Prime Minister Mark Carney has selected Manitoba’s head judge to fill an open position on the Supreme Court of Canada.
Manitoba’s Court of King’s Bench Justice Glenn Joyal will leave his provincial position after 15 years to take the place of the retiring Sheilah Martin on the nation’s highest court.
“Throughout his career, Chief Justice Joyal has demonstrated the integrity, experience, and sound judgment that service on our highest court demands,” Carney said in a June 22 press release. “I am confident that he will serve Canadians with distinction.”
His nomination follows the announcement of Martin’s retirement in January. Her retirement took effect May 30.
Joyal’s career on the bench spans more than 25 years. He practised criminal and constitutional law and civil litigation in Manitoba before being named as Manitoba’s top jurist in 2011.
The Prime Minister’s Office said in its press release that Joyal has worked to improve access to justice, and made updating court operations, and fostering reconciliation with indigenous peoples a priority.
Joyal has received both the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal and the King Charles III Coronation Medal. In 2025, he was acknowledged as a Jurist of Robson Hall by the University of Manitoba Faculty of Law for his “extraordinary service and commitment to the legal community.”
Joyal, in his submission for the Supreme Court candidacy, said his primary contributions to the law revolve around his commitment to making justice more attainable and fostering public engagement with the courts’ roles.
“We are living in a new more complex legal era where the judiciary plays an increasingly important but sometimes misunderstood public role,” Joyal wrote in his submission, which was published on June 22.
He said this engagement is taking place amid a social and political climate increasingly shaped by growing “polarization, misinformation, and disinformation,” which he said disproportionately affects “disenfranchised, marginalized, and vulnerable groups.”
The selection process for the Supreme Court began in March. An independent advisory board evaluated the applications and provided Carney with a shortlist of qualified candidates for his review.
The Supreme Court of Canada is composed of nine judges, including a chief justice. Each judge is appointed by the governor in council and must have at least 10 years of experience as a superior court judge or as a member of the bar in a province or territory.
