Supreme Court of Canada judge fell and injured his ribs, but top court says he remains on the job

Law360 Canada (January 10, 2024, 5:33 PM EST) -- Supreme Court of Canada Justice Nicholas Kasirer has had a fall that injured his ribs and kept him from participating in a Toronto legal conference where he was scheduled to speak, but the top court told Law360 Canada the Quebec jurist is continuing to “fulfil his duties at the court and there has been no impact on his work.”

News of Justice Kasirer’s injury emerged Jan. 10 at an Osgoode Hall Law School legal conference celebrating Peter Hogg.

Justice Kasirer was slated to appear on a panel with three other Supreme Court of Canada judges to discuss their thoughts about the late brilliant constitutional scholar.

However, without elaborating, Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Lorne Sossin, the panel’s chair, informed conference attendees that the judge was unable to attend due to a fall that bruised or broke ribs.

Following up, Law360 Canada posed questions to the court, including about the nature of the injury and the incident, and whether Justice Kasirer would be able to participate in the Supreme Court’s winter session, with hearings that kick off Jan. 16.

The top court has only been back to a full-bench-strength of nine since Justice Mary Moreau joined the court last November, succeeding former Justice Russell Brown, who stepped down last June.

“Thank you for checking on the well-being of Justice Kasirer,” Stéphanie Bachand, the court’s executive legal officer and chief of staff to Chief Justice Richard Wagner, replied to our questions. Justice Kasirer “continues to fulfil his duties at the court and there has been no impact on his work,” she said by email. “In fact, he has been present at the court since Jan. 2.”

The court did not provide further information.

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