Canadian Lawyer

8 M A Y 2 0 1 5 w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m S ince mid-January, veteran Crown lawyer Madeleine Giau- que has been putting together a team to probe police actions that have led to the serious injury or death of a citizen. Its full name is the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes. The bureau, to which she was appointed for a five-year mandate, should be up and running in 2016. This new bureau of investigation, created by Bill 12, which modifies the Police Act, is replacing the old system that had another police force looking into cases where police were involved in serious incidents to evaluate their liability. Many were very critical of that system, claiming a lack of impartiality afflicted the process. How could one trust a police force to avoid all bias in judging the actions of their brethren, asked victims' rights organizations, other social groups, and several media commentators. Giauque was chief prosecutor for the organized crime repression bureau, where she became famous for her determination to prosecute — success- fully — several members of the Hells Angels in a three-year long mega-trial in 2004. So far, it is the only mega-trial that has resulted in a conviction. Giauque has followed an unusual professional path. She was a single mother at a young age, and took a secretarial job in a law firm. She was thirsty for fairness and justice, she told the host of a popular Quebec TV show. "I kept thinking, 'This is not fair and that is not fair,' so I decided to do something about it," she said. She signed up to read law and had to study part-time to be able to take care of her child. She was admitted to the bar in her mid-30s. Since 2009, she has been busy with the Operation SharQc file, which led to the arrest for murder and drug dealing of 156 biker gang members. Another mega-trial should start in the near future, without her participation Despite the proximity to the police forces that comes with the role of prosecutor, she insists she has all the rigour and independence needed to be impartial in her new role. Her reputa- tion speaks for itself, she told the TV host and the audience, and the criteria set out in the legislation are very clear, she added. Her calm, authoritative, and Giauque building an investigative team \ AT L A N T I C \ C E N T R A L \ P R A I R I E S \ W E S T REGIONAL WRAP-UP C E N T R A L Be Certain. ™ CHARTERED BUSINESS V ALUATORS TM YOU HAVE YOUR NUMBERS. THEY HAVE THEIRS. WHO DOES THE COURT BELIEVE? Disputes in business and marriage are facts of life and often necessitate the distribution of assets. Both sides have their numbers — but objectivity is often clouded by emotion. So who does Canada's judicial system turn to for objective expertise? Chartered Business Valuators (CBVs) — the designation recognized by Canada's courts for EXVLQHVVYDOXDWLRQDQGORVVTXDQWLÀFDWLRQ&UHGLEOH YDOXDWLRQV SURYLGH FRQÀGHQFH RQ WKH SDWK WR closure. That's the certainty of working with a CBV. Learn more about CBV litigation expertise. See the movie at cicbv.ca Untitled-1 1 2015-04-13 4:23 PM

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