12610
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Tuesday, September 29, 1903.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Eleven
o'clock.
NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES ACT
AMENDMENT.
The MINISTER OF JUSTICE (Hon.
Charles Fitzpatrick) moved for leave to introduce Bill (No. 259) to amend the Northwest
Territories Act.
The MINISTER OF JUSTICE. Mr.
Speaker, the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories, as at present constituted,
consists of four puisne judges and one judge
of the Supreme Court. The intention is
now to have a court consituted with five
puisne judges and a chief justice. The second section of the Bill provides for cases
reserved for considerations by the full court. As the law now stands a judge reserving
a point for the consideration of the full court cannot be a member of the court unless
his presence is necessary to constitute a quorum. The intention is that when a point
is reserved in a criminal case the judge sitting at the trial in the criminal case
who reserved the point may form part of the court before which the last amendment
is suggested by the judges of the Supreme Court.
Mr. BORDEN (Halifax). Is there any demand from the bar or the people of the
North-west Territories for an additional
judge ?
Mr. BORDEN (Halifax). Where is he to
be stationed or to reside ?
The MINISTER OF JUSTICE. There is an almost unanimous request from the bar of the North-west Territories
for the appointment of this additional judge, and I may say that it is supported by
the Attorney General of the North-west Territories. No provision is made for residence
at the present time. There will necessarily have to be a division made so as to make
provision for the district in which Macleod is situated, but I am not sure at the
present time where the residence will be.
Motion agreed to, and Bill read the first time.
Credits:
.
Selection of input documents and completion of metadata: Gordon Lyall.
Participating Individuals:
This individual participated in:
