Michel Bastarache
Encyclopedia
J. E. Michel Bastarache (born June 10, 1947 in Quebec City
, Quebec
) is a Canadian
lawyer, businessman, and retired puisne justice
on the Supreme Court of Canada
.
Born in Quebec City
, Bastarache earned his Bachelor of Arts
degree from the Université de Moncton
in 1967. He received a Licence d'études supérieures en droit public from the University of Nice in 1972.
From 1970 to 1971, he was a legal translator for the Province of New Brunswick. In 1973, he was the General Secretary for the Société des Acadiens et Acadiennes du Nouveau-Brunswick. In 1974, he was the Assistant to the President of Assumption Mutual Life, becoming Director Sales in 1975, and Vice-President Marketing in 1976.
Returning to school, he went on to get his Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Ottawa
in 1978. He was called to the New Brunswick Bar in 1980, the Alberta Bar in 1985, and the Ontario Bar in 1986. In 1978, he joined the Université de Moncton
as a Law Professor and was Dean of the Law School from 1980 to 1983. From 1983 to 1984, he was the Director General for the Promotion of Official Languages in the Department of the Secretary of State of Canada. From 1984 to 1987, he was the Associate Dean of the Common Law section of the University of Ottawa.
In 1987, he joined the firm of Lang Michener Lash Johnston
becoming partner in 1988. From 1989 to 1994, he was the President and Chief Executive Office of Assumption Mutual Life. In 1994, he moved back to Moncton to practice at Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales. He was appointed to the New Brunswick Court of Appeal in 1995 and then promoted to the Supreme Court in 1997.
Bastarache retired from the Supreme Court, effective June 30, 2008, and has joined the Ottawa office of Canadian law firm Heenan Blaikie.
He was made a Companion of the Order of Canada
in recognition "for his lifelong commitment to the promotion of linguistic duality and the protection of minority rights, as a law professor and a judge" in 2009.
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, 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....
) 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...
lawyer, businessman, and retired 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...
.
Born in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, Bastarache earned his Bachelor of Arts
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...
degree from the Université de Moncton
Université de Moncton
The Université de Moncton is a French language university located in Moncton, New Brunswick serving the Acadian community of Atlantic Canada...
in 1967. He received a Licence d'études supérieures en droit public from the University of Nice in 1972.
From 1970 to 1971, he was a legal translator for the Province of New Brunswick. In 1973, he was the General Secretary for the Société des Acadiens et Acadiennes du Nouveau-Brunswick. In 1974, he was the Assistant to the President of Assumption Mutual Life, becoming Director Sales in 1975, and Vice-President Marketing in 1976.
Returning to school, he went on to get his Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
in 1978. He was called to the New Brunswick Bar in 1980, the Alberta Bar in 1985, and the Ontario Bar in 1986. In 1978, he joined the Université de Moncton
Université de Moncton
The Université de Moncton is a French language university located in Moncton, New Brunswick serving the Acadian community of Atlantic Canada...
as a Law Professor and was Dean of the Law School from 1980 to 1983. From 1983 to 1984, he was the Director General for the Promotion of Official Languages in the Department of the Secretary of State of Canada. From 1984 to 1987, he was the Associate Dean of the Common Law section of the University of Ottawa.
In 1987, he joined the firm of Lang Michener Lash Johnston
Lang Michener
Lang Michener LLP was a full-service national law firm of over 200 professionals with offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa and Hong Kong. On January 1, 2011 Lang Michener LLP and McMillan LLP combined to become one national business law firm, with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa,...
becoming partner in 1988. From 1989 to 1994, he was the President and Chief Executive Office of Assumption Mutual Life. In 1994, he moved back to Moncton to practice at Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales. He was appointed to the New Brunswick Court of Appeal in 1995 and then promoted to the Supreme Court in 1997.
Bastarache retired from the Supreme Court, effective June 30, 2008, and has joined the Ottawa office of Canadian law firm Heenan Blaikie.
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 recognition "for his lifelong commitment to the promotion of linguistic duality and the protection of minority rights, as a law professor and a judge" in 2009.