John C. Major
Encyclopedia
John Charles "Jack" Major, CC
, QC
(born February 20, 1931) is a Canadian
jurist
and was a puisne justice
on the Supreme Court of Canada
from 1992 to 2005.
Born in Mattawa, Ontario
, Major received a Bachelor of Commerce
degree from Loyola College
in 1953 and a Bachelor of Laws
degree from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law
in 1957. He was appointed a Queen's Counsel
in 1972. He practiced law as a partner in the Calgary
office of Bennett Jones LLP
for 34 years. From 1975 to 1985, he was the Senior Counsel for the City of Calgary Police Service
. He was appointed to the Court of Appeal of Alberta on July 11, 1991.
by Prime Minister
Brian Mulroney
. During much of his time of the Court, he was a comparatively low-key judge. He was known for his belief in providing deference to government and for his particularly succinct writing style. Major stepped down from the court on December 25, 2005, approximately two months early.
to lead a public inquiry
into the Air India Flight 182
bombing and the resulting trials. He was made a Companion of the Order of Canada
in the Canada Day
2008 Honours.
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...
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born February 20, 1931) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
and 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 1992 to 2005.
Born in Mattawa, Ontario
Mattawa, Ontario
Mattawa is a town in northeastern Ontario, Canada, at the confluence of the Mattawa and Ottawa Rivers in Nipissing District. Mattawa means "Meeting of the Waters" in Ojibwa...
, Major received a Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Commerce
A Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
degree from Loyola College
Loyola College (Montreal)
Loyola College was a Jesuit college in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It ceased to exist when it was incorporated into Concordia University in 1974. A portion of the original College remains as a separate entity called Loyola High School....
in 1953 and a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
degree from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law
University of Toronto Faculty of Law
Established in 1887, the University of Toronto Faculty of Law is one of the oldest professional faculties at the University of Toronto. The Faculty of Law is particularly renowned in the areas of corporate law, international law, law and economics, and legal theory.The law school has been...
in 1957. He was appointed a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1972. He practiced law as a partner in the Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
office of Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones
Bennett Jones LLP is an international law firm with four offices in Canada and one each in Dubai and Abu Dhabi with a representative office in Beijing...
for 34 years. From 1975 to 1985, he was the Senior Counsel for the City of Calgary Police Service
Calgary Police Service
Calgary Police Service, formed in 1885, is the municipal police force for the City of Calgary, Alberta.- Organization :Founded in 1885, the current head of the CPS is Chief Rick Hanson...
. He was appointed to the Court of Appeal of Alberta on July 11, 1991.
Supreme Court
On November 13, 1992, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of CanadaSupreme 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...
by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
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...
. During much of his time of the Court, he was a comparatively low-key judge. He was known for his belief in providing deference to government and for his particularly succinct writing style. Major stepped down from the court on December 25, 2005, approximately two months early.
Post-court
On January 5, 2006, he rejoined the Calgary office of Bennett Jones LLP, the firm with whom he practised before his judicial career. On March 8, 2006, he was appointed by Prime Minister Stephen HarperStephen 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...
to lead a public inquiry
Public inquiry
A Tribunal of Inquiry is an official review of events or actions ordered by a government body in Common Law countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland or Canada. Such a public inquiry differs from a Royal Commission in that a public inquiry accepts evidence and conducts its hearings in a more...
into the Air India Flight 182
Air India Flight 182
Air India Flight 182 was an Air India flight operating on the Montreal–London–Delhi route. On 23 June 1985, the airplane operating on the route a Boeing 747-237B named after Emperor Kanishka was blown up by a bomb at an altitude of , and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean while in Irish airspace.A...
bombing and the resulting trials. He was made a Companion of the Order of 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...
in the Canada Day
Canada Day
Canada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
2008 Honours.
See also
- Reasons of the Supreme Court of Canada by Justice MajorReasons of the Supreme Court of Canada by Justice MajorThis is a list of all the opinions written by John C. Major during his tenure as puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.-1999:* Ryan v. Victoria , [1999] 1 S.C.R. 201* R. v. Ewanchuk, [1999] 1 S.C.R. 330* Smith v. Jones, [1999] 1 S.C.R. 455...