New appointed judges welcomed to the Supreme Court

Canada’s two newest Supreme Court justices celebrated their humble origins on Monday as they were publicly welcomed to the highest court.

Michael Moldaver and Andromache Karakatsanis were named to the court by Prime Minister Stephen Harper last month and were sworn in privately before Monday’s formal welcoming ceremony.

Moldaver, 63, repeatedly sparked laughter with fond, self-deprecating recollections of his working-class youth in Peterborough, Ont., but appeared emotional as he recalled the sacrifices of his parents, neither of whom benefited from the higher education they provided for their three children.

He said when he and his two brothers “started to get letters behind our names” such as BA or PhD, his father began adding his own, such as MD or JD.

“MD, of course, standing for metal dealer and JD for junk dealer,” Moldaver deadpanned.

“To that list, if he were here today, I would add the letters MW — man of wisdom. For he was a man of wisdom, university educated or not. He was blessed with common sense and good judgment and an understanding of the human condition.”

Karakatsanis, 56, said her parents emigrated from Greece after the Second World War to start a new life.

“They came without family, without language, without fortune,” she said. “But they came with courage and with hope.”

Moldaver’s appointment has been criticized by the NDP because he is not bilingual, though he has said he will study French.

Moldaver, who offered a few words in French, said he is guided by the example of his father, who he says was blessed with common sense and good judgment.

Moldaver also joked about the recent appearance he and Karakatsanis made before an ad-hoc committee of MPs on Parliament Hill after their appointments were announced. He promised MPs to do everything in his power to learn more French.

He said when people ask him about his experience before the committee, he gives them a standard reply:

“I tell them I found it to be a lot like exercise: it ain’t great when it’s happening, but it sure feels good when it’s over.”

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today