The Honourable Glenn D. Joyal was first appointed to the bench as a judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba in 1998. He joined the Court of Appeal of Manitoba in 2007 and, later that year, the Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba, where he became Associate Chief Justice in 2009, then Chief Justice in 2011.
Prior to his appointment to the bench, Justice Joyal practised primarily in criminal law, constitutional law, and civil litigation. He served as a Crown attorney with Manitoba Justice, as a federal Crown counsel with the Department of Justice Canada, and as an associate with the Winnipeg law firm Wolch, Pinx, Tapper, Scurfield. He is a past member of l’Association des juristes d’expression française du Manitoba. He is fluent in English, French, and Italian.
Throughout his career, Justice Joyal has contributed to initiatives aimed at improving the efficiency of court operations, expanding access to justice, and modernising the delivery of court services. He has also supported efforts to advance reconciliation and strengthen the relationship between the justice system and Indigenous Peoples.
Until his appointment to the Supreme Court of Canada, Justice Joyal sat on the Executive Committee of the Canadian Judicial Council and served as the Council’s First Vice-Chair. He also chaired its Judicial Conduct Committee.
Justice Joyal is the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal and the King Charles III Coronation Medal. In 2025, he was recognised as a Jurist of Robson Hall by the University of Manitoba Faculty of Law for his extraordinary service and commitment to the legal community.
Justice Joyal pursued his undergraduate and graduate studies at Simon Fraser University, McGill University, Paris-Sorbonne University, the University of Manitoba, and Oxford University. He was admitted to the Bar of Manitoba in 1987.