supreme court of canada

aszilag

Even though I love my nation and I love our system of justice and am studying law, it was a rather boring visit. I did not sit in on a session, that probably would have made it a better visit.

ScotAlberta

Attended a session of the Supreme Court of Canada for work - no - I was not in trouble! Spent a day in the court and listening to historical and constitutional issues in such a beautiful setting was somewhat surreal. It is a courthouse but beautifully constructed and meticulously maintained. Staff was helpful and friendly. Definitely worth a quick visit - anyone is welcome to sit in on argument when the court is sitting and translation devices available.

LookingforGold

Close to parliament and convenient. experience some Canadian history. Alert.. You might learn something. Staff very knowledgeable and willing to help.

TexasDave8

Had a semi solo tour of the grounds, canadians are so nice, they even let us sit on the supreme court judges seats!!

Familytravel12

I highly recommend a tour of the Supreme Court of Canada. You will learn about the history and composition of the court, along with a chance to ask questions. The tours are free! Because it was off-season I believe, we had to book a tour in advance, but they were very accommodating about our preferred day and time. You are also able to visit the court and sit in on a hearing while it is in session, just check the website for the schedule.

MarkS825

There were not any tours at our time of visit but we had the option to take a look in the giant hall. This enormous hall was absolutely beautiful. Furthermore free leaflets with extensive information about the supreme court was provided. This was very helpful for us. Staff of the supreme court was very friendly. Nice place to visit for a small hour next to Parliament Hill.

sprice18

We had a visitor into town this weekend and wanted to visit the court yesterday, however when we arrived everything was closed & locked up. The websites information clearly doesn't correspond with their hours, we also called the # listed on their site and it said open Mon- Fri. Providing accurate info to the public would be appreciated. "Early May to end of AugustThe Supreme Court of Canada building is open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, including weekends and holidays, and guided tours are conducted on a continuing basis. English tours start on the hour and French tours on the half-hour. Please note that no visits are offered between 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. "

MartinS853

The interiors, the art deco styling, the overall majesty of this building are lovely. It's worth the visit just to see the inside. The fact that the court itself is open to the public is also great.

Gardenlad

We visited the Supreme Court of Canada with friends from Toronto. I had never been on a tour of the Supreme Court. It was very informative and the guide was helpful in answering any questions. The tour was about 20 minutes long which is probably just about right.

angelaw993

As is with most historical spots, be prepared for a security check. Again, a small price to pay for safety. The tour guide was informative and pleasant. We had the opportunity to sit in the federal court and supreme court. So much to learn about the process as well as the building itself.

76isaaca

excellent place to visit in Ottawa.you will learn a lot about the judficial system of Canada. It was great to learn about the history of the placeand all who have served on tyhe Supreme Court of Canada

BarbG62013

This tour includes a little history lesson. Really enjoyed viewing the courtroom firsthand! Take note of the statues outside. Same artist commissioned to do Vimy Ridge monument!

PaulTing

My wife and I enjoyed a tour of this building the first day we arrived in Ottawa.Unfortunately their was not a case in session ,but seeing the building,reading about the history and learning about the nuances of our highest court was worth the trip.

Rtistik

The building is beautiful, follows the "Chateau" style of architecture, sits on a large piece of land overlooking the Ottawa River and houses two beautiful statues out front. A "serious" looking building. You enter and the grand hall welcomes you, as does security. Expect to go through baggage scans and metal detector - I wasn't expecting that. The building houses the Federal Court and the Supreme Court of Canada. For such a large building, I thought the court rooms would be larger. The ceilings are extremely high, as are the window, the actual rooms are on the small side with limited public audience space. Both rooms have a lot of wood but the rooms lacked atmosphere, there was a coldness and sterile feel to them...then again, maybe that is the point. It is a court room after all. Don't expect to have a "wow" feeling like you do when you enter Parliament or the Library of Parliament. Very different experience. Worth the visit, reading the history of the building and learning about the the judges.

V0lkster

I'm sort of a political geek, so the tour here was very interesting. So rich in history, marble from Italy, wood from Africa. Grand spaces, well detailed. Was not much of a line, all presentations are provided in English and French.Would say its worth the time to go see.