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Ceremonial opening of the judicial year – Remarks from the Chief Justice of Canada

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Opening remarks

Good morning, and welcome everyone to this special ceremony to mark the opening of the Supreme Court’s judicial year. It is the first opening in almost 40 years, I might add! My colleagues and I are delighted you are joining us.

Ordinarily, gatherings in this Courtroom bring stressed lawyers, probing judges and inquisitive media. Today brings no tough questions, no heavy briefs, and no rulings to render. I hope that doesn’t disappoint too many of you!

Rather, today will be eventful for other reasons.

Not least because we are honoured to welcome back several former Justices with us:

We have surprisingly few opportunities to reconnect, so this is a cherished moment indeed.

Members of the legal profession are also well-represented today, thanks to several distinguished guest speakers. I would like to acknowledge the presence of:

I would also like to acknowledge the presence of the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Honourable Francis Scarpaleggia.

At today’s ceremony, the Canadian judiciary is also well-represented by Chief Justices and Associate Chief Justices from federal, provincial and territorial courts from across the country. We are grateful you could travel to Ottawa and help us commemorate the opening of our judicial year.

I see many other familiar faces, and new ones as well! Welcome current and former Registrars of the Court, Executive Legal Officers and current law clerks. To the law professors, students and journalists here today, we are also glad you could join us for this very special occasion.

Our ceremony is being webcast live, like all our court proceedings. Welcome to those participating online! This is YOUR Court, and this is an opportunity to better understand our work.

It has been almost 40 years since the Supreme Court held a ceremony to mark the opening of a judicial year. By show of hands, was anyone here for the last one?

No! I didn’t think so! It certainly is long-overdue.

I participated in several of these ceremonies elsewhere and I am always struck by the collegiality and solidarity. They also offer us the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the legal principles that form the bedrock of democracy, such as access to justice, judicial independence and open courts.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada. As the nation’s final court of appeal, it interprets the Constitution, safeguards people’s fundamental rights and freedoms, and upholds the rule of law. This is the message we brought to Canadians during visits to cities across the country throughout the year. Each time we meet with local communities, I am more optimistic for the future of our institutions. For example, the high school and university students are curious, and they care. They are attuned to what is going on around them, and are passionate about protecting the values we all hold dear.

In fact, you may have noticed that our audience skews a bit younger today (I include myself in this description!). That is because we are joined by law students from Ottawa and Gatineau for this ceremony. It was important to us that the next generation be represented here today.

In preparing for today, I read the remarks of Chief Justice Brian Dickson, which he delivered at the last opening ceremony 39 years ago. To my surprise, he spoke about two topics that I intended to address myself.

By the start of the 1986-87 judicial year, members of the Supreme Court had delivered 20 decisions on appeals under Canada’s new Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Chief Justice Dickson observed that they had included some of the most difficult issues of the time. Things were changing fast and he sought to reassure the public, and I quote:

“the Supreme Court of Canada is still essentially a general court of appeal for the country (…) And that remains the cornerstone of the life and work of this Court today. We are not simply a court specialising in constitutional law, and we will not become one.”

Four decades later, Charter cases continue to present the Court with some of the country’s most challenging legal questions. In the 2025-26 court year, the Supreme Court will hear many Charter appeals. Some of these are criminal cases, with issues including the right to be tried within a reasonable time, the protection against self-incrimination, and the right to be free from arbitrary searches. The Court will also hear cases on patent law, Aboriginal title, labour relations and official languages. As the days turn colder, I know many of you are looking for cases to heat things up. All I can say is, stay tuned!

The second theme Chief Justice Dickson spoke about was the Court’s brand-new videoconferencing system. Speaking to members of the bar, he said and I quote, “… the judges of the Supreme Court of Canada are totally satisfied with this system … The saving of time, of money and greater accessibility, should commend itself to all counsel who are concerned with the financial implications of representing their clients’ interests.”

Yet, videoconferencing largely fell out of use until 2020, when everyone was scrambling to leverage this technology. Like other courts, the Supreme Court used this technology to ensure its work could continue.

The Supreme Court of Canada in 2025 is a modern institution devoted to continuous improvement. We engage with the legal community, journalists and the public to learn how we may adapt to serve Canadians better. In recent years, the Court amended its rules to make it easier for people to apply for leave to appeal. We launched a secure electronic filing portal and parties have already filed over 38,000 documents with this new technology. We have also eliminated filing fees.

For 150 years, the Supreme Court has honoured its unique bilingual and bijural heritage, along with its many traditions. Yet there is one tradition that we have decided to modernize. Many of you will have noticed that my colleagues and I are not wearing our usual red robes. Instead, we are wearing new robes, which preserve the dignity and authority of the judicial role. They have a modern and simple design that echoes our commitment to openness and accessibility in a way that is distinctly Canadian.

