The Right Hon. Antonio Lamer

This oral history interview with Chief Justice Antonio Lamer covers his life from childhood in 1930s Montreal through his distinguished judicial career. Born in 1933 to a French-Canadian father and Irish-Canadian mother, Lamer attended strict Catholic boarding schools and served in the military before studying law at Université de Montréal. He built a successful criminal law practice, handling high-profile cases including FLQ trials during the October Crisis and the landmark Robert Miron murder case that led to Criminal Code amendments on transferred intent.

Appointed to the Quebec Superior Court in 1969, Lamer dramatically reduced case backlogs before serving as Vice-Chair and Chair of the Law Reform Commission of Canada (1972-1979). After a brief stint on the Quebec Court of Appeal, he joined the Supreme Court of Canada in 1980, becoming Chief Justice in 1990. His tenure coincided with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms era, where he authored influential decisions on fundamental justice, criminal procedure, and constitutional interpretation. Key cases discussed include Big M Drug Mart (freedom of religion), Operation Dismantle (justiciability), Oakes (section 1 analysis), and various criminal law precedents involving mens rea, evidence exclusion, and Charter protections. The interview provides insights into Supreme Court dynamics, judicial administration, and the evolution of Canadian constitutional law during a transformative period.

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