Mr. Justice Stephen Goudge

This oral history interview with Justice Stephen Goudge covers his life from birth in 1942 through his distinguished judicial career ending in 2014. Born into an academic Toronto family in Moore Park, Goudge’s father was a University of Toronto philosophy professor and Governor General’s Award winner who pioneered philosophy of science in Canada. After completing his undergraduate degree in political science and economics at U of T, Goudge pursued a Master’s in Industrial Relations and Labour Economics at the London School of Economics, which sparked his interest in labour law and led him to law school.

Following his legal education at the University of Toronto, Goudge articled with Ian Scott at Cameron, Brewin & Scott and became involved in significant public inquiries early in his career, including the Kingston Penitentiary Riots, Legal Aid Taskforce, and notably the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry under Tom Berger. His judicial career on the Ontario Court of Appeal from 1996-2014 was marked by his observations about institutional changes, including the impact of supernumerary judges, technology’s effect on collegiality, and concerns about appointment processes. Perhaps most significantly, in 2007 he was appointed Commissioner for the Public Inquiry into Pediatric Forensic Pathology, examining systemic issues in forensic pathology that had led to wrongful convictions. Throughout the interview, Goudge reflects on the evolution of the legal profession, court administration, and the importance of judicial independence and professionalism in the Canadian legal system.

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