Walter Tarnopolsky
Encyclopedia
Justice Walter Surma Tarnopolsky (1932 – 15 September 1993) was a Canadian judge, legal scholar, and pioneer in the development of human rights law and civil liberties in Canada.
to parents of Ukrainian
descent. He was educated at the University of Saskatchewan
, receiving his B.A. in 1953 and his LLB in 1957. After completing his undergraduate education, he attended Columbia University
, receiving his M.A. in 1955. He subsequently received his LLM from the London School of Economics
.
, University of Windsor
, Osgoode Hall Law School
of York University, and the University of Ottawa
. He briefly served as the Vice-President (Academic) of York University in 1972 and was the dean of Law at the University of Windsor from 1968 to 1972.
From 1977 to 1983 he was a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee, and in 1985, he was appointed to the Court of Appeal for Ontario. He served on the Court of Appeal until his death in 1993.
Background and education
He was born in the farming community of Gronlid, SaskatchewanSaskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
to parents of Ukrainian
Ukrainian Canadian
A Ukrainian Canadian is a person of Ukrainian descent or origin who was born in or immigrated to Canada. In 2006, there were an estimated 1,209,085 persons residing in Canada of Ukrainian origin, making them Canada's ninth largest ethnic group; and giving Canada the world's third-largest...
descent. He was educated at the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
, receiving his B.A. in 1953 and his LLB in 1957. After completing his undergraduate education, he attended Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, receiving his M.A. in 1955. He subsequently received his LLM from the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
| Degree | School | Year |
|---|---|---|
| BA | University of Saskatchewan University of Saskatchewan The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the... |
1953 |
| MA | Columbia University Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the... |
1955 |
| LLB | University of Saskatchewan University of Saskatchewan The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the... |
1957 |
| LLM | London School of Economics London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London... |
1962 |
Career
Tarnopolsky taught law at several Canadian universities, specialized in the field of human rights and civil liberties. Between 1959 and 1983, he was a professor of law with, variously, the University of SaskatchewanUniversity of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
, University of Windsor
University of Windsor
The University of Windsor is a public comprehensive and research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has a student population of approximately 15,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate students and over 1000 graduate students...
, Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law...
of York University, and the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
. He briefly served as the Vice-President (Academic) of York University in 1972 and was the dean of Law at the University of Windsor from 1968 to 1972.
| Year | Law School |
|---|---|
| 1959–1960 | University of Saskatchewan University of Saskatchewan The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the... |
| 1962–1963 | University of Ottawa University of Ottawa The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate... |
| 1963–1967 | University of Saskatchewan University of Saskatchewan The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the... |
| 1967–1968 | Osgoode Hall Law School Osgoode Hall Law School Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law... |
| 1968–1972 | University of Windsor University of Windsor The University of Windsor is a public comprehensive and research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has a student population of approximately 15,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate students and over 1000 graduate students... |
| 1972–1979 | Osgoode Hall Law School Osgoode Hall Law School Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law... |
| 1979–1983 | University of Ottawa University of Ottawa The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate... |
From 1977 to 1983 he was a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee, and in 1985, he was appointed to the Court of Appeal for Ontario. He served on the Court of Appeal until his death in 1993.
Publications
- Discrimination and the Law in Canada (1982)
- "Freedom of the press" in Newspapers and the Law (1981)
- The Canadian Bill of Rights (1966, 1975)