The Right Honourable Antonio Lamer, P.C., C.C., C.D., LL.D., D.U.

Mr. Lamer was Communications Security Establishment Commissioner from June 19, 2003 to June 18, 2006.

Born on July 8, 1933, in Montreal, Quebec, Mr. Lamer served in the Royal Canadian Artillery from 1950 to 1954 and in the Canadian Intelligence Corps from 1954 to 1960. He graduated in law from the University of Montreal in 1956 and was called to the Bar of Quebec in 1957.

He practised in partnership at the firm of Cutler, Lamer, Bellemare and Associates and was a full professor in the Faculty of Law, University of Montreal, where he was also a lecturer in criminology.

Mr. Lamer founded the Association of Defence Attorneys of the Province of Quebec and was active in the Canadian Bar Association in various capacities, among others as National Chairman of the Criminal Justice Section. He was a member of the Disciplinary Board of the Quebec Bar, an executive member of the Professional Training School of the Bar and, for many years, a member of the executive of the Legal Aid Bureau of the Montreal Bar. He was also Special Counsel to the Minister of Justice of Quebec in matters relating to the organization of the Quebec tribunals.

Mr. Lamer was appointed to the Superior Court and to the Queen's Bench (Crown Side) of the province of Quebec on December 19, 1969.

He became Vice-Chairman of the Law Reform Commission of Canada on December 1, 1971, and its Chairman on April 1, 1976. He joined the board of directors of the Canadian Human Rights Foundation and was elected President of la Société de Criminologie du Québec in June 1974.

Mr. Lamer was elevated to the Quebec Court of Appeal on March 17, 1978, and to the Supreme Court of Canada on March 28, 1980. He was named Chief Justice of Canada on July 1, 1990.

Mr. Lamer retired as Chief Justice of Canada on January 7, 2000. He is now with the law firm Stikeman Elliott and is a member of the Quebec Bar. He was appointed Associate Professor of Law, University of Montreal, in June 2000.

Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada; Companion of the Order of Canada; Chairman, Advisory Council of the Order of Canada; Chairman, Board of Governors, National Judicial Institute; Honorary Bencher, Lincoln's Inn, London, 1990; Honorary Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers, 1990; Order of Merit, University of Montreal, 1991; Knight of Justice, Order of St. John, 1993; Commander, l'Ordre de la Pléiade, 1991; Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee Medal, 1977; Canadian Forces Decoration; 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal, 1992; Honorary Colonel, 2nd Artillery Regiment of Canada, 1998.

President, National Council of Honorary Colonels and Lieutenant Colonels, Ground Forces; Chairman, Board of Directors, Les Rendez-Vous de la Francophonie; Chairman, Advisory Council, Historica and member, Executive Board of Directors; President, Advisory Council of the National Police Services.

LL.D. University of Moncton, 1981; D.U. (Doctor of University) University of Ottawa, 1987; LL.D. Université de Montréal, 1991; LL.D. University of Toronto, 1992; LL.D. University of New Brunswick, 1995; LL.D. Dalhousie University, 1996; LL.D. University of British Columbia, 1999; LL.D., D.U. Saint Paul University (Ottawa), 2001.

Justice Lamer passed away on November 24, 2007.