Statement from the Office of the President
Bernard Amyot
President, Canadian Bar Association
May 16, 2008
The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) says that bilingualism should be considered as an important element of the merit criteria used in the selection of federally-appointed judges. To ensure equal access to justice, it is important that the people of Canada receive court services in the official language of their choice.
The CBA advocates appointments to the Supreme Court of Canada based solely on merit, and ultimately representative of the diversity of society as a whole. The CBA adds that bilingualism should be one aspect of merit in selecting candidates for appointment to the Supreme Court. Other qualities include high moral character, human qualities such as sympathy, generosity, charity, patience, experience in the law, intellectual and judgemental ability, good health and good work habits.
The CBA recommends that an adequate number of bilingual judges be in place at all levels of court to ensure access to justice to all the people of Canada, including linguistic minorities.
The Canadian Bar Association is dedicated to improvement in the law and the administration of justice. Some 37,000 lawyers, law teachers, and law students from across Canada are members.
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CONTACT: Hannah Bernstein, Canadian Bar Association, Tel: (613) 237-2925, ext. 146; E-mail: hannahb@cba.org.
