Canada on Friday nominated Michelle O’Bonsawin as the first indigenous person to serve on its Supreme Court. It is a historic first for a country seeking to make amends for abuses against native peoples.
“Michelle is a widely respected member of Canada’s legal community with a distinguished career”: Trudeau
“Her nomination is the result of an open, nonpartisan selection process. I am confident that Justice O’Bonsawin will bring invaluable knowledge and contributions to our country’s highest court,” Trudeau said.
As far as her background is concerned, Michelle is of the Abenaki Indigenous community from Odanak and has been a judge on Ontario’s Superior Court since 2017. She has a 20-year legal career with extensive experience in labor law, human rights, mental health, and privacy issues, according to the statement released by the prime minister.
Michelle described how she had sometimes been excluded, decrying how some people could be “insensitive to your heritage.” “As a First Nations woman growing up in Northern Ontario, I became aware of the need for dedicated individuals to provide a strong, representative voice on behalf of those who could not speak for themselves,” the judge wrote in a questionnaire as part of her candidacy for the job. It was released by the government.
She will take up her new position after a non-binding vote
She will take up her new position after a non-binding vote later this month in Parliament. Michelle’s nomination is the second in a row to make history at the Supreme Court. Last year Mahmud Jamal became the first person of color to take up a seat on the tribunal.
Michelle described Canada as “more inclusive and diverse than ever before.” But, said people “must stop focusing on our differences and embrace diversity to move our country forward.”
