Alan B. Gold
Encyclopedia
Alan Bernard Gold, OC
, OQ
(July 21, 1917 – May 15, 2005) was the chief justice
of the Quebec Superior Court
from 1983 to 1992.
Born in Montreal
, Gold received a B.A.
from Queen's University in 1938 and a bachelor degree in civil law
from the University of Montreal in 1941. He was called to the Bar of Quebec in 1942, but first served with the Royal Canadian Artillery during World War II
. As an arbitrator, he helped avoid a strike by the longshoremen at the Port of Montreal in 1968. In 1970, he was named chief judge
of the Provincial Court of Quebec, now known as the Court of Quebec
.
In 1990, he negotiated a settlement between the Quebec
government and the Mohawk
people in the Oka standoff. In 1993, he negotiated a settlement at Nationair, bringing the 16 month-long Lockout
of its Flight Attendants to an end.
In 1993, after he had retired from the bench, he joined a Montréal law firm. He represented the government of Saskatchewan
in negotiating a settlement in the wrongful conviction
of David Milgaard
. He reviewed the out-of-court settlement between former Prime Minister
Brian Mulroney
and the federal government in Mulroney's anti-defamation suit in the alleged Airbus affair
.
He served as Chair of the Board of Governors of McGill University
, Chancellor of Concordia University
and Associate Governor at the Université de Montréal. He served as Chairman of the Bar of Montreal's committee on access to justice in the English language
in the judicial district of Montreal whose Report was submitted on March 31, 1995.
Gold was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
in 1995 and was named a member of the Académie des Grands Montréalais in 1997. In 1985, he was made an Officer of the National Order of Quebec
.
He died in 2005 at the age of 87.
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...
, OQ
National Order of Quebec
The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as l'Ordre national du Québec, and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec...
(July 21, 1917 – May 15, 2005) was the chief justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Quebec Superior Court
Quebec Superior Court
Quebec Superior Court is the highest trial Court in the Province of Quebec, Canada. It consists of 144 judges who are appointed by the federal government.Chief Justices : [partial listing]* Edward Bowen...
from 1983 to 1992.
Born in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Gold received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Queen's University in 1938 and a bachelor degree in civil law
Civil law (legal system)
Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law and whose primary feature is that laws are codified into collections, as compared to common law systems that gives great precedential weight to common law on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different...
from the University of Montreal in 1941. He was called to the Bar of Quebec in 1942, but first served with the Royal Canadian Artillery during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. As an arbitrator, he helped avoid a strike by the longshoremen at the Port of Montreal in 1968. In 1970, he was named chief judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the Provincial Court of Quebec, now known as the Court of Quebec
Court of Quebec
The Court of Quebec is the Provincial Court of the Canadian province of Quebec.The Court is divided into the following areas; The Civil Division, The Criminal and Penal Division, and The Youth Division. The Chief Judge of the Court of Quebec is Guy Gagnon....
.
In 1990, he negotiated a settlement between the Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
government and the Mohawk
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
people in the Oka standoff. In 1993, he negotiated a settlement at Nationair, bringing the 16 month-long Lockout
Lockout
Lockout may refer to:* Lockout , a type of work stoppage* Lockout * Lockout chip, a computer chip in a video game system to prevent use of unauthorized software* Lock-out device, part of a signaling system used on game shows...
of its Flight Attendants to an end.
In 1993, after he had retired from the bench, he joined a Montréal law firm. He represented the government of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
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....
in negotiating a settlement in the wrongful conviction
Miscarriage of justice
A miscarriage of justice primarily is the conviction and punishment of a person for a crime they did not commit. The term can also apply to errors in the other direction—"errors of impunity", and to civil cases. Most criminal justice systems have some means to overturn, or "quash", a wrongful...
of David Milgaard
David Milgaard
David Milgaard is a Canadian who was wrongfully convicted for the murder and rape of nursing assistant Gail Miller.- Arrest and trial :...
. He reviewed the out-of-court settlement between former 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...
and the federal government in Mulroney's anti-defamation suit in the alleged Airbus affair
Airbus affair
The Airbus affair refers to allegations of secret commissions paid to members of the Government of Canada during the term of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, in exchange for then-crown corporation Air Canada's purchase of a large number of Airbus jets...
.
He served as Chair of the Board of Governors of McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, Chancellor of Concordia University
Concordia University
Concordia University is a comprehensive Canadian public university located in Montreal, Quebec, one of the two universities in the city where English is the primary language of instruction...
and Associate Governor at the Université de Montréal. He served as Chairman of the Bar of Montreal's committee on access to justice in the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
in the judicial district of Montreal whose Report was submitted on March 31, 1995.
Gold was made an Officer 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 1995 and was named a member of the Académie des Grands Montréalais in 1997. In 1985, he was made an Officer of the National Order of Quebec
National Order of Quebec
The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as l'Ordre national du Québec, and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec...
.
He died in 2005 at the age of 87.