Carney names Alan Diner as new Federal Court chief justice

Justice Alan Diner is the new Federal Court chief justice, replacing Paul Crampton who retired at the end of October. 

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Diner’s appointment in a news release issued this morning. 

The new chief justice takes on a leadership role as a growing case backlog, primarily driven by immigration issues, strains court resources. 

Diner was named as Federal Court judge in June 2014 and he specialized in immigration law in Ontario before he was called to the bench. 

Diner practised immigration and administrative law with firms in both Toronto and Ottawa in his private practice career and received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his pro bono and community service work. 

Diner later worked for the government of Ontario and played a crucial role in launching the province’s immigrant nominee program.


This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2026.

By David Baxter | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.