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The Canadian Judicial Council is reviewing the conduct of a Federal Court judge who questioned the efforts of a sexual assault complainant to fend off her attacker.

The council announced Monday it will review the behaviour of Robin Camp during a 2014 case he adjudicated while serving as an Alberta Provincial Court judge. The case involved the alleged rape of a 19-year-old woman by a Calgary man, whom she accused of sexually assaulting her over a bathroom sink during a house party.

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The review comes after a complaint from four law professors at Dalhousie University and the University of Calgary who described Camp as "dismissive, if not contemptuous" toward sexual assault laws and the rules of evidence.

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Justice Camp, while a member of the Alberta Provincial Court in 2014, asked the 19-year-old alleged victim of a rape by an older, larger man, “Why couldn’t you just keep your knees together?”

His comments came to light this month, when an Alberta Court of Appeal ruling criticized him for imposing stereotypes about sex-assault victims and misunderstanding the law of consent, and threw out his acquittal of the accused man, Alexander Wagar. Four law professors complained to the Canadian Judicial Council, a disciplinary body, and asked for his permanent removal.

The court’s prompt announcement earlier this month that Justice Camp would not hear cases involving sexual conduct until the complaints were resolved, and the judge’s public apology and promise to attend gender sensitivity counselling, did not allay public concerns. Since then, 21 of 29 full-time members of the University of Windsor law faculty have called for his removal from the bench, and 28 members of the University of Ottawa law faculty said he lacks the capacity for independence, integrity and impartiality.

On Tuesday, Chief Justice Paul Crampton said in a statement that he “has informed Justice Camp that his priority is to follow a comprehensive program of gender sensitivity counselling and therefore he will not be sitting again until further notice.”

Darcie

Nov 14 2015, 08:35 AM

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