Roundup: A difference in Supreme Courts

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There’s been a fair amount of chatter the past couple of days about how everyone on both sides of the border seemed to know who US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg was, but most Canadians would have no idea who any members of our own Supreme Court are. While some blame this on American “media saturation,” I think it’s more than that (though media saturation is a factor). Rather, the partisan jockeying around the composition of the American Supreme Court means that there is far more investment in who is on the bench and what their ideological leanings are, coupled with a willingness on the part of that Court’s justices to become media figures.

The Supreme Court of Canada is largely devoid of the partisan balancing act of its American counterpart, and Canada’s relative lack of particularly conservative schools of legal thought means that we have a much more homogenous legal community, which finds for less polarization on the top court – though the McLachlin era of many unanimous decisions has largely come to an end and dissents are more frequent – which is not such a bad thing. This isn’t to say that our court isn’t political, because it is – it is very much a political actor in the Charter era – but it is generally not partisan in that regard. As for the willingness for celebrity, most Canadian Supreme Court justices eschew the limelight, and very rarely grant interviews (not the case in the US), though the new Chief Justice, Richard Wagner, is a little more open with media and has taken to holding a year-ending press conference every June, which has not happened before now. Nevertheless, those are some of the reasons why Canada’s court and its personalities are not media spectacles like they are in the US, and that’s really not such a bad thing.

Meanwhile, here’s a look at how the Supreme Court of Canada is adapting to ensure in-person sittings for the duration of the pandemic.

Good reads:

  • PMO has begun its leaks of the Throne Speech, touching on pandemic response, a three-pillar economic recovery plan, and electric vehicles.
  • Justin Trudeau moved the president of the NRC to become the president of PHAC, which is not encouraging given how badly the NRC botched the Ebola vaccine.
  • Jonathan Wilkinson assures us that yes, the government is still working on their climate plan in spite of the pandemic.
  • Wilkinson reluctantly accepted Ontario’s new industrial emissions plans, even though they are weaker than the federal carbon levy in terms of reductions.
  • The federal government is putting up $1 billion to allow municipalities to buy hotels and motels as rapid emergency housing as the pandemic rolls along.
  • More stories about Julie Payette’s behaviour toward coworkers and staff before being appointed GG are coming out, including tales of berating people at home.
  • There are concerns about what happens to Canada-UK trade when the Brexit grace period expires – but the UK keeps changing their minds on tariff policies.
  • RCMP raided the Montreal home of a woman arrested in the US for mailing ricin to the president and several others. (More on ricin here).
  • John Horgan has called an election in BC citing the need for stability (read: majority), in spite of assurances that the Greens would still prop him up.
  • Thomas Mulcair explains the brewing language debate rearing its head again in Quebec, as François Legault seeks a distraction from his pandemic failures.
  • Colby Cosh casts a critical eye at the supposed dying wish of US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

Odds and ends:

This video of former UK prime minister Theresa May calling out her own government on its bullshit is amazing, and shows the value of parliamentarians.

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One thought on “Roundup: A difference in Supreme Courts”

  1. In re: Mulcair’s column… So the NDP, the “conscience of parliament,” proves just as cynical and craven in their futile drive for Quebec nationalist votes as the Cons, while Singh wags his finger at the Bloc, turns a blind eye to his BC provincial counterparts’ role in the Indigenous land dispute and now their nomination of convenience ignoring their own equity rules, and has the nerve to praise Trump of all people as having done more to address racism than Trudeau. (Don’t even get me started on “mental health advocate” Angus’ vile attacks on Margaret Trudeau.)

    Ibbitson’s transparent attempt at vote splitting from yesterday’s Globe spoke volumes about the priorities of this club of hypocritical Bernie Bro wannabes. “Get woke and go broke” I believe was part of that column? Any port in a storm indeed, or anything to own the Libs. If O’Toole is looking for yet another example of systemic racism (and/or discrimination on multiple fronts), he should look no further than his useful idiot collaborators on the “progressive” side, throwing all integrity out the window to suck up to King Legault. What shameful hypocrites. This is exactly what Liberal supporters have been saying by pointing out that the NDP have become Trump-orange Cons.

    No Damn Principles indeed.

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