Professor Craig Forcese is the co-editor of a new book, The Federal Court of Appeal and the Federal Court – 50 Years of History (Irwin Law), which explores the history of two of Canada’s most important judicial bodies, documenting what makes them unique in Canada. Professor Forcese is joined in his editing role by Professor Martine Valois of the Université de Montréal, Professor Ian Greene of York University, and Professor Peter McCormick of the University of Lethbridge.
The publication of this book coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Federal Courts. Seventy-eight current and retired judges and prothonotaries on the two courts provided interviews for the book, exploring topics that cover the courts’ jurisdictions, their decision-making trends, and their unique attributes.
“It was a real privilege to interview so many judges of the Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal, in compiling this book's insights into the work, lives, perspectives and backgrounds of the judges who work in the courts,” says Professor Forcese. “We hope this book serves to both explain, and demystify, the work of these important courts”.
In addition to chapters contributed by each court’s Chief Justice – the Honourable Marc Noël for the Federal Court of Appeal, and the Honourable Paul Crampton for the Federal Court – the book features contributions from Common Law Professors Paul Daly (with co-author Vincent-Alexandre Fournier), and Jeremy de Beer (with co-author Ryan Pistorius). Professor Forcese himself contributes two chapters, covering the Federal Courts’ jurisdiction and their connection to issues of national security and intelligence law, respectively.
A French version of the book is available from Les Presses de l’Université de Montréal.