The Government of British Columbia has appointed two judges to the Provincial Court to support timely and efficient access to justice.

The new judges are Michael Lefebure and Christina Proteau. Both appointments are effective Jan. 5, 2026.

Lefebure will be assigned by the judiciary to Chilliwack. Lefebure brings over a decade of legal experience, having worked as both defence counsel and Crown counsel. Since 2017, Lefebure has served in the Criminal Appeals and Special Prosecutions division of the B.C. Prosecution Service, working on significant criminal cases. Lefebure has also contributed to the legal profession by writing for the Continuing Legal Education Society’s Working Manual of Criminal Law and by teaching courses on search warrants and other judicial authorizations to legal colleagues and police officers.

Proteau will be assigned by the judiciary to Nanaimo. With more than 15 years of legal experience, Proteau’s career began at the firm of Badovinac, Scoffield and Mosley, followed by a move to the Port Alberni Crown office in 2010. In 2018, Proteau was appointed administrative Crown counsel. Proteau has prosecuted a wide range of criminal cases and contributed to legal education by instructing at the New Crown Conference and delivering presentations on topics such as charge assessment and working with self-represented accused.

These appointments are made by considering various factors, such as the court’s requirements, the diversity of the judiciary and the candidates’ areas of expertise. These appointments support the B.C. government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring courts have the judicial resources needed to meet the demands of the justice system and serve the people of the province.

Quick Facts:

• Judges are appointed after a multi-step process that starts with interested lawyers applying and the Judicial Council of B.C. reviewing the candidates.
• The council is a statutory body made up of the chief judge, an associate chief judge, other judges, lawyers and members from outside the legal profession.
• The council recommends potential judges to the attorney general, with the final appointment made through a cabinet order-in-council.
• Although judges are located in a judicial region, many use technology, such as videoconferencing, for court proceedings.
• Judges also travel regularly throughout the province to meet changing demands.

Learn More:

For information about the judicial appointment process, visit: www.provincialcourt.bc.ca