Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to have a wider selection of candidates from Western Canada as he prepares to appoint a new justice to the Supreme Court of Canada, following the retirement of Justice Sheilah Martin.
Justice Martin, a Calgary-based jurist, announced earlier this year that she will step down at the end of May, triggering the selection process for a replacement. By long-standing convention, two of the court’s nine judges are appointed from Western Canada.
The deadline for applications is Monday, and legal experts suggest the pool of qualified candidates is stronger than in previous years, largely due to an increase in bilingual judges across Western provinces.
Since 2016, candidates for the country’s top court must be functionally bilingual—able to understand proceedings in both English and French without interpretation. While the rule previously drew criticism for limiting the candidate pool, particularly in Western Canada, more judges have since met the requirement.
Among those considered strong contenders is Chief Justice Glenn Joyal of Manitoba’s Court of King’s Bench, who has led the court since 2011 and is expected to apply. Federal Court Justice Paul Favel is also viewed as a potential candidate, having improved his French proficiency since opting out of the 2023 selection process.
Other possible candidates include appellate judges from across the West, reflecting a broader and more diverse field than in past selection rounds.
Under the current appointment system, an independent advisory board reviews applications and submits a shortlist of at least three names to the prime minister, who makes the final decision.
The process has faced ongoing criticism, with some arguing that the bilingualism requirement creates barriers, while others contend the prime minister retains too much influence over judicial appointments.
The new appointment is expected to be finalized before the Supreme Court’s fall session.
