Today is National Animal Rights Day — an opportunity to reflect on how public institutions evolve alongside society’s changing ethical commitments toward animals. Hey, my best friend growing up was a border collie named Rooney (see photo here).
The Supreme Court of Canada appears to be doing just that (no, not getting themselves a border collie, but reflecting on how public institutions evolve re society).
As Chief Justice Wagner noted during the Supreme Court of Canada’s 2025 annual news conference:
“My colleagues and I wore our traditional heavy scarlet robes, trimmed in white mink fur, for the last time at the Speech from the Throne on May 27th, 2025. In this 150th anniversary year, we felt it meaningful to have distinctly Canadian robes.”
Click here for his full remarks.
Victoria Shroff, K.C., who helps keep Canada current on all things animal-law-related, observed that the change represents more than simply a wardrobe update:
“By modernizing their ceremonial garb, and making fur trimmed robes history, the Supreme Court of Canada signals an awareness of evolving societal values and symbolism in public institutions.”
And as she (Victoria) wrote in Canadian Animal Law (2nd ed., 2025), the use of animal fur for clothing is increasingly viewed as outdated: “Fur is for animals.”
The decision by Canada’s highest court to retire the traditional mink fur-trimmed scarlet robes reflects a broader shift toward a more contemporary and culturally conscious understanding of institutional symbolism.
Thank you: V. Victoria Shroff, K.C. (Shroff & Associates, Vancouver), shroffandassociates@gmail.com.
The SCC Has Fur-Mally Moved On
