SCOC

I remember awhile back, I was doing some research just for my own interest on the abortion debate in America. I like to be semi-informed about these issues, and when I was searching for material, everything invariably came back to the Supreme Court of the United States. Unlike how it seems in Canada, the Supreme Court in America carries real meaning and actual significance. Pro-choice and pro-life lobbies often vote for and against presidential candidates based solely on a potential president's preference for supreme court justices.

Do you know what the saddest thing is? I could name all of the American supreme court justices - roughly their year of appointment - roughly their age - and the president that appointed them. I know all of this because I was interested in the potential dynamics of a court that would overturn Roe V. Wade (the Supreme Court ruling that found a constitutional right of privacy to an abortion.)

When I think of the Canadian Supreme court - I could probably name 3, maybe 4 judges, and I'd be unable to give any real information. I know that Martin appointed 2 this past summer. I think Mulroney appointed 1 or 2 and I'm pretty sure Chretien appointed the rest, but it doesn't really matter anyway, does it? There's no genuine ideological divide on the court. None of the justices are staunchly conservative, and most of them appear to be pretty liberal. Or, I don't know, maybe I could be wrong? Is there lots of dissent on the Canadian supreme court? I assume that there's not - at least on the bigger issues, but I could be wrong, because Canadians (including myself) seem to be so pathetically underinformed about the way the court operates and the extent to which the court influences the law.