Newfoundlanders say next Supreme Court justice should come from their province – CP

Source: The Canadian Press
Apr 1, 2016

FREDERICTON _ The Supreme Court of Canada will soon have a vacancy, and the president of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador says it’s time the new justice came from her province.

Susan LeDrew says there has never been a Supreme Court of Canada justice from Newfoundland and it would be good to appoint someone from a non-metropolitan area of the country.

Justice Thomas Cromwell of Nova Scotia will retire in September and it’s generally accepted that his replacement will come from Atlantic Canada.

Professor Adam Dodek of the University of Ottawa says the federal government will have a lot of other factors to consider, such as there has never been an aboriginal judge on the court.

Former Supreme Court of Canada justice Michel Bastarache says the government has already stated the next appointment will have to be bilingual.

He says the new judge needs to be fluently bilingual to fully understand the legal principles and technical issues in both languages.

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