Louise Arbour, CC GOQ (born
February 10, 1947) was a former justice
of the Supreme Court of Canada and Court of Appeal for Ontario; in addition the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, former Chief Prosecutor of
the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. From
2009 until 2014 she served as President and CEO of the International Crisis
Group. She made history with the indictment of a sitting head of state,
Yugoslavian president Slobodan Milosevic, as well as well as the first
prosecution of sexual assault as per articles of crimes against humanity.
Early Life: Born in Montreal,
Quebec, she attended convent
school. In 1967, she graduated from
College Regina Assumpta and proceeded to the Universite de Montreal where she
completed her LL.B. with distinction in 1970.
She became Law Clerk for Mr. Justice Louis-Philippe Pigeon of the
Supreme Court of Canada in 1971-1972 while completing graduate studies at the
Faculty of Law (Civil Section) of the University of Ottawa. She was called to the Bar of Quebec in 1971
and to the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1977 “for her contributions to the
Canadian justice system and for her dedication to the advancement of human
rights throughout the world.” A Grand
Officer of the National Order of Quebec in 2009...was also made a Commander of
the National Order of the Legion of Honour in 2011.
She has received many honourary
Degrees, including Doctor of Civil Laws from the University of Western Ontario
in June 2000...Doctor of Humane Letters from Mount Saint Vincent University in
May 2001...and Doctor of Laws degrees from the University of British Columbia
in November 2001, the University of Waterloo in October 2006, in June 2009 from
the University of Alberta and University of Guelph and from Simon Fraser
University in October 2009.
She has 3 adult
children: Emilie, Patrick and Catherine Taman.
“I'm very
energized about the prospect of helping the country face some daunting
challenges.
...and I'm
guardedly optimistic about the enormous potential for positive change.”
Legal Career: (Canada) From 1972-73, Louise Arbour was research
officer for the Law Reform Commission of Canada. She then taught at Osgoode
Hall Law
School, York University,
first as Lecturer (1974), then as Assistant Professor (1975), Associate
Professor (1977-1987) and finally as Assistant Professor and Associate Dean
(1987). She was also Vice-President of
the Canadian Civil Liberties Association until her appointment to the Supreme
Court of Ontario (High Court of Justice)
in 1987 and to the Court of Appeal for Ontario in 1990. In 1995, Arbour was appointed as President of
a Commission of Inquiry, under the Inquiries Act, for the purpose of
investing and reporting on events at the
Prison for Women in Kingston,
Ontario, following allegations by
prisoners of abuse.
In 1999, Prime Minister Jean
Chretien appointed Arbour to the Supreme Court of Canada.
The Hague: In 1996,
following Richard Goldstone's recommendation, Arbour was appointed as his
replacement as Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha and the International
Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague.
“Do I believe that
people indicted by the tribunal will be tried?
If I didn't
believe that, I wouldn't be here.
Yes! I believe they will be tried.”
In her new capacity, she indicted then Serbian President Slobodan
Milosevic for war crimes...the first time a serving head of State was called to
account before an international court.
Also indicted were the President
of the Republic of Serbia...the
Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...the Chief
of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia...and the Minister of Internal
Affairs of the Republic
of Serbia.
Works and Awards: Throughout her career, Arbour has published
in the area of criminal procedure and criminal law, in both French and
English. At various times, she has
served as an editor for the Criminal Reports...Canadian Rights
Reporter...Osgoode Hall Law Journal.
Arbour has been awarded honourary
doctorates by 27 universities. In 2005,
she was awarded the Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human
Rights, along with Justice Richardstone, in recognition of her work on the
International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia
and Rwanda.
Louise Arbour is also the subject
of a 2005 fact-based Canadian-German made-for-television movie, entitled 'Hunt
for Justice' which follows her quest to indict Bosnian Serb criminals. Arbour was played by Canadian actress. Wendy Crewson. (I comment here, that it was just this past
week, that I viewed this movie on television...impressed greatly by Crewson's
performance of this Woman of Distinction!)
Her Honours and
Awards from 1992-2011 number over 40
including 1 of 7 inductees to Canada's Walk of Fame for 2014.
Quotes by
Louise Arbour
Like many, I
deplore the U.S.
For their rejection
of the
International Criminal Court ~ it seems that
clearly this debate
will carry on.
Let us be clear ~
the proposal before the General Assembly
is the fruit of
compromise. It cannot be a perfect
solution.
There are millions
of people all over the world, right now,
who are looking to
the United Nations for protection and redress
against the
violation of their rights and
deprivation of their freedom.
* * * * * * *
“Remember when you
leave this earth, you can take with you nothing
that you have
received; only what you have given:
a full
heart...enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.”
(St. Francis of Assisi)
“Our lives begin to
end the day we become silent
about things that
matter.”
(Martin Luther King
Jr.)
“True justice is
the harvest reaped by peace-makers.”
(James chapter
3...verse 18)
Merle Baird-Kerr...written
February 3, 2015
To comment about this
remarkable woman, email
No comments:
Post a Comment