Supreme Court to honour its 150th anniversary with visit to Victoria in February

OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 21, 2024 /CNW/ - Chief Justice Richard Wagner and Justices Andromache Karakatsanis and Nicholas Kasirer will visit Victoria, British Columbia on February 3 and 4, 2025, as part of the Supreme Court of Canada's 150th anniversary commemorations. The visiting judges will take part in two full days of events aimed at helping people learn more about the Supreme Court and building confidence in our justice system.

Students, the public, the media and the legal community are all invited to take part.

"Since my appointment as Chief Justice, I have made it a priority for the Supreme Court of Canada to be more open and accessible to those we serve, because it builds confidence in the courts and our legal system," said the Right Honourable Richard Wagner, Chief Justice of Canada. "As we approach the Court's 150th anniversary in 2025, my colleagues and I look forward to engaging with the community in Victoria to strengthen awareness of the Court's role and its contributions to our democracy."

This visit is made possible through the support of a local organizing committee, representing the legal and judicial community, under the leadership of the Honourable Len Marchand, Chief Justice of British Columbia.

"We are delighted to welcome judges of the Supreme Court of Canada to Victoria and British Columbia," said Chief Justice Marchand. "The Court's visit to Victoria will help foster a better understanding and appreciation of our judicial system, which upholds key principles such as transparency and access to justice for all."

This visit would not be possible without the collaboration of numerous individuals and organizations, including the Courts of British Columbia (the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, and Provincial Court); the Canadian Bar Association, B.C. Branch; the Victoria Bar Association; the Law Foundation of British Columbia; the Law Society of British Columbia; and the Faculty of Law, University of Victoria.

This will be the first in a series of five visits by members of the Supreme Court of Canada to communities across the country throughout 2025. Members of the Court will next visit Moncton, NB (March 10-11), followed by Yellowknife, NT (Sep. 14-15); Sherbrooke, QC (Oct. 21-23); and Thunder Bay, ON (Nov. 17-18).

The Court has several other activities planned throughout 2025 to commemorate its 150th anniversary milestone. Additional information is available on the Supreme Court of Canada web page.

Itinerary Overview

Please note that the itinerary is subject to change. Events that are open to the public/media are indicated as such. Additional information is available on the Supreme Court of Canada web page.

Day One (Monday, February 3, 2025)

• A media availability will be held. Journalists may contact [email protected] for more information.
• Judges will meet with students and faculty members at the Faculty of Law at the University of Victoria.
• At 3pm, the visiting judges will take part in a special public forum at the Victoria Conference Centre. Beyond the bench: a dialogue with Judges of the Supreme Court of Canada is a free, town-hall style event where judges will answer questions from the public on a wide variety of topics. Preregistration is required and questions may be submitted in advance.
• Judges will take part in an event with members of the local legal community.

Day Two (Tuesday, February 4, 2025)

• Judges will take part in discussions with members of the local judicial community.
• Judges will meet with justice system participants.
• Judges will travel to three local secondary schools to meet with students and answer their questions about our judicial system.

About the Supreme Court of Canada

Established in 1875, the Supreme Court is Canada's final court of appeal. As the highest court in the land, it has final jurisdiction over disputes in every area of the law. Since its inception, the Court has played a crucial role in shaping Canada's legal landscape, providing the foundation for a strong and secure democratic country founded on the Rule of Law. The nine judges hear and decide cases in both English and French on legal issues that are important to the public and help develop Canadian law. The Court is also bijural, which means it applies the law according to common law and civil law legal traditions.

SOURCE Supreme Court of Canada

Additional information: For additional information, please contact: Stéphanie Bachand, Executive Legal Officer and Chief of Staff, Chambers of Chief Justice Richard Wagner, [phone], [email protected]