Chief justice says rule of law, judicial independence protect Canada from autocracy

OTTAWA — While Canada is not a superpower in the traditional sense of the word, it’s “certainly a democratic superpower,” Chief Justice Richard Wagner said Monday at a ceremony to open the Supreme Court’s judicial year.

Wagner told dignitaries gathered in the courtroom that the country’s legal community is united in a deep conviction that the rule of law and judicial independence are not abstract concepts.

“They are the best defence against tyranny and autocracy,” Wagner said.

“But for most Canadians, judicial independence is theoretical. Bringing it to life requires efficient and effective access to justice delivered fairly and impartially by well-trained judges.”

The ceremony, part of the court’s 150th anniversary celebrations, was the first such event to be held at the start of a ju