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REGIONAL WRAP-UP Lamer had a passion for law He was one of the most influential judg- es in this country and will be remembered for his defence of ju- dicial independence and his passion for the law. Former Su- preme Court of Canada chief justice Antonio Lamer passed away Nov. 24. He'd served on the Supreme Court for nearly 20 years and as its chief for 10, hearing 1,317 cases, and writing reasons in 345 before his retirement in 2000. When Lamer announced his retire- ment in 1999, he noted that as chief justice, one must always maintain the "sacré feu" or sacred fire, recalls Ot- tawa lawyer Eugene Meehan, Lamer's first executive legal officer at the SCC, and Lamer wanted to make sure that he left his role as chief justice while he still had that fire. "It was the way he lived. He had a passion for law, a pas- sion for life, a passion for people." Lamer was on of the judges who laid the foundation for the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, one of his most notable legacies, says Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Robert Sharpe. "He was a very passionate person and believed strongly in the pursuit of justice; he devoted his whole life to it and I guess that didn't stop when he retired from the Supreme Court," says Sharpe. Although he retired, over the last several years Lamer was involved in a number of significant endeavours. In addition to joining the Ottawa of- fice of Stikeman Elliott in 2000, he was named as head of the 2003 com- mission of inquiry into three wrong- ful convictions in Newfoundland and Labrador. At Lamer's funeral Nov. 29 in Montreal, Jean-Claude Cardinal Turcotte described Lamer as "a giant of the law." "How life in society would be more serene and harmonious — not just in our country but throughout the world — if we were all so passionate about justice." — HB Independent selection process won over Lacroix to top CBC job M ontreal lawyer Hubert Lacroix scoffs at the notion he got the top job at the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. because he's in tight with Prime Minister Stephen Harp- er. "He doesn't know me and I don't know him," Lacroix told Canadian Lawyer in mid-No- vember after he was named the new president and chief execu- tive officer of the CBC and its French equivalent, Radio-Can- ada. "I was in the same room as him once at a business meeting in Montreal five or six years ago and shook his hand and introduced myself," Lacroix recalled. Almost two weeks after his appoint- ment, Lacroix still hadn't spoken again with the PM. In fact, he said he "never saw an elected official or political person" dur- ing the process leading up to him accept- ing the prestigious post. "That's the only reason I continued down that path, be- cause had it been political, I wouldn't have continued," he explained from his Mon- treal office at Stikeman Elliott LLP, where he had been the senior advisor since June 2003 — first on a three-day-a-week basis, then full-time beginning in January 2006. "It's that independence that convinced me," 52-year-old Lacroix stressed. It also wasn't his first shot at the CBC job. He said he was contacted three years ago by the same headhunter, Egon Zehnder International, when former CBC president Robert Rabinovitch's first term was expiring. "I said 'no' then, and when they phoned me again the answer was still 'no,' and it remained 'no' through subse- quent chats until I finally agreed to allow them to keep my name on the list." Lacroix conceded, "When I saw the open job, I didn't run to it." But minus the political pressure and with his media background, Lacroix saw an exciting chal- lenge and accepted the job. "Hubert T. Lacroix possesses the neces- sary experience and skills to lead Canada's national public broadcaster," Heritage Min- ister Josée Verner said Nov. 5 in announcing the appointment.Included in the 2008 edi- tion of The Best Lawyers of Canada, Lacroix 12 JANU AR Y 2008 www. C ANADIAN Law ye rmag.com HUBERT LACROIX received his bachelor of law degree from McGill University in 1976 and was admitted to the Barreau du Québec the following year when he began articling at the firm O'Brien Hall Saunders (now Lavery de Billy LLP). Lacroix returned to McGill to earn an MBA in 1981. He was the coach of the women's basketball team for 10 seasons while building his law practice at McCarthy Tétrault LLP, a career that lasted more than 20 years as a specialist in merg- ers and acquisitions, securities, and corporate governance. He was a senior partner when he left in January 2000. His new job, which took effect Jan. 1, isn't his first with the broadcaster. He was a bas- ketball colour commentator for Radio-Can- ada TV and radio for the 1984, 1988, and 1996 Olympic Games. Lacroix has also been a regular contributor for the Radio-Canada Hebdo-Sports show. But it's his work as se- nior advisor to Telemedia Ventures Inc. and several years as the executive chairman of Telemedia Corp. before that which probably best prepared him for the CBC challenge. He notes Telemedia owned 22 radio stations when he started and reached 82 by the time they were sold off three years later. "I under- stand one of the media lines [radio] because I worked with media companies." His wife, France Margaret Bélanger, is a partner at Stikemans in Montreal and a member of that firm's business and com- mercial groups. The couple will remain based in Montreal, but Lacroix will travel to Ottawa, Toronto, and across the country. "The first thing I'm going to do is go on a listening tour to see where the priorities are," he said. "I intend to visit all the [CBC/ Radio-Canada] locations and employees across Canada." Although his stint at Stikemans was short, he'll be missed there. "Personally, and as an institution too, we're very sorry to see him go," said Stuart (Kip) Cobbett, chief operating officer and Montreal managing partner. He noted Lacroix is the latest member of the firm to "go on to different and significant things." mking@videotron.ca — MIKE KING