‘Canadian icon’ Louise Arbour to receive TLA Award of Distinction

By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • Former Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour is the 2022 recipient of the Toronto Lawyers Association’s (TLA) Award of Distinction in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the legal profession.

“Louise Arbour is a Canadian icon. She has really had a career of service,” Joan Rataic-Lang, executive director/library director at the TLA, tells LegalMattersCanada.ca. “Everything she has done is for the betterment of the community whether it is local, national or international. Her career has been amazing and she has made a long-standing contribution to the practice of law.”

The Award of Distinction is given to a Toronto lawyer “who has a demonstrated record of excellence, and has made an extraordinary contribution to the integrity and worth of the law and to the legal profession.”

Arbour will be honoured at the TLA’s annual Awards Gala at the Crystal Ballroom in the Omni King Edward Hotel on March 2, 2022.

TLA president Michael White says her impact on the legal profession “is universally acknowledged.” 

‘A perpetual seeker of truth and justice’

“She is recognized throughout Canada and internationally as a champion of human rights and perpetual seeker of truth and justice,” he says. “Her passion and knowledge of the criminal justice system has always been valued by students, recently called, and established lawyers who share her quest for social justice. She epitomizes the dedication, empathy and pursuit of justice to which we aspire in our profession.” 

Arbour, senior counsel at Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG) LLP, was admitted to the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1977 and 10 years later she was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ontario. In 1990 she took her place on the Ontario Court of Appeal.

In 1996, Arbour was appointed by the Security Council of the United Nations as Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda. Three years later she was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada. 

Rataic-Lang says Arbour is “someone who has done so much and has had a fascinating career.”

She is a Companion of the Order of Canada and a Grande Officière de l’Ordre national du Qu​​ébec. She has been decorated by Spain, Colombia and Belgium and her honours include the Franklin D. Roosevelt Freedom from Fear Award and the French Legion of Honour.

Arbour received the North-South Prize of the Council of Europe and was also named laureate of the Tang Prize in the Rule of Law category.

Former SCC justice has received 40 honorary degrees

Arbour has received 40 honorary degrees and is affiliated with many distinguished professional societies and organizations. In 2009, she became a member of the Advisory Board for the 2011 World Bank Development Report Conflict, Security and Development. In 2010, she joined the Global Commission on Elections, Democracy and Security and in April 2011, became a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy.

Earlier this year, Arbour was appointed to lead an independent review of the military’s handling of sexual assault, harassment and other misconduct, by former minister of national defence Harjit Sajjan. 

Remarkably, Arbour’s career could have taken a completely different turn.

“My decision to apply to law school was frankly a casual one. I applied to only one law school and felt that if I didn’t get in maybe I would travel or find work. In those days, going to law school was seen as the door through which you could enter journalism, politics or public affairs, so I went there by default, not really knowing what I wanted to do,” she tells the TLA.

“Within the first three months of entering law school at the Université de Montréal, I felt I had hit the jackpot. I was interested in public law from the beginning. The work was complex enough but not beyond my ability. It was also grounded in ethical, moral and social issues – the things that I like.” 

‘A lot in life is about timing’

Arbour says “a lot in life is about timing.”

“Had I entered the profession in earlier times, I might not have had the opportunities I did because my contribution would not have been sought, seen or valued. Maybe I was a product of tokenism. Sometimes tokenism works, as a first step,” she says, “I’ve had a cartoon on my fridge for a long time that read: ‘Behind every great man there is a woman, and behind every great woman there is a cat.’ I thought that was very funny. 

“Years later, I scratched out the last part and replaced it with: ‘Behind every great woman of my generation, there is a man who appointed her.’ I guess it had to start somewhere,” Arbour adds. “What’s next in my career? I’m at BLG, where there is no shortage of work. And I’m working with a great team of lawyers. What could be better? My review of sexual misconduct within the Canadian Armed Forces ends in May 2022, but after that, I’m done. Like I’ve said so many times before.”

Aspiring lawyers should keep an open mind

She advises aspiring lawyers to keep an open mind when considering their professional path.

“Let yourself be surprised. I could never have imagined how much fun this career would be. Some lawyers thrive in the mastery of one field of work. Others, like me, seek exposure to lots of different things. There is no recipe that fits everyone,” Arbour says. “I approached my legal career without a formula but rather based on who I am and how I wanted to live my life. I don’t think of myself as a risk-taker but I do have a sense of adventure. I always see the glass as half-full. Upon reflection, how you see the glass really depends on how thirsty you are.”

The TLA Awards Gala returns after taking a one-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

“We are looking forward to the Toronto legal community being able to come together in a social environment,” says Rataic-Lang. “This is an evening where people can network, chat and just reconnect. People have really missed that.

“Louise Arbour is a remarkable speaker and imagine there are many people looking forward to hearing her.”

Early bird tickets are on sale now. For more information, click here.

To read the complete interview with former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Louise Arbour, click here.

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