FEDERAL Justice Minister Sean Fraser on Friday said in a statement: “Today, we mourn the loss of a respected jurist and leader, the Honourable Ritu Khullar, Chief Justice of Alberta, Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories, and Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal of Nunavut.
“Chief Justice Khullar served Canadians with compassion, integrity, intelligence and humility throughout the course of her exceptional legal career.
“In private practice and then as a judge, she poured her values and her passion into her work, never wavering from her firm belief in fairness, the rule of law, and justice for every member of our society.
“The role of Chief Justice is one that requires sound judgment, a wealth of knowledge, and a profound understanding of the importance of a fair justice system. She used the position to advance access to justice and protect the Court’s institutional independence.
“Chief Justice Khullar’s many contributions will surely inspire us as we continue to work together to protect our democracy and build a justice system that serves all people with fairness and humanity.
“May her remarkable legacy provide her loved ones with comfort and peace in this time of sorrow.”
Khullar was appointed the Chief Justice of Alberta, Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories, and Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal of Nunavut in November 2022.
Khullar was born in Fort Vermilion, Alberta, to parents who had immigrated from India. She spent her childhood in the small town of Morinville, Alberta. She and her spouse, Robert, have two adult sons, and one dog.
Khullar was appointed to the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta in 2017 and was elevated to the Courts of Appeal of Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut in 2018.
From 1998 until her appointment to the judiciary, she practised with Chivers Greckol and Kanee (now Chivers Carpenter Lawyers), where she focused on labour and employment, privacy, administrative, human rights, and constitutional law, and served as managing partner for eight years. She appeared before numerous administrative tribunals and every level of court in Canada including the Supreme Court of Canada.
Throughout her legal career, Khullar lectured at the University of Alberta and served on numerous committees of the Canadian Bar Association. She was also a member of the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for the province of Alberta in 2003, and more recently, she was the Chair of the Government of Alberta’s Advisory Panel on Coal Communities. She also acted pro bono in significant cases, including representing Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) before the Supreme Court of Canada.
Khullar had been active on a number of court committees and had continued to show her commitment to ongoing education through her work with the National Judicial Institute, the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice, and the Legal Education Society of Alberta, as well as speaking to a variety of audiences.
Khullar earned a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B. – Honours) from the University of Toronto. She clerked at the Alberta Court of Appeal and the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench before going into private practice.
