Justice and Public Safety
March 30, 2016

Recognizing a Strong Legal Community

Minister Parsons Advocates for Newfoundland and Labrador Appointment to Supreme Court of Canada

Following the recent announcement by Justice Thomas Cromwell that he would be retiring from the Supreme Court of Canada in September 2016, the Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General, has written to his federal counterpart to voice his strong opinion that the new justice should come from Newfoundland and Labrador.

�We are the only province to have never had an individual appointed to sit as a Supreme Court of Canada Justice, while decisions made by the Court have direct impacts on the daily lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. As we near the 67th anniversary of Newfoundland and Labrador becoming Canada�s 10th province, this government firmly believes that the time has come for a Supreme Court of Canada Justice from this province.�
- The Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General

Once Justice Cromwell retires, convention dictates that his replacement should come from one of the Atlantic Provinces. Since 1875, New Brunswick has had six appointments to the Supreme Court while Nova Scotia has had five. Prince Edward Island�s one appointment, Sir Louis Davies, eventually became Chief Justice. He was appointed just 28 years after PEI joined Confederation.

�Newfoundland and Labrador has a number of eminently qualified jurists and practitioners who are capable of contributing significantly to the country�s highest court and we are asking Minister Wilson-Raybould and Prime Minister Trudeau to strongly consider these candidates. I also thank Justice Cromwell for the important role he played in recent years in shaping the justice system in the country.�
- Minister Parsons

A copy of the letter that Minister Parsons sent to Minister Wilson-Raybould can be found at the following link: www.justice.gov.nl.ca/just/publications/pdf/Minister_Parsons_to_Minister_Wilson-Raybould.pdf

QUICK FACTS

• Minister Parsons is advocating that the next appointment to the Supreme Court of Canada come from Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Once Justice Thomas Cromwell retires in September 2016, convention dictates that his replacement will come from one of the Atlantic Canadian provinces.
• Newfoundland and Labrador is the only Canadian province to have never had an individual appointed to sit as a Justice with the Supreme Court of Canada.

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Media contact:

Luke Joyce
Director of Communications
Department of Justice and Public Safety
709-729-6985, 725-4165
lukejoyce@gov.nl.ca

2016 03 30                             11:40 a.m.