Candidates from the North invited to apply for Supreme Court seat

Prime Minister Justin Trudeauhas begun the process to choose the next justice of the Supreme Court of Canada by opening up the eligibilityto candidates from Northern Canada.

"The process we are opening up today will recruit potential candidates from Western Canada and Northern Canada and follow the tradition of appointing only the most exceptional and impressive individuals to the court," Trudeau said in a statement.

This is the first time the North has been included in the convention of selecting justices from Canada's regions.

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• Beverley McLachlin retiring from Supreme Court

The government is looking to fill the vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of Chief JusticeBeverly McLachlin, who served for 28 years.

The 73-year-old jurist wasappointed by Prime Minister Brian Mulroneyin 1989. She became the first woman to hold the top job on the country's highest court after she was elevated to chief justice by Prime MinisterJean Chrtienin 2000.

McLachlin, who will vacate her postDec. 15, 2017, is from B.C. Traditionally, the court's nine justices are selected to represent different regions.

Three are constitutionally required to represent Quebec's civil law system. According to established convention for the remaining six seats, threearefrom Ontario, two from Western Canada and one from the Atlantic provinces.

Choosing the next justice

An independent advisory boardthat will be appointed at a later datewill draft a non-binding short list of three to five candidates for the prime minister's consideration.

Lawyers and judges wishing to apply for the post need to submit their application by one minute to midnight Sept. 15, 2017.

Once a new Supreme Court justice has been appointed, and the court is back up to its full membership of nine justices, Trudeauwill select one of the nine to be the next chief justice of Canada.