News Conference with Media in Quebec City

Remarks by the Right Honourable Richard Wagner, P.C.
Chief Justice of Canada

Good morning everyone. Thank you for joining me today and for your interest in the Supreme Court of Canada. I am delighted to be in Quebec City this week where the Court will – for the second time in its history – hear cases outside of Ottawa.

Hearing cases outside of Ottawa is an initiative inspired by the principles of access to justice and an open court. The visit of the Supreme Court of Canada to Quebec City is an opportunity for the Court to make its work, activities and role in Canadian democracy known to a wider audience.

Since my appointment as Chief Justice, I have made it a priority to make the Supreme Court of Canada the most open and accessible top court in the world. This is why I recently held my fifth Annual News Conference in Ottawa. Several other initiatives also support this priority. For example, the Court now publishes a detailed annual report – called the Year in Review – outlining its work and activities. Court employees also prepare Cases in Brief which are written in accessible language. These short summaries of Court judgements explain the history of the case and the reasons for the decision.

The Court recently increased its online presence with an Instagram account. We share photos and information, often about activities outside of the courtroom, including my recent trip to Senegal where I concluded my three-year term as president of the Association des cours constitutionnelles francophones.

These types of initiatives strengthen public confidence in Canadian courts as open, independent and impartial institutions. This week, the people of Quebec City have a unique opportunity to see the Supreme Court in action firsthand. The Court’s justices will travel to high schools in the area to meet with students and answer questions. On Wednesday afternoon, the Court will host a free public event at the Musée de la civilisation. This is another opportunity for people to ask the judges questions about their work and about Canada’s final court of appeal.

Two hearings are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday morning. You can find all of the relevant information about the cases on our dedicated microsite. Finally, on Friday, the judges will exchange with law students and faculty from the Université Laval.

I look forward to welcoming you to the hearings and to the public event. I am very appreciative of the important role played by the media in our free and democratic society, particularly as it relates to providing people with accurate and reliable information on legal matters, trials and hearings.

I am ready to take your questions.

News Conference with Media in Quebec City
Chief Justice of Canada
Quebec, Quebec
September 12, 2022