2022 Year in Review

Message from the Chief Justice

Watch this video message from Chief Justice Richard Wagner.

It is my pleasure to present the Supreme Court’s fifth Year in Review. This initiative grew out of my commitment to make Canada’s top court more accessible to everyone – counsel, self-represented litigants, legal researchers, students and all those interested in the justice system. The theme for this year’s report is “Here for You”, as 2022 offered people more opportunities to connect with the Court. 

For me, the highlight was the Court’s week-long visit to Quebec City in September. The Bench heard cases outside Ottawa for the second time in its 147-year history. Hundreds of people attended two hearings and saw how the Supreme Court is open, impartial and independent. It is also a modern institution where anyone may watch hearings online or follow the Court’s new Instagram account.

In Ottawa, the building reopened for in-person tours and members of the public returned to the courtroom for hearings. The Court heard many criminal law appeals in 2022 and overall, there were 52 hearings and the Court delivered 53 judgments. 

As Canada’s Chief Justice, I chair the National Judicial Institute. It provides education for judges across the country and delivers judicial training around the world. In that capacity, I co-hosted an international judicial conference in Ottawa in early November. I told delegates how an investment in judicial education is an investment in democracy and the rule of law.

Such occasions certainly bolster my own commitment to the fundamental democratic principle of judicial independence. That means judges decide cases based on the facts and the law, without interference from outside influences. Around the world, attacks on this independence and on the rule of law are growing. In Canada, we are fortunate to live in a strong and stable democracy, but it is something none of us should ever take for granted. 

The Right Honourable Richard Wagner

Chief Justice of Canada