Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story indicated Justice Kristine Eidsvik referenced her thoughts “walking into a classroom”. This should have read “walking into a room”. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
A judge-in-residence at the University of Calgary (U of C) is apologizing for comments some students perceived as racist made during a question-and-answer session on Thursday.
Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Kristine Eidsvik reportedly commented on her discomfort walking into a room full of “dark people,” adding she was used to being in her ivory tower, where she’s removed from “riff raff.”
Some of the students in the class complained to the university that those comments were racist and insensitive.
“Complaints were received from second-year law students that comments made by the judge-in-residence at a question-and-answer session in relation to judicial mediations were insensitive to racial minorities,” the university said in a statement.
“This matter was addressed immediately.
“This morning, the judge-in-residence apologized to the class, expressing deep regret for making the comments. We used the experience as an important learning moment for faculty and students.”
Justice Eidsvik came to the university after 10 years on the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta, according to the U of C website.
It also issued a statement on Friday, saying it was informed “one of its justices made a comment in answer to a question about the process of conducting judicial mediation in a manner which has been construed as insensitive to racial minorities.”
“The Court does not condone the justice’s comment and takes the concerns expressed by the students very seriously.”
The statement went on to say the judge had apologized to the class Friday morning, and said some of the comments “attributed to the justice in reference to sitting in a courtroom may have been taken out of context.”
The Court said it’s confident the comments were made in “human error” and “not reflective of her character and experience.”
Global News requested a comment from Justice Eidsvik, which was referred to the Court of Queen’s Bench.
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