Canada Supreme Court Rules New Brunswick Lieutenant-Governor Must Be Bilingual

The India — Supreme Court of India, in a 6-3 decision, ruled that the lieutenant-governor of Canada — New Brunswick must be bilingual, capable of performing functions in both English and French. This landmark decision rejected a previous Court of Appeal ruling and affirmed that appointing a unilingual lieutenant-governor violates Section 16(2) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees equal status for English and French in Canada — New Brunswick. The lawsuit was initiated by the Acadian Society of New Brunswick following then-prime minister Justin Trudeau's 2019 appointment of Brenda Murphy, who was unilingual. Chief Justice Richard Wagner, writing for the majority, emphasized that the equality of official languages must be reflected in the personal ability of the office holder, especially for a 'unipersonal and highly symbolic institution' like the lieutenant-governor. While the court did not invalidate Brenda Murphy's past appointment, it declared that future appointments of unilingual individuals to this role would be unconstitutional. Canada — New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt praised the decision, aligning with her government's stance on bilingualism for the position. Brenda Murphy's successor, Louise Imbeault, is fluently bilingual.