Mary Morrow has been officially welcomed as the new Supreme Court of Canada Justice.
“To earn and maintain public trust in our justice system, our laws must respect human rights,” he said in a speech at the event, calling for timely, accessible and fair procedures. He also emphasized the need for
Moreau, who is fluent in French, has been involved in Alberta’s court system for decades, including serving as president of Alberta’s Crown Bench from 2017 to 2023.
Moreau sat on the bench during a ceremony in Ottawa on Monday that included speeches from Chief Justice Richard Wagner, Justice Minister Arif Virani and other members of the legal community. Eight other Supreme Court justices also attended.
Moreau, who was formally appointed to the court by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last November, thanked his friends and colleagues for helping him settle into his new role in Ottawa.
“With all the support, I feel like I’m wrapped in a warm blanket. But maybe that’s just the effect of having been in this ceremonial robe for the past hour,” the judge said in his characteristically He mentioned red and white robes.
Mr. Virani praised Mr. Moreau’s leadership on Canada’s official language rights.
“As a Franco-Albertan, she was at the forefront of defending the rights of minority communities to have an official language,” Villani said. “In fact, I think she achieved a heroic status among French jurists across the country.”
Former Prince Edward Island Premier Wade McLauchlan led the independent advisory committee responsible for selecting the shortlist of candidates that ultimately led to Morrow’s nomination. He said the court needs candidates with both criminal law and constitutional law experience.
Arif Virani said Moreau’s appointment marks the first time in the history of the Supreme Court of Canada that there will be a majority of female justices.
Mr. Morrow’s appointment was also welcomed by Alberta’s Minister of Justice Mickey Amery.
Several speakers commented on Moreau’s efforts to modernize the use of technology and promote the use of French in Alberta’s courts.
With Morrow’s seat on the court, five of the nine justices are now women. This is the first time in the court’s nearly 150-year history that women are in the majority.
Morrow met with lawmakers in November and acknowledged the historic nature of the female-dominated court, but said he hoped it would become a “nothing to write home about” situation.
“Canadians have a right to feel represented in our justice system,” she said Monday.
Morrow’s appointment means six of the nine justices currently on the court were appointed by Trudeau. The remaining three, including Chief Justice Wagner, were appointed by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Morrow, an Edmonton native, will replace Russell Brown, who resigned in June following allegations of misconduct related to an incident at a U.S. resort. Mr. Brown denies the allegations.