Ronald S. Tindale was installed as the city's only full-time Supreme Court justice, on Thursday.
He was sworn in at an official ceremony in Vancouver this past autumn, and has been on the job in Prince George for several weeks, but his familiarity does not end there.
Tindale was born and raised in Prince George. Most of his professional life has been practiced here, once he was called to the bar in 1989. He has been a Crown prosecutor, a defense counsel, was vice-president of the Prince George Bar Association, and his bench ascent has been swift.
In 2006 he served a two-year term as bencher. This was followed by his appointment on Feb. 15, 2010 as a provincial court judge.
Less than two years later he was announced as the latest appointee to the city's highest court. During his induction ceremony Thursday, longtime local lawyer Bruce Kahn quipped that Tindale only rented his provincial court robes. Tindale's close friend and legal colleague Greg Petrisor joked that "my daughter refers to me as a lawyer and Ron as a 'big-time' lawyer."
The province's Chief Justice Robert Bauman was in attendance at the ceremony and said he found it "most fitting it takes place in your own community... I want to acknowledge that Justice Tindale has the longest possible roots in this community and that is important."
Tindale attended Harwin elementary school, followed by Duchess Park secondary school where he met his wife Susan. They now have four children and deep connections within Prince George.
So, too, does the province's Attorney General and Solicitor General, Shirley Bond, who said in her official welcome to Tindale (her first Supreme Court justice induction ceremony as minister responsible) "how particularly pleased and proud I am to recognize Justice Tindale as one of our own."
During the ceremony, praise for Tindale's quiet, reflective yet razor-witted personality dominated the adjectives used by those
welcoming him to the position.
He returned the favour, saying Prince George was home to "some of the province's finest lawyers" and his bench mentor Mr. Justice Glen Parrett "is extremely smart and the most passionate person I have ever known about the law."
Tindale's address often had the cadence and humour of a stand-up comedy routine, and in keeping the occasion light he added that "I hope to be able to be a small part in knocking Prince George out of No. 1" in Maclean's Magazine's national urban crime rankings.
Judging his numbers
Prince George has traditionally had four sitting Supreme Court justices.
The last time all four positions were filled was more than two years ago when justices Glen Parrett, Ian Meiklem, Peter Rogers and Eric Chamberlist presided over Prince George matters. With them was resident Master Douglas Baker. (A Supreme Court Master is an intermediary judge who hears various court applications and pre-trial matters.)
Chamberlist retired in 2010 while Meiklem moved to Kamloops, and Rogers moved to Kelowna. Baker, meanwhile, moved to Vancouver at which point the resident Master position was eliminated for Prince George in favour of visiting Masters rotating through.
Parrett remains, but in a supernumerary (part-time) role. Tindale is now the only full-time Supreme Court judge in Prince George, and has been officially qualified only since Oct. 20.
There are two other Supreme Court justices in northern B.C. Marvyn Koenigberg (20 years on the Supreme Court bench) presides in Smithers while Robert Punnett (two years on the Supreme Court bench) presides in Prince Rupert.
Mr. Justice Glen Parrett was appointed to the Supreme Court bench on Feb. 16, 1990. He is second only to Mr. Justice Bruce Cohen (appointed in March 1987) of Vancouver in years of service in British Columbia.
