3 Indigenous candidates were considered to fill recent Supreme Court vacancy

None of the non-Indigenous candidates declared themselves to be visible minorities.

The selection process was conducted in 2017. In order to maintain regional representation on the bench, only candidates from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, as well as the territories were considered.

Kept from the public were the two other names on the shortlist of three names sent to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, from which he chose Martin.

A representative from Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada confirmed to The Canadian Press the final shortlist would not be made public.

In comparison, the selection process that resulted in Malcolm Rowe’s appointment in 2016 was open to candidates across the country.

Thirty-one people were considered for the job, more than twice the number in 2017.

Kim Campbell, Canada’s 19th prime minister and the president of the appointment task force, told a legislative committee in December she expects an Indigenous person will one day become a member of the Supreme Court.

“I have no doubt there will be an Aboriginal person at the Supreme Court of Canada — an exceptional Aboriginal judge whose appointment will not require any compromise regarding the applicable criteria,” she said.

Campbell noted the current pool of Aboriginal lawyers in Canada is still limited.

Stephanie Marin, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

3 Indigenous candidates were considered to fill recent Supreme Court vacancy

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