 The 130th anniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Court of Canada (1875).
The Supreme Court of Canada, which stands today as the final arbiter of legal disputes in the Canadian judicial system, has not always enjoyed the status of court of last resort. Its history begins more than a century after the appearance of courts in Canada and its role has evolved considerably since its creation in 1875.
It was the British North America Act, 1867, now called the Constitution Act, 1867, that first created a united Canada (Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) and defined the basic elements of the country's judicial system. It invited the new federal Parliament to establish its own court of appeal which it did a few years later and on April 8, 1975, a bill was passed to create the Supreme Court of Canada. However, decisions of the new court still could be appealed
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to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council for final judgment. The Judicial Committee's superior appellate jurisdiction over Canada did not end until 1933, for criminal appeals, and 1949. for civil appeals.
Today, the Supreme Court of Canada stands as a powerful symbol of our key values one that is equally important to their preservation. As our nation's arbiter for 130 years, it has been the living embodiment of democratic governance, respect for human rights and the rule of law ideals that are an inspiration to nations around the world.
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