Justice Gonthier Lecture Series
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The Justice Charles D. Gonthier Lecture Series was initiated in light of the recognition of the significant impact that he had upon several generations of Canadian and international jurists. Charles D. Gonthier was for 14 years a Puisne Judge at the Supreme Court of Canada. He was also a founding member of the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL) Board of Governors. As a judge, he sought for novel and contextual solutions to a wide variety of legal problems, gaining inspiration from values that are essential to our society. In his research, he developed these values in several legal domains, in common law as well as Quebec civil law.
Charles Gonthier was known to the legal community as a gentleman, scholar, philosopher and original thinker. The basis of his worldview was founded upon the ideas of fraternity and community. In a context which focuses on the immediate needs of the individual, Charles Gonthier was concerned with the responsible development of a just society in the long term. As such, he devoted much of his later years to the area of sustainable development law.
The CISDL, in collaboration with the Charles D. Gonthier Legacy Committee, organizes an annual lecture series in memory of the honourable Charles D. Gonthier. The bilingual lecture series takes place every year or every two years, depending on available funds, at the McGill University Faculty of Law in Montreal. A prominent speaker selected by a distinguished committee is invited to speak on a theme related to Charles D. Gonthier’s legal worldview. The lecture series will be funded by an endowment set up at McGill University. The legacy committee is currently seeking donations to contribute to the legacy committee. For more information, please consult the Charles D. Gonthier website.