Bora Laskin

Bora Laskin, PC, CC ( born October 5, 1912 in Fort William, Ontario, † 26 March 1984 ) was a Canadian judge and legal scholar. He was a member from 1970 until his death in the Supreme Court of Canada, and from 1973 was its Chairman ( Chief Justice ).

Biography

Laskin studied law at the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law School. In 1936, he received a Bachelor of Laws, 1937, he graduated from Harvard University with a Master of Laws from. Although Laskin was admitted as a lawyer, but despite its exceptionally good performances, he succeeded because of the prevailing anti-Semitism not to find a job at a prestigious law firm. Therefore, he decided to pursue an academic career.

From 1940 to 1965 Laskin taught at the University of Toronto, with the exception of the period from 1945 to 1949, when he taught at the Osgoode Hall Law School. For 23 years he was co-editor of the journal Dominion Law Reports and Canadian Criminal Cases. He also published a work on the Canadian constitutional law. In 1965 he was appointed to the Court of Appeal of the Province of Ontario.

Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau appointed Laskin on March 19, 1970 Supreme Court of Canada. Laskin was the first Jew in this office. He specializes in labor and constitutional law, entered for civil rights and was more than any judge committed before him to extend the influence of the state at the expense of the provinces. Laskin was especially at the beginning often in the minority, and represented positions but took over the Supreme Court years later.

On 27 December 1973 Laskin rose to become the Chief Justice; it was the first time since 1924 that the most senior judge was not appointed. The most important judgment under his direction in 1981 concerned the complete solution of the Canadian Constitution from the influence of the British Parliament. The court found that the federal government may well decide the " repatriation " of the Constitution without the consent of the provinces; however, this did not correspond to the common law. Following that judgment Trudeau's government was forced to negotiate with the provinces. Laskin remained until his death in office.