Supreme court: no bilingualism at all costs, according to the chief justice, outgoing

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Maxime Huard

Friday, 15 December 2017 11:44

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Friday, 15 December 2017 11:44

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OTTAWA – chief justice Beverley McLachlin has bowed out on Friday morning, expressed doubts about the need to have magistrates bilingual to the supreme Court of Canada.

“Is that the Court can operate with two or three judges who are not bilingual? Yes, history has shown us,” said Ms. McLachlin during her press conference to start.

The one who has held the position of chief justice for 18-year-old has, however, pleaded for a high level of bilingualism of judges of the supreme Court. “But this is not up to me to decide, it is up to the government to write the laws,” said Alberta’s 74-year-old.

The judge-in-chief outgoing was not able to say whether the question of language is a barrier to access to justice in the country. It considers, however, that “the system takes all possible means to ensure that all Canadians have access to a process in their own language”.

Ms. McLachlin has drawn a line under his career Friday, after 28 years as a judge of the supreme Court and after having heard more than 2000 cases. She did not wish to comment publicly on some of its recent judgments the most controversial, as the judgment in Jordan and the decision about aid in dying.

The prime minister of Canada had emphasized the career of Beverley McLachlin the day before, welcoming a “pioneer” and a judge “dedicated”. “Thanks to his work, we are a better country and a more just society,” said Justin Trudeau.

Named in the beginning of the week, the successor of Ms. McLachlin, justice québec Richard Wagner, will be officially sworn in next Monday at the residence of the governor general.