Indigenous judge O’Bonsawin nominated to Canada’s top court

Michelle O’Bonsawin’s nomination to be first Indigenous particular person on Supreme Court docket of Canada hailed as ‘historic’.

The Supreme Court docket nomination of O'Bonsawin, an Abenaki member of Odanak First Nation, was welcomed on Friday [File: Chris Helgren/Reuters]

Michelle O’Bonsawin has been nominated to the Supreme Court docket of Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced, in a transfer that might make the skilled choose the primary Indigenous particular person to ever sit on the nation’s high courtroom.

In a assertion on Friday, Trudeau praised O’Bonsawin, who has served as an Ontario Superior Court docket justice since 2017, as “an completed jurist” with experience in psychological well being, human rights, labour and employment regulation.

“Her nomination is the results of an open, non-partisan choice course of. I'm assured that Justice O’Bonsawin will carry invaluable data and contributions to our nation’s highest courtroom,” he mentioned.

The nomination of O’Bonsawin, an Abenaki member of Odanak First Nation, was welcomed as an “superb” and “historic” transfer.

FIRST👏🏽INDIGENOUS 👏🏽PERSON👏🏽NOMINATED 👏🏽TO👏🏽THE👏🏽SUPREME👏🏽COURT👏🏽

And an Indigenous girl at that.

Congratulations Michelle O’Bonsawin … what an incredible appointment!! https://t.co/eZxPIdgfLmpic.twitter.com/Avwpmlp8Yv

— Nahanni Fontaine (@NahanniFontaine) August 19, 2022

“Justice O’Bonsawin will probably be an necessary voice on the Supreme Court docket, given her deep data of points associated to Indigenous peoples in Canada,” Murray Sinclair, former chair of the Fact and Reconciliation Fee of Canada, mentioned in a assertion.

“The courtroom is made stronger, and our choices are higher, the place there are various views the place they're wanted most. That is very true because it pertains to points going through Canada’s lengthy journey of reconciliation with First Nations, Metis and Inuit.”

In a questionnaire for federal judicial appointments shared by the federal government, as reported by CBC Information, O’Bonsawin mentioned her lived expertise as an Indigenous girl helps inform her work.

“My expertise as a Francophone Indigenous girl, mom and professional working within the psychological well being and Indigenous regulation fields offers me the attitude that Canada is various as a result of I'm a part of that range,” she wrote within the questionnaire.

“My expertise is a transparent instance of the wealthy range that makes our nation so particular to me and my household. My experiences have taught me that discrimination nonetheless happens in Canada, however by being conscious of those experiences and thru my work in psychological well being, I imagine that I can contribute to creating our nation a extra inclusive society that's honest and only for all.”

Historical past has been made for Indigenous peoples in the present day!
"Michelle O'Bonsawin turns into 1st Indigenous particular person nominated to Supreme Court docket of Canada"
It's a good day ✊🏾 https://t.co/1mzlbajFsL

— Indigenous Bar – Barreau Autochtone (@IBA_Canada) August 19, 2022

Her nomination got here after Canada appointed Indigenous chief Mary Simon to be the nation’s thirtieth governor normal final 12 months, making her the primary Indigenous particular person to ever maintain the largely ceremonial publish.

Final 12 months, Mahmud Jamal additionally turned the primary particular person of color ever appointed to Canada’s Supreme Court docket, and Trudeau had confronted calls to nominate an Indigenous jurist to the highest courtroom, as properly.

“Contemplating the a number of ways in which Canadian regulation is used in opposition to Indigenous peoples — as a mechanism for dispossession, cultural destruction and social management — appointing an Indigenous jurist to the best courtroom would signify a major step in the direction of addressing Canada’s ignominious authorized historical past,” Toby Goldback, an assistant professor of regulation on the College of British Columbia, wrote in The Ottawa Citizen in March.

O’Bonsawin’s nomination will go earlier than a particular parliamentary committee subsequent week, which is able to hear in regards to the choice course of, Trudeau mentioned in Friday’s assertion.

Committee members will then maintain a question-and-answer session with O’Bonsawin.

As we speak, Michelle O’Bonsawin is nominated to the Supreme Court docket of Canada. A well-experienced bilingual jurist, and an Abenaki member of the Odanak First Nation. A historic second for the @scc_eng, and for all of Canada. Congratulations, Justice O’Bonsawin. https://t.co/Cj0YjUf1KR

— David Lametti (@DavidLametti) August 19, 2022