Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed Indigenous Judge Michelle Obonswein to the Supreme Court, the first time in a country that has begun a process of reconciliation with its First Nations.

Trudeau noted that the judge “is a highly respected member of the Canadian judiciary and has had a distinguished career. It will bring invaluable knowledge to the highest court of our country.”

Obonsauen belongs, according to the Agence France-Presse (AFP), to the Abenaki ethnic group from the first Oudanak tribes in Quebec. Obonswain has been an Ontario Supreme Court Justice since 2017, specializing in mental health and human rights.

“I believe my experience as a French-speaking woman, mother, lawyer, researcher and judge gives me a deep understanding and knowledge of Canadian diversity because I and my life experiences are part of that diversity,” she wrote on the application form. which she completed and published.

Discrimination against Aboriginal people has been at the center of much discussion in Canadian society, especially since hundreds of graves were discovered at the site of a former Aboriginal religious boarding school in the spring of 2021.

Pope Francis visited Canada three weeks ago to apologize for the violations committed by members of the Church in Aboriginal boarding schools.

In 2016, Trudeau overhauled the way judges are appointed to ensure the independence and transparency of their decisions. An “Independent and Impartial Advisory Committee” has been set up which recommends “suitable” and “bilingual” candidates with a variety of backgrounds and experiences.