On March 7, 1998, the Law Commission of Canada hosted a Round Table in Victoria, BC to explore the implications of the decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in the "Reference Re Remuneration of Judges of the Provincial Court of Prince Edward Island" case. This document contains studies presented at the Round Table by experts in law, philosophy, political science and public administration. Topics covered include the role of institutions in constitutional design, the rationality test established in the case, and institutional and administrative dimensions of judicial independence.

Since January 1993, there have been five adjustments in federal judicial pay. On February 13, 2003, the President signed P.L. 108-6 (H.R. 16), which permits the January 2003 3.1% pay adjustment to go into effect under the Ethics Reform Act of 1989, as amended. Executive Order 13291, March 21, 2003, promulgates the pay rates retroactive to January 1. The Chief Justice has called for changes in pay setting for the judiciary. This report discusses the current pay situation for federal judges and provides some historical context. The report will be updated as events dictate.