The Abolition of Appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in Canada and the Evolution of the Role of the Supreme Court of Canada

Abstract

The Privy Council is one of the oldest surviving emblems of royal prerogative in Canada. It represents a legislative model by which the British monarch serves as the figurehead of a central executive, guided by a small group of knowledgeable ministers and advisors. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council was created through the Judicial Committee Act 1833. This Act was designed to rectify deficiencies identified by Lord Chancellor, Henry Brougham, when it came to the Privy Council's role as a court of final appeal in both Britain and its colonies.