Virtual attendees included former Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin and SCC Justice Sheilah Martin.
Alberta held its first ever virtual swearing-out ceremony for the retiring Justice Scott Brooker.
Stepping down from the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta at 75 years old, Brooker’s work in the judiciary encompasses almost 25 years of service in different courts, including as deputy judge at the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories, at the Nunavut Court of Justice and at the Supreme Court of Yukon.
Brooker obtained his law degree from Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law. Prior to his appointment as a judge, he primarily worked at the firm Code Hunter Wittmann.
Participants at the event, who attended either via in-person appearances or via video, included members of Brooker’s family, fellow judges from Alberta courts, former Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin and Supreme Court of Canada Justice Sheilah Martin.
The speakers at the ceremony, who commended Brooker for his “excellent work, collegiality and dedicated service,” included Chief Justice of Alberta Catherine Fraser, Court of Queen’s Bench Chief Justice Mary Moreau, Court of Queen’s Bench Associate Chief Justice John Rooke and former Court of Queen’s Bench Chief Justice Neil Wittmann.
Brooker said that he would miss his colleagues and friends at the Court of Queen’s Bench, as well as the court’s clerks, judicial assistants, drivers and dining room staff. He would also miss “the chance to get to know better the recent appointments who are all destined to be great judges.”
“There is a certain amount of trepidation,” said Brooker on the subject of his retirement, “but on the other hand, I am looking forward to the freedom that should come with it.”
According to the court’s news release, Brooker included a line from Star Trek during his speech: “Beam me up, Scotty.”
The ceremony was conducted in the Ceremonial Courtroom at the Calgary Courts Centre on May 29.
