Charles Gonthier
Encyclopedia
Charles Doherty Gonthier, (August 1, 1928 – July 16, 2009) was a Puisne judge on the Supreme Court of Canada
from February 1, 1989 to August 1, 2003. He was replaced by Morris Fish
.
, Quebec
to Georges Gonthier, an accountant who was also Auditor General of Canada
from 1924 to 1939, and Kathleen Doherty. Charles was the only child the two had together, although Georges Gonthier, who had been widowed, had other children from his first marriage. Kathleen's father, Charles Doherty
, was a lawyer and politician who became federal Minister of Justice
. Although Charles Doherty died when Gonthier was only 3, the stories his mother recounted about his grandfather were influential upon his later interest in a law career.
then at Collège Stanislas
in Montreal, a Roman Catholic private school
and the most elite institution of its kind in Quebec where he obtained a French Baccalaureate. He eventually earned his B.C.L. at McGill University
in 1951 (first class honours). Hon. LL.D., McGill University, 1990. D.H.C., Université de Montréal, 2002. Married in 1961 to Mariette Morin, M.D., M.Sc., F.R.C.S.(C), F.A.C.O.G.
He was appointed to the Quebec Superior Court
on October 17, 1974. Later he was appointed to the Quebec Court of Appeal
on May 24, 1988 and finally to the Supreme Court of Canada on February 1, 1989. Gonthier retired on August 1, 2003.
Mr. Gonthier was counsel at McCarthy Tétrault in Montréal. He was also Chair of the Board of Governors of the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL). He was a Wainwright Senior Fellow at the Law Faculty of McGill University.
Effective August 1, 2006, Gonthier was appointed Commissioner of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), Canada's national cryptologic agency.
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
from February 1, 1989 to August 1, 2003. He was replaced by Morris Fish
Morris Fish
Morris J. Fish, is a judge of the Supreme Court of Canada.Born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Aaron S. Fish and Zlata Grober, he received a Bachelor of Arts in 1959 and a Bachelor of Law in 1962 from McGill University.He practiced law mostly in Quebec for the law firm Cohen, Leithman, Kaufman,...
.
Early life
Gonthier was born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
to Georges Gonthier, an accountant who was also Auditor General of Canada
Auditor General of Canada
The role of the Auditor General of Canada is to aid accountability by conducting independent audits of federal government operations. The Auditor General reports to the House of Commons, not to the government...
from 1924 to 1939, and Kathleen Doherty. Charles was the only child the two had together, although Georges Gonthier, who had been widowed, had other children from his first marriage. Kathleen's father, Charles Doherty
Charles Doherty
Charles Joseph Doherty, PC, KC was a Canadian politician and jurist.Born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Marcus Doherty, a judge of the Supreme Court for the Province of Quebec and Elizabeth Doherty, Doherty was educated at St...
, was a lawyer and politician who became federal Minister of Justice
Minister of Justice (Canada)
The Minister of Justice is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the Department of Justice and is also Attorney General of Canada .This cabinet position is usually reserved for someone with formal legal training...
. Although Charles Doherty died when Gonthier was only 3, the stories his mother recounted about his grandfather were influential upon his later interest in a law career.
Education
He was educated at École Garneau, OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
then at Collège Stanislas
Collège Stanislas (Quebec)
Collège Stanislas in Sainte-Foy and Outremont, Quebec is an exclusive French language private education institution for boys and girls aged 4 to 18 years.-History:...
in Montreal, a Roman Catholic private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
and the most elite institution of its kind in Quebec where he obtained a French Baccalaureate. He eventually earned his B.C.L. at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in 1951 (first class honours). Hon. LL.D., McGill University, 1990. D.H.C., Université de Montréal, 2002. Married in 1961 to Mariette Morin, M.D., M.Sc., F.R.C.S.(C), F.A.C.O.G.
Legal career
Called to the Bar of Quebec, 1952. He practised law in Montréal with Hackett, Mulvena & Laverty, 1952–57 and then with Hugessen, Macklaier, Chisholm, Smith & Davis, later known as Laing, Weldon, Courtois, Clarkson, Parsons, Gonthier & Tétrault, 1957-74.He was appointed to the Quebec Superior Court
Quebec Superior Court
Quebec Superior Court is the highest trial Court in the Province of Quebec, Canada. It consists of 144 judges who are appointed by the federal government.Chief Justices : [partial listing]* Edward Bowen...
on October 17, 1974. Later he was appointed to the Quebec Court of Appeal
Quebec Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal for Quebec is the highest judicial court in Quebec, Canada....
on May 24, 1988 and finally to the Supreme Court of Canada on February 1, 1989. Gonthier retired on August 1, 2003.
Activities after the Court
In recent years, Mr. Gonthier had a special interest in Environmental and Sustainable Development Law and participated in a number of international conferences. He was also the recipient of several honorary degrees and titles.Mr. Gonthier was counsel at McCarthy Tétrault in Montréal. He was also Chair of the Board of Governors of the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL). He was a Wainwright Senior Fellow at the Law Faculty of McGill University.
Effective August 1, 2006, Gonthier was appointed Commissioner of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), Canada's national cryptologic agency.
Awards and accomplishments
- Appointed Q.C., 1971.
- Member of the Board of the Montréal Legal Aid Bureau, 1959-69.
- President of Junior Bar of Montréal, 1960-61.
- President of Junior Bar Section of the Canadian Bar Association, 1961-62.
- Member of the Board of Montréal Bar, 1961-62. Secretary of the Quebec Division of the Canadian Bar Association, 1963-64.
- Member of the Committee on Building Contracts of the Quebec Civil Code Revision Office, 1969-72.
- Member of the Committee on Discipline of the Bar of Quebec, 1973-74.
- President of the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice, 1986-87.
- President of the Canadian Judges Conference, 1988-89.
- Chairman of the Commission for National Judges of the First World Conference on the Independence of Justice in Montréal, 1983.
- President of l'Association des anciens du Collège Stanislas, 1954-55.
- Secretary of the Montréal Branch of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs, 1957-58.
- Chairman of the Board of Collège Stanislas, 1984-90.
- Honorary Secretary of the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, 1961-76.
- Member of the Board of Directors of the McCord Museum of Canadian History, 1976-89.
- Knight of l'Ordre des palmes académiques - France, 1988.
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers (hon.), 1996.
- Fellow, Canadian Bar Association, 2003.
- Lifetime member, Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice. Bar of Montreal Medal, 2003.
- Companion of the Order of CanadaOrder of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, 2007. http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=5131
See also
- Opinions of the Supreme Court of Canada by Justice Gonthier
- Justice Gonthier Legacy Website