Ever wondered what it’s like to walk the halls of Canada’s highest court? With Echoes of the Court, a brand-new video game launched on October 9th, players can step inside the Supreme Court of Canada and uncover its history firsthand, just in time for the Court’s 150th anniversary. An original and educational way to mark the milestone!
The video game was released by Jurivision, the audiovisual platform of the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law. Founded in 2020, Jurivision aims to fill the digital space with high-quality, accessible audiovisual content, explained Marie-Eve Sylvestre, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Ottawa, during the launch event. It’s an important mission in an age of fake news, she added.
Echoes of the Court is part of a broader educational initiative, Supreme Court Experience, which, in addition to the video game, also includes a “Docu-Course” about the Supreme Court of Canada. Through the stories of judges, lawyers, and everyday citizens, the public can better understand the Court and its impact on our lives thanks to this free learning experience combining short documentaries and interactive modules.
Once again, the goal is to make knowledge come alive and keep it accessible, said Étienne Trépanier, Jurivision’s producer, lawyer, and filmmaker.
A first-person game
Echoes of the Court invites young players to step inside the places and stories behind Canada’s major legal decisions. Played in first person, the game casts you as a Supreme Court maintenance worker who dreams of becoming a writer, wandering through the Court’s iconic building to create stories inspired by its echoes – fragments of conversations from citizens, lawyers and judges.
It’s an immersive and one-of-a-kind experience, according to Marie-Eve Sylvestre, one that allows younger generations to discover an institution that’s “a pillar of the rule of law.”
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, the Right Honourable Richard Wagner admitted that it might be the first video game he’s ever finished, with a little help from his grandchildren.
When someone at the launch asked whether the Supreme Court justices’ new robes would make an appearance in the game, Étienne Trépanier jokingly replied that, with a bit of extra funding, he could release a “patch” to update the game.
The new Supreme Court robes are designed and made by a company from the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region. They were unveiled on October 6 during the ceremony marking the opening of the Court’s judicial year.