Nine months on, SCC finally gets full complement
Canadian Lawyer ( Arshy Mann )
June 4, 2014
Voir sur canadianlawyermag.com
Nine months after the retirement of Justice Morris Fish, Canada’s highest court will finally have a full bench.
The federal government announced yesterday it will appoint Quebec Court of Appeal Justice Clément Gascon to the Supreme Court of Canada. At 54, he will be the youngest judge on the Supreme Court when he assumes the position June 9, although his official swearing-in date has not been announced.
Chief Justice Beverely McLachlin welcomed the appointment in a statement released today.
“I think in the circumstances, people were looking for something to be done quickly,” he tells Legal Feeds. “ I’m one of those who thinks the public appearances of the nominees do not add a great deal at least to the legal community.“
“Justice Gascon is a distinguished jurist,” wrote McLachlin. “He brings extensive expertise in the commercial and civil law of Quebec, as well as many years of experience as a judge. I look forward to his contributions to the court.”
After receiving a civil law degree from McGill University, Gascon worked as a civil and commercial litigator with the now-defunct Heenan Blaikie LLP.
He was first appointed to the Quebec Superior Court in 2002 by the Chrétien government and was then elevated to the Court of Appeals by the Conservatives in 2012. Gascon has worked with the commercial division of the Montreal Superior Court, and has represented the Superior Court on the CBA-Quebec committee on class actions as well as a working group studying U.S.-Canada cross-border class actions.
His appointment has been met with general approval. He was praised by the Quebec Justice Minister, the Barreau du Québec, as well as the federal NDP and Liberal parties.
This content has been updated on August 25, 2014 at 09:13.