Justice Mary Moreau officially welcomed as the Supreme Court's newest member

Mary Moreau has officially been welcomed to her seat on the Supreme Court of Canada as its newest justice.

«To earn and retain the confidence of the public in our justice system, our laws must be respectful of human rights,» she said in her speech at the event, in which she also highlighted the need for a timely, accessible and impartial process.

Moreau, a francophone, has served for decades in the Alberta court system, including as the head of the Alberta Court of King's Bench from 2017-23.

Moreau took her seat on the bench during a Monday ceremony in Ottawa that included speeches from Chief Justice Richard Wagner, Justice Minister Arif Virani and other law community officials. The other eight Supreme Court justices were in attendance.

Moreau, who was officially appointed to the court by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last November, thanked friends and colleagues for helping her to settle into her new role in Ottawa.

«With all this support, I feel like I'm wrapped in a warm blanket, though that may also be the effect of wearing these ceremonial robes for the past hour,» she said, referencing the justices' distinctive red and white robes.

Virani praised Moreau's leadership on official language rights in Canada.

«As a Franco-Albertan… she was at the forefront of advocating for the rights of official language minority communities,» Virani said. «I think she's actually developed something of a hero status among French jurists across the country.»

Wade MacLauchlan, a former premier of Prince Edward Island, led the independent advisory board responsible for selecting the shortlist that eventually resulted in Moreau's nomination. He said the court needed a candidate who had experience in both criminal and constitutional law.

Moreau's