Mary Moreau officially welcomed as newest Supreme Court of Canada judge

Canada’s newest Supreme Court justice says trust in the court depends on clear communication to the public.

A welcoming ceremony was held today for Justice Mary Moreau, who was sworn in as a Supreme Court judge in November.

Her appointment means a majority of the nine justices on the Supreme Court are women for the first time in its history.

Moreau says Canadians must be able to recognize themselves in the justice system without feeling like they’ve been marginalized or excluded.

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And she says she is proud the court is trying to make its work more accessible to the public by using plain language on its website and in decision summaries and by streaming its hearings online.

She says Canada’s laws must be respectful of human rights and be interpreted in a timely, open and accessible process.

Moreau comes to the Supreme Court after serving as the chief justice of the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta.

She also previously chaired the judicial advisory committee for military judge appointments, and was a member of the Canadian Judicial Council for seven years.