Justice St-Arnaud offers an apology to the intern

The former PQ Minister of Justice, Bertrand St-Arnaud, now a judge at the Court of Quebec, apologized to the articling student against whom he was angry in court last year.

• Read also: Inappropriate remarks: the judge and former minister Bertrand St-Arnaud in the discipline committee

Judge St-Arnaud is facing a disciplinary investigation by the Conseil de la magistrature du Québec following a complaint relating to the inappropriate comments he had made about the intern.

Yesterday, during the hearing of the complaint, which took place at the courthouse of Mont-real, we learned that the magistrate sent a letter to the young woman in which he admits that his behavior “did not been up to it, ”and he’s sorry.

“I certainly should have expressed myself in a more calm manner and I therefore reiterate my apologies,” he wrote in the letter.

The intern, Myriam Gobeille, has also accepted the magistrate’s repentance, it was said yesterday. She decided to withdraw her complaint, but the Council’s investigation committee chose to proceed anyway.

Serial reports

Exasperated, Judge St-Arnaud was angry with the young woman when she represented a lawyer absent for illness, during a criminal case in the fall of 2020 at the Salaberry-de-Valleyfield courthouse.

She asked the judge to postpone the trial again, which was then on its third postponement.

In the audio recordings of the case, to which our Investigation Office had access, we can hear Judge St-Arnaud saying that he was “overwhelmed” by these successive delays and raising his voice markedly with the intern, without however the insult directly.

“I’m talking, sit down!” He says, while the young woman argues with him.

A little further on, the judge suggests that he will remember her.

“Can you repeat your name!” I want to be sure I know your name. “This responds to his request, and he continues:” I have a good memory. ”

During the hearings of the Judicial Council, yesterday, both the lawyer representing Judge St-Arnaud and the lawyer in charge of the prosecution in this case asked the investigation committee to “close” the file. that is to say to absolve the magistrate.

A reprimand against the magistrate would not be useful, believes Giuseppe Battista who defends him, given that he apologized and that the trainee appreciated its sincerity.

The inquiry committee said yesterday that it will render its decision later this fall on the case.

Justice St-Arnaud held the position of Minister of Justice in Pauline Marois’ cabinet from 2012 to 2014. He was appointed judge of the Court of Quebec in 2016 by the Liberal government.

Present in the courtroom yesterday, he indicated that he did not wish to comment until a decision is rendered on his case.

In Canada, according to the rules in place, no sanction can be imposed on a judge, other than dismissal in particularly serious cases.