Two federal judges and the Chief Justice of Canada made Victoria the first stop of a cross-country trip commemorating the Canadian Supreme Court's 150th anniversary while using the opportunity to combat misinformation.
On Monday, Feb. 3 at the Empress Hotel, Canada's highest-ranking judge Chief Justice Richard Wagner, along with Justices Andromache Karakatsanis and Nicholas Kasire sat down with media members to kick off a busy two days in B.C.'s capital.
"Since it was created in 1875, the Court has been a pillar of our democracy. It ensures fairness, equality and justice for all," said Wagner. "We do all this to help Canadians better understand the law and the principles that guide our decisions. This is also why we are here in Victoria this week. We want to bring the Supreme Court closer to Canadians."
Wagner explained that as political tensions rise and misinformation becomes more prevalent, connecting with Canadians and maintaining trust in the courts has never been more important.
"The environment has changed. There is more disinformation and misinformation out there [so] we have to be prepared to give the right information to the Canadian people. That is our duty," he said.
Though they are celebrating the anniversary, Wagner said the tour also allows them to teach students and the public about the Supreme Court's role.
"It's very hard for somebody to appreciate and have trust if you don't know about the institutions, and I think we have nothing to hide. On the contrary, if we compare ourselves with other countries in the world, so-called democracies, we have everything to be proud of."
The Supreme Court, established in 1875, is Canada’s final court of appeal and its highest court. It has the final jurisdiction over disputes in every area of the law.
The first day of the tour, Feb. 3, includes the justices meeting with students and faculty members at the Faculty of Law at UVic, then at 3 p.m. they will participate in the free, town-hall-style event at the Victoria Conference Centre. They will later meet with members of the local legal community.
On Tuesday, Feb. 4, they will meet with justice system participants and members of the local judicial community. Then, they will travel to three secondary schools to meet with students and answer their questions about the Canadian judicial system.
The Victoria stop will be the first of five stops in 2025 to commemorate the 150th anniversary milestone. They will also stop in Moncton, Thunder Bay, Sherbrooke and Yellowknife.
