The long and complex legal saga surrounding Quebec Superior Court Justice Michel Girouard, who is pulling all stops to fend off a Canadian Judicial Council recommendation that he be removed from the bench, is winding down after the Federal Court of Appeal dismissed his objections.
In a unanimous decision, the three-judge panel concluded that the Council’s recommendation for Justice Girouard’s removal was reasonable, that there was no breach of the principles of procedural fairness, that Justice Girouard was given full opportunity to be heard and make submissions, and that while it might have been “desirable” for certain portions of the transcript of the hearings” before the second Inquiry Committee to have been translated the judge was not prejudiced by this.
