Fred Kaufman
Canadian jurist (1924–2023)
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Fred Kaufman CM FRSC KC (May 7, 1924 – December 27, 2023) was a Canadian justice, lawyer, and arbitrator.
May 7, 1924
Fred Kaufman CM FRSC KC | |
|---|---|
| Born | Fred Kaufman May 7, 1924 Vienna, Austria |
| Died | December 27, 2023 (aged 99) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Education | Bishop's University (B.Sc.) McGill University (LL.B.) |
| Occupations | Lawyer, Justice, Arbitrator |
| Known for | Quebec Court of Appeal Justice (1973–1991) Morin and Truscott inquiries |
| Notable work | Searching for Justice: An Autobiography |
| Awards | Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002), Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of New Brunswick (2012) |
| Honors | CM (1992), FRSC (2002), KC (1971) |
Life and career
Fred Kaufman was born on May 7, 1924 in Vienna.[1][2] He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Bishop's University and then spent six years as a reporter for the Montreal Star.[3] He graduated from the McGill University Faculty of Law in 1954, where he was the second ever editor-in-chief of the McGill Law Journal.[4]
Following law school, Kaufman founded the law firm Kaufman, Yarosky & Fish.[3] He was appointed to the Québec Court of Appeal in 1973, and became acting Chief Justice of Quebec from 1990 to 1991 when he retired.[4][5] In 2005 he published the memoir Searching for Justice: An Autobiography.[6]
After retirement as a judge, he was appointed by the Ontario government to preside over an inquiry into the wrongful murder conviction of Guy Paul Morin in 1997-98. Later in 2002-04, he presided for the Government of Canada over an inquiry into the murder trial of Steven Truscott, which led to Truscott's conviction being overturned by the Ontario Court of Appeal.[2]
Kaufman died on December 27, 2023, at the age of 99 in Toronto.[7][2]
Honours
- Queen's Counsel (1971)[8]
- Member of the Order of Canada (1992)[9]
- Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002)[10]
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (2002)[3]
- Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012)[11]
- Doctor of Laws, University of New Brunswick (2012)[3]