Hon. Justice Charles D. Gonthier: A Wise and Beloved Mentor

The CISDL wishes to express its gratitude to the Founding Chair of its Board of Governors, Hon. Justice Charles D. Gonthier, former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, and Companion of the Order of Canada who passed away in July 2009. We will all miss him terribly, and can also celebrate the rich and meaningful life he had, especially the extraordinary contribution that he made to Canada, to global justice, to sustainable development and especially to all the young scholars and lawyers in our network whose lives he has touched so profoundly and whose work he has inspired over the years. Hon. Justice Charles Doherty Gonthier was among the most eminent and respected figures in Canadian legal circles, having served 15 years as one of nine Justices on the Supreme Court of Canada, where his decisions reinforced the notions of equity and good faith in law, especially in the area of contracts. After his retirement from the Supreme Court of Canada, he was Wainwright Senior Research Fellow at the McGill University Faculty of Law, Chair of the Board of Governors of the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law, and of counsel with McCarthy Tetrault.