Judge Maria Francesca Giardini.

Maria Francesca Giardini has been appointed a judge of the Provincial Court of British Columbia. Maria was born 58 years ago in a stone house in the hill town of Malito in southern Italy, the first of five children born to Guido and Gilda Giardini. Maria began her education in Belgium, where her father had found work in the coal mines. After Guido suffered a workplace injury, the family returned to Italy before immigrating to Canada in 1954, settling in Vancouver's "Little Italy", then located around 1st Avenue and Commercial Drive.

Maria, who spoke only Italian and Flemish, was enrolled at St. Francis of Assisi Elementary School. She quickly became one of the school's most accomplished students. Guido and Gilda worked hard at a variety of jobs to support the family. Their example and high expectations were impressed on all of their children, not least Maria. She continued to excel during her high school years at Templeton Secondary School, where she became involved in clubs, the student council, the choir and student newspapers. Outside school, she always worked at part-time and summer jobs--ranging from housekeeping and lab work at St. Vincent's Hospital to money runner at Hastings Park Racecourse.

Maria studied English at UBC, where she became involved with International House, first as a volunteer, then as a staff assistant and later on the board of directors. Through International House, Maria acquired a lifetime supply of friends from all over the world.

Maria originally planned to become a teacher, but a chance conversation with a woman lawyer who was a patient at St. Vincent's led her to apply to UBC to study law. At law school (perhaps as a sign of things to come) Maria showed an early inclination for judicial administration, running the Moot Court program with Bob Metzger. She graduated in the class of 1974. Many of her classmates have remained her close friends--including Linda Loo, Mary Ellen Boyd, Karen Nordlinger, Mary Newbury and Patricia Babcock--among others too numerous to name.

In 1982, Maria and her family lost her father Guido in a tragic accident. He was 60. This loss drew an already close family even closer together. Although, as the eldest child, Maria was always a natural leader, following her father's death she took on a greater role as support and adviser within her family. She has been a confidante and adviser to her brothers and sisters, and she is an adored and doting aunt for her six nieces and nephews.

Maria's Italian roots run deep. She has provided volunteer services to various organizations within the Italian community and has assisted many compatriots with legal issues. She is able to speak to her older relatives and friends in the Calabrese dialect of her childhood. She has inherited and honed her mother's culinary skills. Throughout her undergraduate years and at law school, Maria's friends considered it the greatest good fortune to be invited to Gilda's basement kitchen to enjoy her famous cooking. So long as one accepted Gilda's entreaties to "eat more"--the command emphasized by a flourish of a long carving knife complete with impaled sausage--all went well. Many lifetime friendships were developed at that kitchen table over pizza or pasta and a glass of homemade wine.

Following articles at Gibbons, Rosenbloom, Baigent & Germaine, Maria worked as a federal Crown counsel from 1975 until 1977. Since that time, her positions have included worker's adviser on WCB matters; vice-chair of the Workers' Compensation Board of Review; vice-chair of the Labour Relations Board; in-house counsel with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; regional counsel for Canada Post; member of the Reconsideration Panel, Motor Carrier Commission; arbitrator; associate with Swinton & Company (now Miller Thomson) and most recently associate and subsequently partner with Davis & Company LLP.

Throughout, Maria has contributed to the legal profession and the community at large, providing volunteer services, mentoring and speaking on a wide range of legal and other topics to clients and various professional and community service groups. Clients, colleagues and friends have all come to rely on her for her unwavering loyalty, lively opinions, quick mind, candor, fairness and good judgment.

Maria has a presence far greater than her petite stature might suggest. Her energy and determination are renowned. Also abundantly apparent is the unique and compassionate perspective that Maria brings to every encounter, legal and other. Having watched (and helped) her parents and many others build a new life in Canada, she has been left with an enduring gift of empathy for all those who face barriers or difficulties either because of the way they look or speak, or because of their background or customs. She has always taken an interest in differences, enjoyed the characteristics that make each of us unique and celebrated the many traits that people share.

Maria is a respectful listener and a meticulous decision maker. She will bring credit to her new role and can be counted upon to administer justice with diligence, humility and grace.