Message from the Chief Justice

Hello! And welcome to the Supreme Court of Canada! My name is Richard Wagner and I am the 18th Chief Justice of Canada.

Our court is the only bilingual and bijural apex court in the world. I am very proud of the fact that the Supreme Court of Canada hears cases in both English and French, from both the civil and common law legal traditions.

Canada is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. An independent judiciary is one of the three pillars of our democratic system of governance. That means that as judges, we are responsible for upholding the Rule of Law and protecting the rights and freedoms of Canadians.

It is essential for Canadians to have access to justice. They must know about their rights and be able to appear before a court when necessary. They must also have confidence in the ability of the courts to render fair and impartial judgments. One of my key priorities as Chief Justice of Canada is to build trust and confidence in our judicial system. One of the ways I do that is by ensuring an open and transparent Supreme Court.

Whether you are here to read a judgment, book a tour or file a court document, I invite you to learn more about who we are and what we do. We are happy to share a variety of resources, right at your fingertips. After all, this is YOUR Court.