The Resignation of Robin Camp: Background and Reflections

Abstract

On March 8, 2017, the Canadian Judicial Council (“CJC”) recommended that Justice Robin Camp – who asked a complainant in a rape trial, “Why couldn’t you just keep your knees together?” – be removed from the bench. Camp resigned that day, becoming only the third federally appointed judge in Canadian history to do so. This comment, an abbreviated version of which is forthcoming in Legal Ethics, sets out the background for the complaint to the CJC, summarizes the process before the CJC and its decisions, and offers some broader context and reflections.

Keywords: Judicial Ethics, regulation of judges, sexual assault, rape

JEL Classification: K14, K41