Feb
1
In the month of November, Canadians learned about an Alberta judge’s appalling comments made towards a 19-year-old sexual assault victim. In 2014, Justice Robin Camp, who at the time was a member of the Alberta Provincial Court, asked the young woman why she could not just “keep her knees together”. This was not the only derogatory comment the judge made towards the woman. Camp’s comments have led me to take a closer look at Canada’s judges.
Judges are held in high regard within the Canadian justice system. Becoming a judge is difficult, which leads us to expect that only the best lawyers become judges. However, I do not believe this is an accurate expectation. Judicial appointments often have a political connection. This is the only reason I see fit to explain why Judge Camp, only a year after this incident, was promoted to Federal Court.
A judicial appointment can almost guarantee a secure and privileged life. Judges can work well past the standard retirement age, they are paid extremely well, they hold reasonable hours and they have ample vacation time. Judges deserve these benefits because their job is important to Canadian society. However, this does not mean they are exempt from any scrutiny or punishment should they make mistakes. It is clear that Judge Camp made critical mistakes and I believe that not enough is being done to address this issue. I believe Judge Camp should be permanently removed from the bench. Judges are rarely removed from the bench and it is time that we hold them to higher standards and hold them responsible for their actions. Canadians need to be assured that our justice system is being presided over by fair, honest and respectable people. Judges are not Gods. Now is the time for our government to prove this.
Jennifer Castner