Justice Mahmud Jamal made history after being appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada last year, becoming the first person of colour to occupy a seat in the highest court in the country.
Ahead of his one-year anniversary on the court this July, Jamal spoke with CTV National News National Affairs Correspondent Omar Sachedina to reflect on his past year on the bench and to talk about the importance of race and representation in law.
“Every judge has a responsibility in the office, but certainly I felt a responsibility to the people who are looking up to me who don't know me, but they're looking up to me in terms of the role in the office and what it means to them,” Jamal told Sachedina.
Jamal was born in Kenya to a family of Indian heritage and grew up in England before his family settled in Edmonton, where he attended high school. He went on to obtain an economics degree at the University of Toronto and studied law at McGill University and Yale Law School.
After serving on the Court of Appeal for Ontario, Jamal marked his first day on the Supreme Court on Canada Day in 2021, replacing retiring Justice Rosalie Abella.
“Justice Mahmud Jamal occupies one of the nine seats behind me. And he gave us a behind-the-scenes, rare look at what life is like for the justices who sit on the country's top bench,” said Sachedina, standing inside the courtroom of the Supreme Court building in Ottawa.
CTV News Channel will air a half-hour news special called ‘CTV NEWS SPECIAL: A Conversation with Supreme Court Justice Mahmud Jamal’ on Monday, May 23 at 10:30 pm ET.
Watch the full video with CTV National News National Affairs Correspondent Omar Sachedina at the top of this article after it airs.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to halt the war in Ukraine with a negotiated ceasefire that recognizes the current battlefield lines, four Russian sources told Reuters, saying he is prepared to fight on if Kyiv and the West do not respond.
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Federal Addictions Minister Ya'ara Saks says she had "deep concerns" about the lack of limits Toronto put on its now-rejected pitch to decriminalize the possession of illegal drugs — and the city health agency's refusal to make any changes.
Toronto City Council has approved a motion that could ramp up construction on the Gardiner Expressway.
Changes by the province to physician billing codes are forcing a clinic to end home visits with senior patients.
The Calgary Philharmonic has confirmed its taking action after controversial online comments made by two members of the orchestra.
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CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at things to do in Ottawa during the final weekend of May.
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The National Hurricane Center of the United States has issued their forecast for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season
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Manitoba's main political parties have now all lined up candidates for a byelection set for June 18 in the Tuxedo constituency in Winnipeg.
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A downtown carjacking came to a sudden halt when a vehicle crashed into a building at 541 Portage Ave., the site of CBC Manitoba on Tuesday.
The City of Regina is dipping into its reserve funds to repay the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for wage subsidies two city-owned groups received during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) revealed details of the latest offer from the province on Thursday, following two days of virtual town halls between the federation and its members.
The mayor and councillors of Cumberland House have declared a state of emergency over the poor state of the only road in and out of town — Saskatchewan Highway 123.
2023 was a big year for population growth in the Region of Waterloo.
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Ontario Provincial Police are asking drivers to stay alert as the warmer weather means more motorcyclists are hitting the road.
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A 16-year-old boy is facing an arson charge after multiple vehicles were lit on fire early Thursday morning.
Industrial discharge from a paper mill in northern Ontario is exacerbating mercury contamination in a river system near a First Nation that has been plagued with mercury poisoning for decades, a new study suggests.
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The retrial of a man previously found guilty of murdering a bird dog rival is underway in St. Thomas, Ont. with the accused, Boris Panovski, denying any wrongdoing.
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Joining news organizations that have chosen to collaborate rather than fight with the best-known artificial intelligence company, News Corp. has struck a multi-year deal to share news content with OpenAI for both training purposes and to answer questions from users.
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Gildan Activewear announced Thursday that all board members have resigned and its president and CEO, Vince Tyra, has stepped down.
Retailer London Drugs says cybercriminals who stole files from its corporate head office last month have released some of the data after it refused to pay a ransom.
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Sam Butcher, the artist who created the Precious Moments figurines depicting angelic teardrop-eyed children, has died. He was 85.
A five-month-long slumber party. A college dorm. An introvert’s hell. Those are just some of the words residents of Antarctica use to describe life in the world’s coldest, most mysterious continent.
When a record-breaking crowd fills BC Place on Saturday they won't be seeing superstar Lionel Messi play, according to a statement from the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Connor McDavid tipped Evan Bouchard's shot from the boards past Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger 32 seconds into the second overtime to give the Edmonton Oilers a 3-2 win in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final..
An unlikely celebrity emerged from social media to cheer on the Edmonton Oilers as they face the Dallas Stars tonight in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.
If you’re planning a road trip this summer, it won’t hurt to make sure your car is reliable and would take you there and back.
BMW and Ethiopian-American artist Julie Mehretu unveiled her newest 'Art Car' at the Pompidou Centre in Paris, France.
Interpol says more than 200 stolen Canadian vehicles have been found each week across the globe since February.
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