The Supreme Court

 A few days back, I decided to pay a visit to the Supreme Court of Canada. My last visit inside was, I believe, before Covid.

The Court is an Art Deco masterpiece, its current headquarters started in 1939 and opened in 1946.

On its grounds is this statue. Louis St. Laurent was a lawyer who went into politics late into his middle age- had he not, he had all the makings of a Supreme Court Justice, so his presence is fitting here. He succeeded William Lyon Mackenzie King as leader of the Liberal Party, and Prime Minister of Canada.

Flanking the main entrance are two larger than life statues by the artist Walter Allward, whose masterpiece was the Vimy Memorial in France. This one is Truth. Its counterpart we'll look closer at before we end this series.

Guided tours are offered hourly, in English and in French, especially this time of year when court is not in session. While waiting, I photographed a series of displays.

Ernest Cormier was the architect, based out of Montreal, designing the current headquarters of the Court, as well as its emblem. 

The Court itself is in its 150th year, with its local roots nearby on Parliament Hill before its current headquarters was opened. Queen Elizabeth dedicated the cornerstone in the presence of her husband King George VI and the prime minister, Mackenzie King.

There are nine justices today, hearing appeals and references from the government. Of the cases submitted to the Court, perhaps a tenth of them actually get a hearing.

Allward's two statues Truth and Justice were originally meant for a memorial to King Edward VII that was never made, and the statues were forgotten, rediscovered half a century later, and installed outside the building.

Next year, the Court will move across the street while the building undergoes renewal work for a number of years. One of the key points- and the most time consuming- is measures to protect against earthquakes.

Here we have a scale model of the building.