UV catches up with the esteemed Supreme Court Justice’s bust
For this year’s Promise Auction, Ultra Vires auctioned off an interview and headshot to be featured in our final issue. Coming in at a whopping $20, the winning bid was placed by none other than @BoraLaskinsHead, a Twitter account that speaks for the bronze bust of Justice Laskin outside the library that bears his name. We spoke with @BoraLaskinsHead in 2019 and a lot has changed since then. Keep reading to find out what Laskin’s been up to the past few years.
Ultra Vires (UV): What have you been doing since we last spoke with you in 2019?
Bora Laskin’s Head (BLH): During the pandemic, I read a lot. Lately I have been busy resisting the lure of Wordle.
UV: Who is your current favourite Supreme Court Justice?
BLH: I do not have a favourite current Supreme Court Justice, but I have a favourite previous justice. It is a secret, though.
UV: How has the pandemic impacted you?
BLH: During the pandemic, Caesar wanted to reminisce a lot. Almost every day, he would say “Bora, remember when I achieved [blah blah blah].” “Bora, remember when I did [this or that].” It was quite unbearable since there were no students to whom I could pawn off Caesar. I would just nod and say “quite right, Caesar, quite right”—and carry on reading my judgments.
UV: Did you get lonely when the school was closed during lockdowns?
BLH: Yes, sure. I have a couple friends on Twitter—Louis Brandeis and Warren Burger—but they did not offer much companionship during lockdowns. Louie has become a bore lately. I told him recently that everything he says is obiter. His tweets just declare all the books he intends to read, like some verbal equivalent of a booklined Zoom background. And the Burger King has been very quiet lately. I believe he has become addicted to afternoon naps. It is very unfortunate.
I don’t hesitate to recognize the need for other people, but I also try to remember those who walk in crowds and feel alone, or sadder yet, lose their individuality among them. And so, I stay at my post and wish more people would approach me to share concerns clouding in on them. I am always available to listen and silently encourage. I am not sure what about me intimidates people and seems to keep them at bay. I guess maybe my brilliance.
UV: You’ve sat outside the Bora Laskin Law Library for years. What is the wildest thing you’ve witnessed in our halls?
BLH: It is hard to say. I have seen a lot—too much. And if it is wrong to forget what must be remembered, it must be a sin to repeat what is wished to be forgotten.
I greatly enjoy eavesdropping and I am excellent at it, if I may say so. And of course, there is daily excitement at my library. Just recently, I saw The Ripster and Ernie quarreling outside my library doors for the last available copy of a first edition of Kant’s Metaphysics of Morals. They were citing strange and grandiose-sounding principles that I am certain were invented during their argument. Anyways, as they were nearing blows, they asked me to decide the matter. Of course, I know better than to ruffle any of those two on anything relating to Kant. I pretended to be asleep and eventually they went away.
UV: If you could redesign the Supreme Court robes, what would you choose?
BLH: I would have the last names of the Justices written on their backs, like sports players. The playful spirit wends its way into all mortal matters.
UV: The constitutionality of mandatory vaccines has been a controversial issue over the course of the pandemic. Where do you stand on the debate?
BLH: I cannot express an opinion on this issue since it may come before me on appeal from the SCC, if I grant leave, though I never do.
UV: Can we expect Bora Laskins Head to debut on TikTok anytime soon?
BLH: No.
UV: You gave some great advice to our students back in 2019. Is there anything new you’d like to say to students who are navigating these challenging times?
BLH: Rereading my judgments reminded me of some unlikeable judges who thought their thoughts were divine and decided their decisions were eternal—you know, the type of person who thinks the echo of one’s voice is confirmation that the statement is true. Their minds were like sponges, but tightly clenched. And not much came of their case law, after all. Of those cases I haven’t reversed, most languish off CanLII and only interest wannabe-pedants. These are cases you hope opposing counsel will cite in their factum.
For my part, I like to believe that the great clarifications of life are less sturdy things and not as easily transmissible. They form part of who you are and your personal mode of experiencing the world. To me, the fullest illuminations rest in the flux of your life—like a juggler commanding more through constant motion and necessary absences than what can otherwise be possessed. You can have it all, but touch and go through a perpetual process. Pause to inspect too much, too long, or too carefully in desire of full control, and things may crash to the floor.
So I think something must always remain a bit mysterious—not entirely hidden, but just like the gap that lies between a glimpse and a gaze.
UV: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
BLH: Don’t forget to take your own counsel, counsel. Thank you.
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. Follow @BoraLaskinsHead on Twitter.
