By Trevor Greyeyes
The courtroom public gallery will be rather limited with 30-seats for the July 11, 2024, court challenge to the April 2023 election by former Chief Glenn Hudson..
And seating in the public gallery is not guaranteed to anyone including media.
However, current Peguis First Nation Chief Stan Bird noted at the meeting in Winnipeg on June 17, 2024, that with an expected demand to attend the hearing there is discussion that the hearing could be broadcast over the Internet.
Still, the judgement won’t be coming that day with the judge expected to render a decision later.
The following paragraph is taken from a Government of Canada information website:
(https://www.fct-cf.gc.ca/en/pages/media/policy-on-public-and-media-access)
Policy on Public and Media Access
“Where there is no publicity there is no justice. Publicity is the very soul of justice. It is the very spur to exertion and the surest of all guards against improbity.” Jeremy Bentham
The Federal Court recognizes that both the justice system and the public interest as a whole are well-served when media coverage of the courts is accurate, balanced and complete. The Court also accepts that it has a responsibility to assist the media in achieving those goals.
In particular, members of the Federal Court and employees of the Courts Administration Service have a duty, consistent with their roles, to facilitate the media’s coverage of the Court’s work.
Based on these basic principles, this policy set outs a framework for relations between the Federal Court, the media, and the public as a whole.
The Court is also committed to ongoing consultation about this policy with representatives of the media, the bar, and others, and to making improvements in its application based on experience and developments in technology.