Canada Supreme Court justice to deliver lecture in Wellington

The Honourable Justice Sheilah Martin of the Supreme Court of Canada will deliver the annual Robin Cooke Lecture at the Victoria University of Wellington’s Faculty of Law on 28 November.

The lecture, which will begin at 5:30pm, will focus on equality jurisprudence in Canada and equality rights guaranteed in the Canadian Constitution. It also includes a review of section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which has played an important role in Canadian equality jurisprudence and has led to the achievement of substantive equality for some groups in Canadian society, the university said. However, it has been criticised for having too high of a bar to establish a breach of equality rights.

“I look forward to hearing Justice Martin’s insights on the advancement of equality in Canada, and to seeing what lessons we can draw for the New Zealand context,” said Professor Mark Hickford, dean of law and pro vice-chancellor.

Martin is known for her focus on indigenous issues, education, equality rights, and underrepresented groups in law schools and the legal profession. She was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada in December after she was nominated by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The annual lecture celebrates the late Robin Cooke, Lord Cooke of Thorndon, a Victoria University of Wellington alumnus who is widely considered as the country’s most prominent jurist. He is the only New Zealand judge to have sat in the House of Lords of the United Kingdom.