Canadian Chief Justice visits Victoria

30 November 2005

Canadian Chief Justice visits Victoria University

Canadian Chief Justice, The Rt Hon Beverley McLachlin PC, will deliver the 2005 Lord Cooke of Thorndon Annual Lecture tomorrow (Thursday 1 December) at the Victoria University’s School of Law.

Chief Justice McLachlin, who is well known for her writing and judgments in the field of constitutional law, will speak on Unwritten Constitutional Principles.

Dean of Law, Professor Matthew Palmer, says Chief Justice McLachlan is an outstanding leader of one of the most important courts for New Zealand internationally.

“Her observations on Canadian constitutional law and the nature of constitutions generally offer important insights. Aspects of New Zealand’s constitution, such as the place of the Treaty of Waitangi, need careful consideration and a comparative perspective is always helpful in this.”

The first woman Chief Justice in Canada, in an outstanding career Chief Justice McLachlin has worked in both private practice and as a professor at the University of British Columbia. Prior to becoming Chief Justice, she served on the judiciary of the British Columbia County Court, Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Lecture is an annual event, created in honour of eminent jurist Lord Cooke of Thorndon on his retirement from the House of Lords in 2002. Lord Cooke is an alumnus and a Distinguished Fellow of the School of Law at Victoria. The previous Cooke lectures were given by: Lord Steyn of the United Kingdom House of Lords, Chief Justice Sian Elias of New Zealand, and Justice Michael Kirby of Australia.

Media are welcome to attend the lecture, which is to be held in Lecture Theatres 1 & 2, Rear Courtyard, Old Government Building, 15 Lambton Quay at 5.30pm, Thursday December 1 2005.

ENDS

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