(Ottawa) The Canadian Judicial Council recommends that Quebec Superior Court Judge Gérard Dugré be removed from office, saying his conduct has “so undermined public confidence in the judiciary that he is unable to continue to perform his duties as a judge.
In a press release, the council explains that at the end of an investigation, it has come to the conclusion that “Judge Dugré’s conduct is so manifestly and so profoundly contrary to the concepts of impartiality, integrity and independence of the judicial function that the public’s confidence in him is sufficiently compromised for him to be unable to exercise the function of judge”.
In July, an inquiry committee recommended that Judge Dugré be removed from his post because of “inappropriate comments” and his “unpleasant attitude” in court. The committee had also noted the judge’s repeated delays in rendering judgments.
The members of the committee therefore recommended Monday to the federal Minister of Justice, David Lametti, to remove the judge from his functions.
Under the Constitution of Canada, a judge can only be removed from office by address of the House of Commons and the Senate. The Minister will therefore have to turn to Parliament to obtain authorization to dismiss Judge Dugré from his post.