The Hon. Jean-Marie Bordeleau

Justice Jean-Marie Bordeleau was born in Kapuskasing in 1936 to a Franco-Ontarian family. His father was a barber who later operated a general store, while his mother was a teacher from Ottawa. After attending the University of Ottawa High School as a boarder, Bordeleau completed his political science degree and law degree at the University of Ottawa, graduating in 1961. He articled in Kapuskasing with Wilfrid Dupont and established a successful general practice there, later partnering with Robert Perras from 1966-1976.

In 1976, Bordeleau was appointed as a Provincial Court judge in Ottawa, one of the first appointments made outside a candidate’s own locale. This appointment was part of Ontario’s initiative to establish French-language courts, as Bordeleau was bilingual and could conduct trials in French. His appointment was politically significant, as French trials had previously been impossible in Ontario’s criminal justice system. During his practice years, he had extensive experience with northern Indigenous communities, conducting court circuits to remote reserves including Moosonee, Fort Albany, and Attawapiskat.

Bordeleau served 25 years on the Provincial Court bench, specializing in criminal law. He was involved in judicial education and served as president of the Provincial Court Judges Association in 1992, advocating for binding arbitration on judicial compensation. He also served as Administrative Judge from 1988-1996. His career represents the evolution of Franco-Ontarian legal rights and the development of bilingual criminal justice in Ontario.

This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.