Public Trustee Appointed

Shannon Ingraham-Christie has been appointed as the Public Trustee for Nova Scotia.

Justice Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced the appointment today, June 17.

“Ms. Ingraham-Christie has been with the Office of the Public Trustee for eleven years and is committed to serving and protecting those who need her office’s services,” said Ms.

Diab. “I know she will provide strong advice and guidance for vulnerable Nova Scotians who rely on the public trustee to look out for their best interests.”

Ms. Ingraham-Christie, a graduate of the Acadia School of Business with a focus on finance and economics, is a practicing lawyer who was admitted to the bar in 1999. She was previously a general practice litigator in private practice and served as a barrister with the Department of Justice adult and child protection team from 2002 to 2003. She was part-time faculty at Mount Saint Vincent University from 1999 to 2014.

Ms. Ingraham-Christie was appointed to a solicitor position with the Office of the Public Trustee in February 2004 and has served as the acting Public Trustee of Nova Scotia since the fall of 2014.

The appointment is effective immediately.

The Office of the Public Trustee is an independent body that protects the financial and personal well-being of its clients. It manages children’s trusts, the estates of deceased individuals, is a substitute decision maker of last resort for individuals who have no one to consent to medical treatment on their behalf, manages the affairs of mentally incompetent adults and missing persons, and acts as legal representative for individuals who are not capable of managing their affairs in a legal proceeding.

The public trustee has specific powers and duties under 14 pieces of provincial legislation.

In 2014, the Office of the Public Trustee provided support to almost 1,500 clients and managed clients’ assets worth more than $52 million. The public trustee reports annually to the Attorney General and the House of Assembly.

Source: Release