Frank Iacobucci
Encyclopedia
Frank Iacobucci, CC
(born January 29, 1937) was a Puisne Justice
on the Supreme Court of Canada
from 1991 to 2004 when he retired from the bench. He is an expert in business and tax law.
, where he attended Britannia Secondary School
. He received a B.Comm. and LL.B. from the University of British Columbia
and an LL.M. from Cambridge University
. Iacobucci practised corporate law in New York
and then served as a professor at the University of Toronto
's Faculty of Law from 1967 until 1982 as well as Dean
of the law faculty from 1979 until 1982. He also served as Vice-President and Provost
of the university from 1983 to 1985. He entered the public service as Deputy Minister
of Justice in the federal government from 1985 to 1988 when he was appointed to the Chief Justice of the Federal Court
. In 1991, Justice Iacobucci was appointed as Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada by Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney
and served in this capacity until retiring in 2004.
in 2004 and served in that post until he was replaced by David Naylor
in October 2005. In September of that same year he joined Torys
, known to favour the Conservative Party, as Counsel, and since 2005 has been the Chair
of the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario
.
He sits on a number of board of directors including Torstar
, publisher of the Toronto Star
and a series of smaller newspapers and owner of Harlequin
Enterprises, a global publisher of popular romance novels.
Iacobucci is currently the commissioner of an internal inquiry into the alleged torture of three Arab-Canadians in Syria and Egypt as the personal appointee of Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper
. He also chairs the selection committee for commissioners of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission
.
On August 11, 2011, Ontario announced Iacobucci's appointment to "review the process for including individuals living in First Nations reserve communities on the (Ontario's) jury rolls," following concerns from First Nation organizations and jurists about Aboriginal people being under-represented on juries in Ontario.
. http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=5131
The Frank Iacobucci Centre for Italian Canadian Studies at the University of Toronto was named in his honour.
On June 9, 2008, Iacobucci was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree by McMaster University.
In 2009, Iacobucci received a star on the Italian Walk of Fame
in Toronto, Canada.
Order of Canada
The 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...
(born January 29, 1937) was a Puisne Justice
Puisne Justice
A Puisne Justice or Puisne Judge is the title for a regular member of a Court. This is distinguished from the head of the Court who is known as the Chief Justice or Chief Judge. The term is used almost exclusively in common law jurisdictions such as England, Australia, Kenya, Canada, Sri Lanka,...
on the Supreme Court of Canada
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 1991 to 2004 when he retired from the bench. He is an expert in business and tax law.
Early career
The son of Italian immigrants, Iacobucci was born in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, where he attended Britannia Secondary School
Britannia Secondary School
Britannia Community Secondary School is a public community secondary school located in the Grandview–Woodland neighbourhood on the east-side of Vancouver, British Columbia. The school educates its students using a district-wide block schedule program that alternates four blocks every two days....
. He received a B.Comm. and LL.B. from the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
and an LL.M. from Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. Iacobucci practised corporate law in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and then served as a professor at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
's Faculty of Law from 1967 until 1982 as well as Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the law faculty from 1979 until 1982. He also served as Vice-President and Provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
of the university from 1983 to 1985. He entered the public service as Deputy Minister
Deputy Minister (Canada)
In Canada, a deputy minister is the senior civil servant in a government department. He or she takes political direction from an elected minister. Responsibility for the department's day-to-day operations, budget and program development lie with the deputy minister...
of Justice in the federal government from 1985 to 1988 when he was appointed to the Chief Justice of the Federal Court
Federal Court of Canada
The Federal Court of Canada was a national court of Canada that heard some types of disputes arising under the central government's legislative jurisdiction...
. In 1991, Justice Iacobucci was appointed as Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada by Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
and served in this capacity until retiring in 2004.
Retirement from court
Following his retirement from the Supreme Court, Iacobucci was appointed Interim President of the University of TorontoUniversity of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 2004 and served in that post until he was replaced by David Naylor
David Naylor
Christopher David Naylor, OC, FRCPC, FRSC is a medical researcher and president of the University of Toronto.-Biography:...
in October 2005. In September of that same year he joined Torys
Torys
Torys LLP is a Canadian international business law firm with offices in Toronto, Calgary and New York, United States. Torys serves clients in Canada, the United States, and globally. It is one of the Canadian "seven sisters" law firms....
, known to favour the Conservative Party, as Counsel, and since 2005 has been the Chair
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
of the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario
Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario
The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario is an independent advisory agency funded by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities to provide recommendations for improving quality, accessibility, inter-institutional transfer, system planning, and effectiveness in higher...
.
He sits on a number of board of directors including Torstar
Torstar
Torstar Corporation is an independently-owned Canadian broadly based media company that is named after its principal holding, the Toronto Star daily newspaper....
, publisher of the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
and a series of smaller newspapers and owner of Harlequin
Harlequin
Harlequin or Arlecchino in Italian, Arlequin in French, and Arlequín in Spanish is the most popularly known of the zanni or comic servant characters from the Italian Commedia dell'arte and its descendant, the Harlequinade.-Origins:...
Enterprises, a global publisher of popular romance novels.
Iacobucci is currently the commissioner of an internal inquiry into the alleged torture of three Arab-Canadians in Syria and Egypt as the personal appointee of Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
. He also chairs the selection committee for commissioners of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission
The Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission is an impending truth commission organized by the parties to the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. The commission is part of an overall holistic and comprehensive response to the Indian residential school legacy...
.
On August 11, 2011, Ontario announced Iacobucci's appointment to "review the process for including individuals living in First Nations reserve communities on the (Ontario's) jury rolls," following concerns from First Nation organizations and jurists about Aboriginal people being under-represented on juries in Ontario.
Awards
Iacobucci has been given honorary degrees from a number of Canadian schools, and is also an Honorary Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. In 1999 he was made an Honorary Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge. In 2007, he was made a Companion of the Order of CanadaOrder of Canada
The 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...
. http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=5131
The Frank Iacobucci Centre for Italian Canadian Studies at the University of Toronto was named in his honour.
On June 9, 2008, Iacobucci was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree by McMaster University.
In 2009, Iacobucci received a star on the Italian Walk of Fame
Italian walk of fame
The world's first and only Italian Walk of Fame is located in Toronto, Canada, the city that is home to the largest community of Italians outside of Italy...
in Toronto, Canada.