And on a related note, new symbols are also being built into the West Memorial Building, where we will move at the end of the Court year. This building, where we are gathered today, will be undergoing at least 10 years of extensive and overdue rehabilitation. This year will be our last in this room for quite some time.

While we will miss this building, the Courtroom at the West Memorial building will retain several historical and traditional elements – such as the red carpeting and the Judge’s bench. But its design will also include new symbolic elements. For example, the Courtroom and grand entrance hall will feature skylights to flood the building with natural light, which characterizes the openness and transparency of our Court.

As we started to get ready for this move, it became clear that we have much in the way of history, artefacts and stories that need to be preserved for future generations.

In line with this, I am pleased to announce that a Historical Society of the Supreme Court of Canada is being established. A tribute to the Court’s profound influence on contemporary society, it will help honour and preserve its rich history and enduring legacy. The Society will foster research, promote education and engage the public through outreach.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Honourable Thomas Cromwell, former Justice of this Court, and to Madame Anne Roland, former Registrar, for agreeing to co-chair this society.

Madame Roland – it is wonderful you could be here today and I look forward to seeing what the Historical Society is able to accomplish under your leadership with Justice Cromwell. And to the many former law clerks who have expressed an interest in being a part of this new, exciting initiative, you can expect a phone call soon!

The Court’s legacy has been about upholding the democratic values of our great country. While we are not a superpower in the traditional sense of the word, we are certainly a democratic superpower. For us, the rule of law is non-negotiable.

Everyone in this room and across Canada’s diverse legal community is committed to public service. We are also united in our deep conviction that the rule of law and judicial independence are not abstract concepts. They are the best defence against tyranny and autocracy.

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. We are fortunate in Canada to have a remarkable judiciary.

Our 150th anniversary has been an occasion for reflection. Whether it is during the visits across Canada or the international legal symposium held in this very room, it is clear to me that people have been thinking about the strength of our institutions throughout history. Just outside these doors is a great example. In April, the Senate and Library and Archives Canada installed a joint exhibit on the Court’s history. The exhibit includes original documents that take us back to 1875 when the Court was first created. When the exhibit was being researched and assembled, we did not know just how much these historic documents would mean to people in these troubling times. But I have come to appreciate that they represent unity in the face of discord and pride in our distinctly Canadian institutions.

As we open this new judicial year, let us once more affirm the principles that have guided this Court since 1875: the rule of law, judicial independence and equal access to justice. For 150 years, these principles have shaped our jurisprudence, strengthened our institutions and earned the confidence of Canadians. They are the foundation of our democracy and the highest measure of our integrity. Time has carved this legacy in stone, and now we stand ready to build what comes next. May these principles always guide the Court in its service to justice and to our great nation. And may each of us always uphold them – firmly, faithfully and fearlessly!

Thank you very much for your attention.

Guest speakers

Now, it is my great pleasure to introduce our distinguished guest speakers, who together with their colleagues and organisations, advance these shared values.

Counsel, you have 5 minutes!

To begin, I am pleased to welcome Justice Minister and Attorney General, the Honourable Sean Fraser. Minister, the floor is yours.

…

Thank you, Minister.

Our next speaker is Dean Kristen Boon, President of the Council of Canadian Law Deans.

…

Thank you, Dean Boon.

We will now hear from the President of the Canadian Bar Association, Ms. Bianca Kratt.

…

Thank you, Ms. Kratt.

And now, Ms. Teresa Donnelly, President of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada.

…

Thank you, Ms. Donnelly.

I now call upon our final guest speaker, the President of The Advocates’ Society, Ms. Hilary Book.

…

Thank you, Ms. Book.

Concluding remarks

My colleagues and I would like to express our deep appreciation to our speakers, and our guests in the room. We commend each of you for your work to advance the administration of justice in Canada. To those online, thank you for sharing in this common cause!

I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge the employees of the Court. They help my colleagues and I better serve Canadians. Our employees consistently go above and beyond. We are tremendously grateful for their professionalism, passion and steadfast commitment.

Signing of commemorative book

Before we conclude, I will invite my colleagues, followed by our guest speakers and our Registrar, to sign a commemorative book. I would ask everyone to remain seated during this time. Afterwards, we invite you to join us in the Grand Entrance Hall, where the book will be relocated. Before leaving the Court, please take a moment to sign the book to record your presence here today. Employees will be invited to sign this book later this afternoon.

This concludes today’s ceremony. Thank you once again to everyone for joining us.

After signing the commemorative book

This concludes today’s ceremony. We will join you in the grand entrance hall.

The Court is adjourned. Thank you very much.

Remarks by the Right Honourable Richard Wagner, P.C.
Chief Justice of Canada
On the occasion of the Ceremonial Opening of the Judicial Year
Supreme Court of Canada Courtroom
Ottawa, Ontario
October 6, 2025

Archived video of the ceremony

Date modified: 2025-10-31