and what her leadership might mean for jurisprudence in Quebec.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Appointee | Geneviève Cotnam |
| Announced by | Prime Minister Mark Carney |
| Predecessor | Manon Savard |
| Notable past case | 2019 appeal that upheld a damages award in a case involving a comedian and a singer with a disability (later set aside by the Supreme Court) |
This report draws on material first published by The Canadian Press on Aug. 12, 2026. Observers in Quebec’s legal community will be watching how Cotnam balances the demands of judicial decision-making with the managerial and representational duties that come with the chief justiceship.
As she takes the helm, stakeholders across the province — from trial judges and defence counsel to civil litigators and public-interest groups — will be assessing what her leadership means for access to justice, court timelines and the development of provincial jurisprudence.
Geneviève Cotnam’s blend of academic experience, appellate service and public remarks about the qualities required of judges frames expectations for her term as Chief Justice of Quebec. Her performance will be judged both by the rulings she authors and by how she manages the court’s role in Quebec’s legal system.
