Chief Justice of Canada

Chief Justice of Canada
Juge en Chef du Canada
Incumbent Richard Wagner since December 18, 2017
Supreme Court of Canada Canadian judicial system (King-on-the-Bench)
Style	The Right Honourable Madam/Mister Chief Justice
Status	Chief justice, head of a court system Deputy Governor General 4th in Canadian order of precedence
Member of	Supreme Court Canadian Judicial Council (Ex-officio chairman) Order of Canada advisory council (chairman)
Seat	Supreme Court Building, Ottawa, Ontario
Nominator	Cabinet
Appointer	Crown; on the advice of the prime minister
Term length	None; mandatory retirement at age 75
Constituting instrument	Supreme Court Act
Inaugural holder	Sir William Buell Richards
Formation	September 30, 1875 (149 years ago) (1875-09-30)
Succession	May assume viceregal role as Administrator of Canada
Salary	$413,500 (as of April 2018)[1]
Website	scc-csc.gc.ca

Politics of Canada
Government (structure)
The Crown Monarch (list): Charles III Governor General (list): Mary Simon Monarchy in the provinces Lieutenant governors Royal prerogative
Executive King’s Privy Council Prime minister (List of prime ministers): Justin Trudeau Cabinet (List of Canadian ministries): 29th Canadian Ministry President of the Privy Council Clerk of the Privy Council Privy Council Office Public Service Provincial and territorial executive councils Premiers
Legislative Federal parliament (List of parliaments) Senate Speaker of the Senate Government Leader in the Senate Opposition Leader in the Senate Senate divisions House of Commons Speaker of the house Government Leader in the house Opposition Leader in the house His Majesty's Loyal Opposition Leader of the Opposition Shadow cabinet Provincial and territorial parliaments
Judicial Supreme court (List of justices) Chief Justice of Canada: Richard Wagner Courts of the Provinces and Territories Federal courts Military courts Constitution Constitution Acts Peace, order, and good government Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Elections Federal electoral districts Federal electoral system (List of federal elections) Provincial electoral districts Politics of the provinces
Local government Municipal government
Foreign relations Global Affairs Canada Minister: Mélanie Joly Diplomatic missions of / in Canada Nationality law Passport Visa requirements Visa policy Canada–Latin America relations Canada–European Union relations Proposed annexation of Turks and Caicos Islands
Crown and Indigenous peoples Canadian Aboriginal law Aboriginal self-government First Nations bands Indigenous law Indigenous Peoples in Canada Métis Inuit Nunangat
Related topics Conservatism Constitutional law Federalism Liberalism Office-holders Political culture Provinces and territories Regions Republicanism
Canada portal Politics portal Other countries
v t e

The chief justice of Canada (French: juge en chef du Canada) is the presiding judge of the nine-member Supreme Court of Canada, the highest judicial body in Canada. As such, the chief justice is the highest-ranking judge of the Canadian court system. The Supreme Court Act makes the chief justice, a Crown in Council appointment, meaning the Crown acting on the advice of the prime minister and minister of justice. The chief justice serves until they resign, turn 75 years old, die, or are removed from office for cause. By tradition, a new chief justice is chosen from among the court's incumbent puisne justices.

The chief justice has significant influence in the procedural rules of the Court, presides when oral arguments are held, and leads the discussion of cases among the justices. The chief justice is also deputy governor general, ex-officio chairman of the Canadian Judicial Council, and heads the committee that selects recipients of the Order of Canada. Additionally, a chief justice also assumes the role of Administrator of Canada and exercises the viceregal duties of the governor general upon the death, resignation or incapacitation of the governor general.

Richard Wagner has served as the current chief justice of Canada since 2017. Since the Supreme Court was established in 1875, 18 people have served as chief justice. The court's first chief justice was William Buell Richards; Beverley McLachlin is the longest serving Canadian chief justice (17 years, 341 days), and was the first woman to hold the position.