‘Without Precedent’ Documentary: Hot Docs Summer Screening Series

The daughter of Holocaust survivors, Rosalie Silberman Abella was determined from a young age to defend the rights of those who faced injustice. Her family relocated to Toronto, where she studied law and, at 29 years old, was appointed a judge, becoming both the youngest and the first pregnant judge in Canadian history. Looking back on an illustrious career that included being the first Jewish woman to sit on the Supreme Court of Canada, it is clear that Abella’s vision for an inclusive, diverse, and equitable Canada resonates to this day, and that we are all the closer to it due to her contributions. In the words of Brian Mulroney: “I know her for her good judgment and her good humour…what the hell more do you want from a judge?” Former prime ministers, family and those whose lives were forever changed by her judgements speak to an individual who earned the respect of a nation.