The Gala Tribute to Chief Justice R. Roy McMurtry
Prior to the gala, during the day, a conference was held in celebration and remembrance of the 25th anniversary of the Charter of Rights.
The gala event was co-hosted by the Treasurer of the Law Society of Upper Canada and the President of the Advocates’ Society.
The night was filled with a combination of in person tributes (including from the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, The Honourable James K. Bartleman, The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, P.C., Chief Justice of Canada, and The Honourable Madam Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella, Justice of Supreme Court of Canada) and those by way of video from various politicians, lawyers, colleagues and friends of the Chief Justice.
Our own Rodney Hull was included with those on the video tribute.
The tributes were a captive and eloquent blend of endearment, high esteem, personal notes and often wit, and covered the Chief Justice’s career as a lawyer, the Chairman and CEO of the Canadian Football League, a politician, his tenure as the Attorney General of Ontario and the Solicitor General of Ontario, his significant role in the patriation of the Canadian Constitution in 1982 and the creation of the Canadian Charter of Rights, and his appointments as, or to, Canada’s High Commissioner (Ambassador) to Great Britain, the Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court (Trial Division) in Ontario (1991), the Chief Justice of that Court (1994) and the Chief Justice of Ontario (1996).
Believe it or not, towards the end of the evening, the Justices of the Court of Appeal sang a “tribute” to the Chief Justice (prepared lyrics to the music of “This land is our land, this land is your land”).
Before the night was over, two of the Chief Justice’s children, one of whom is a Judge of the Queen’s Bench in Alberta, and the other, apparently an actor/writer/comedian, spoke, or what might fairly be described as a roasting, of their father.
It was truly an impressive evening by and on all accounts, for an inspirational man considered by many to be a nation builder.
Enjoy.
Craig
