Visit to Victoria, British Columbia

On February 3 and 4, 2025, Chief Justice Richard Wagner and Justices Andromache Karakatsanis and Nicholas Kasirer will participate in a unique visit to Victoria, British Columbia.

Through various events and activities, judges will meet with members of the legal and academic communities and engage with students, the public and the media. Participants will have a chance to learn more about the Court and reflect on how its decisions have shaped our democracy.

Building on the success of the Court’s visits to Winnipeg in 2019 and Quebec City in 2022, this is the first in a series of 5 visits planned throughout 2025 as part of the Supreme Court’s 150th anniversary commemorations.

Visit schedule

Monday, February 3	Tuesday, February 4
8:15 am – Media availability Empress Hotel Library Room, 721 Government St, Victoria, BC Chief Justice Richard Wagner will make brief remarks and answer questions from reporters. The Chief Justice will be joined by Supreme Court Justices Andromache Karakatsanis and Nicholas Kasirer as well as the Chief Justice of British Columbia, Leonard Marchand. Journalists may contact media@scc-csc.ca to register.	Morning – Meetings with members of the judiciary Judges will take part in discussions with members of the local judicial community.
Morning – Visit to the Faculty of Law at the University of Victoria Judges will meet with students and faculty members at the Faculty of Law at the University of Victoria.	Morning – Visit to the Victoria Integrated Courthouse Judges will observe proceedings and meet with justice system participants.
3 pm – Public event at the Victoria Conference Centre Victoria Conference Centre, 720 Douglas Street, Victoria, B.C. Members of the public are invited to take part in this special public forum at the Victoria Conference Centre. Questions for the judges can be submitted prior to the event. Read more about the public event.	Midday – Meeting with Elders from Duncan First Nations Court
Evening – Event with the legal community Judges will take part in an event with members of the local legal community. Read more about the event with the legal community.	Afternoon – Visits to local secondary schools Justices will interact with students at 3 local secondary schools and answer their questions on our judicial system. Read more about meetings with young people.

Beyond the bench: a dialogue with Judges of the Supreme Court of Canada

The Supreme Court of Canada is one of the country’s most significant institutions. Judges have the responsibility of deciding legal issues of public importance, and their decisions have an impact on the lives of all Canadians.

How do the judges of the Supreme Court decide Canada’s most difficult legal questions?

Chief Justice Richard Wagner, Justice Andromache Karakatsanis and Justice Nicholas Kasirer will explore this and more at a free town hall-style public event.

With decades of experience between them, the judges will answer questions from the public on a wide range of topics, such as:

What does it mean to be a judge? How did your career path lead you to where you are today?
How does the Court balance competing rights and opposing interests?
How do you maintain the Court’s independence and integrity, in light of pressures in society today?
What are some of the challenges and opportunities facing judges, and how do you approach them?

Submit your questions to Victoria150@scc-csc.ca and you could have them answered directly by judges of the Supreme Court.

Date: Monday, February 3, 2025
Time: 3 pm
Location: Victoria Conference Centre, 720 Douglas Street, Victoria, B.C., V8W 3M7

Reserve your seat today: Victoria150@scc-csc.ca.

Please note that this is not a legal information clinic and the judges will not be able to give legal advice or answer questions about specific cases.

Arrive early to ensure you have enough time for security screening. Security screening will start at 1:30 pm.

Journalists and official photographers will be on site and you may, therefore, be photographed.

Photos taken during the event may be used on the Court’s social media platforms, its website and various publications.

Download a PDF version of the invitation.

Engaging with young people

In addition to the public session, judges will also meet with students at local secondary schools and at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law.

“Building trust in the justice system begins with education,” says Chief Justice Richard Wagner. “We are excited for the community to learn more about the Court and how it serves them. See you in Victoria!”

Latest news

February 5, 2025

On their second day in Victoria, Chief Justice Wagner and Justices Karakatsanis and Kasirer met with members of the local judicial community to hear about the work happening in their jurisdictions and the concerns of local courts. The judges also had the opportunity to observe the Victoria Integrated Court and learned from participants about the positive impact of this community-based approach to law. In the afternoon, the judges met with Elders from the Duncan First Nations Court at the Songhees Wellness Centre to hear about how they use restorative justice to achieve balance and healing. The day concluded with a reception hosted by the newly appointed Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, the Honourable Wendy Cocchia.

Thank you to the many partners who made this visit possible.

Visit to the Victoria Integrated Courthouse

The Chief Justice speaks to participants at the Victoria Integrated Court

A group photo of the Chief Justice, the judges and the participants at the Victoria Integrated Court

Meeting with Elders from Duncan First Nations Court

The Chief Justice seated across the table from Elders from the Duncan First Nations Court

A group photo of the Chief Justice, the judges and the Elders from the Duncan First Nations Court

Reception hosted by the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia

The Chief Justice and the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia shaking hands

The Chief Justice speaks at a podium while the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia stands by

Meeting with the organizing committee

A group photo of the Chief Justice, the judges and the Victoria organizing committee

February 4, 2025

Yesterday, Chief Justice Wagner and Justices Karakatsanis and Kasirer were delighted to connect with so many people during their first day in Victoria. The judges took questions from the media about the work of the Court and its 150th anniversary in 2025. They then met with students and professors at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law and discussed judicial independence, access to justice and constitutional pluralism. At the public event, they answered various questions about the challenges and opportunities facing our justice system. They concluded the day engaging with members of the local legal community.

Media availability