Master Gordon Saunders

This oral history interview with Master Gordon Saunders provides a comprehensive account of his extensive career in Ontario’s judicial system, spanning nearly four decades from 1962 to 2000. Saunders discusses his early life in Toronto’s Annex neighborhood, his education at University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law School, and his brief period in private practice before joining the Masters Office. His appointment came through a chance application to a vague advertisement for a “judicial officer” position, with support from litigation lawyer Vera Parsons.

Saunders offers detailed insights into the operations and personalities within the Masters Office during a period of significant change. He describes the various specialized roles of his colleagues, including mortgage references, construction liens, and taxation of costs, while sharing anecdotes about notable figures like Master Bob Anglin (known for his indecisiveness) and Master Horace Bristow (a fearless World War I veteran). The interview chronicles major transitions in leadership, from Senior Master Al Marriott through Jack Kimber to Foster Rodger, and the challenges these changes created.

The discussion reveals important developments in the Masters’ professional status, including Saunders’ role as founding president of the Masters Association in the 1980s, which sought to improve salaries and working conditions. He also details his specialized work as Inspector of Titles under the Quieting of Titles Act, handling complex property disputes including a memorable case involving a private lake’s shoreline boundaries. The interview concludes with concerns about the government’s decision under Attorney General Ian Scott to cease appointing new Masters, leading to current staffing shortages and delays in the system.

This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.