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From honey buckets to the NWT Supreme Court New Supreme Court Justice 'an excellent role model'Daron Letts Northern News Services Published Friday, October 28, 2011
During her 20-year career as a lawyer in the NWT, Shaner focused on labour law, human rights, administrative law and general litigation. "She understands the North," said Department of Justice deputy minister Bronwyn Watters. "She has a very strong commitment to family law and she has done a lot of work over the last few years in the department in terms of legal aid systems and making access to justice easier and helping people who may have difficulties entering the justice system. She is very committed to an open, accessible justice system." Behchoko legal aid lawyer Giselle Marion articled under Shaner in 2007 and regards her as a mentor. "She is very deserving of this appointment," Marion said. "She is an excellent role model. She is hard working, committed, articulate, smart, and she is down to Earth, which are all the qualities I think would make a good Supreme Court judge. I couldn't think of a better person for this position." Marion first met Shaner shortly after she joined the Department of Justice's legal division in 1996. At the time, Shaner was defending the Hamlet of Rae-Edzo in a breach of contract case that involved testimony given by Marion's father, Dan Marion, who was mayor at the time and later served as Commissioner of the NWT from 1999 to 2000. "It was the, 'Honey bucket Case'," she recalled. "Karan won." The ruling determined the hamlet had not breached a contract with an individual who neglected to transport honey bags in an appropriate vehicle. "It was a baby case," Dan Marion said, adding Shaner has proved an asset to the territory throughout her 15 years with the justice department. "Decision-making with the territorial government can be hard and I think she was always a good middle line person; by that I mean she would weigh both sides and maybe go to negotiation instead of litigation. She brings a complex knowledge of the law and a good basic human approach to anything that comes in front of her. She will do the territories well." Beyond her successful legal career, Shaner participates in numerous sports clubs, such as Aurora Minor Soccer, the Great Slave Skating Centre, and Yellowknife Minor Hockey. Since 2007, she has coached children aged four to six as part of the Yellowknife Speed Skating Club's Learn to Skate Program. "She is a great member of our community, that's for sure," said Shane Clark, the club's coaching co-ordinator. "She is always very energetic and she has such a great rapport with the kids. She not only works with the young skaters having fun on the ice, she also mentors the high school-aged skaters who are themselves volunteering as role models for the children." Prior to taking on the role of assistant deputy minister with the justice department in 2008, Shaner served as director of the legal division from 2003 to 2007 and was legal counsel from 1996 to 1999 and from 2001 to 2003. She was admitted to the NWT bar in 1991. Shaner graduated from the University of Alberta with a bachelor of laws in 1990. Shaner was not available for comment.
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