For the first time, the Indigenous Bar Association has named a member of the independent advisory council to assist in selecting the next Supreme Court justice.
The selected advisory board member, David Nahwegahbow, is an Anishinaabe attorney from Whitefish River First Nation in Ontario. His company exclusively represents First Nations individuals, communities and organizations.
His participation on the advisory council is part of what the federal government has called an effort to encourage more Aboriginal people to join the court.
Mr. Nahwegahbow was joined by other board members, including the former director of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, the president and CEO of the Canadian Women’s Foundation and a former grand chief of the Huron-Wendat Nation. .
The next person to be appointed as a Supreme Court justice, who will come from Ontario, will replace Justice Michael Moldaver, who will retire in September after 11 years in the nation’s highest court.
Applications for the position closed last week and the board will provide Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with a shortlist of functionally bilingual candidates and representative of diversity from Canada.
In a statement, Trudeau said his government was determined to ensure that judges are appointed through a process that is clear, inclusive and accountable to Canadians.
Source: Radio-Canada
