Recent News

Canada & Kyoto!

December 15th, 2011

Call to action

October 20th, 2011

Burning Ice

May 23rd, 2011

Green Smart Kids

April 14th, 2011

CEC Fundraiser

March 2nd, 2011

Roy McMurtry: lawyers respond!

October 15th, 2009

Roy McMurtry, the former Chief Justice of Ontario, urges the Canadian legal professional professional community to respond to the climate crisis.

Download the original letter in pdf.

------------

Colleagues,

I have been approached by a group of young lawyers who have created an organization named the Climate Change Lawyers Network. Its mandate is to advocate for a stronger climate change commitment throughout Canada and particularly within the legal profession.

I support and applaud their efforts and believe that, as lawyers, we have a powerful role to play and the expertise to make a lasting contribution to the collective response to climate change.

Legal professionals will play an important role as cap-and-trade, carbon taxes, offset and allowance credits mean that carbon is likely to become the newest commodity. However, carbon finance and trading is only one of many approaches to solving this unprecedented environmental crisis. In addition to environmental protection, the climate crisis will influence Canada's approach to responsible corporate governance, ethical business practices, and the protection of human rights. We must be equipped to help clients understand the risks and opportunities presented by climate change.

As respected professionals living and working in communities across Canada, Canadian lawyers are well postitioned to address the challenges and embrace the opportunities to promote positive change. We can do this by adding our voices to the call for stronger climate protection policies at all levels of government.

In less than 60 days, 192 countries will attempt to come to an agreement to avert catastrophic climate change at the United Nations Climate Change Convention in Copenhagen. This is an historical occasion, the outcome of which may reshape the course of human development. Left alone, the climate crisis has the potential to jeopardize peace, prsoperity and health for everyone.

If we are to succeed, we must all play our part. We urge all lawyers to bring their efforts to bear on addressing the climate change crisis in both their professional and personal capacities. Working together, Canadian lawyers can help reshape the cultural underpinnings that are at the root of the climate crisis.

Yours very truly,

R. Roy McMurtry


About Roy McMurtry

The Honourable R. Roy McMurtry, OC, O.Ont, QC, is a member of the advocacy department in Gowlings' Toronto office, where he serves as counsel to the Firm.

The former Chief Justice of Ontario, High Commissioner to Great Britain and Attorney General for Ontario provides strategic counsel to Gowlings’ clients in both the public and private sectors. Mr. McMurtry also provides a full range of dispute resolution and mediation services and will continue his long standing tradition of public and community service.

Prior to joining Gowlings, Mr. McMurtry practised law as a trial counsel for 17 years before being elected to the Ontario Legislature in 1975. Upon election, he was appointed to the Cabinet of Premier William G. Davis as the Attorney General for Ontario, a position he held until 1985. As Attorney General, he oversaw an unparalleled era of law reform in Ontario, including bilingualism in the courts, multiculturalism and family law reform. He was deeply involved in the patriation of the Canadian Constitution and the creation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. During that period he also served for four years as the Solicitor General for Ontario.

In 1985, Mr. McMurtry was appointed Canada’s High Commissioner (Ambassador) to Great Britain, a post which he held until late 1988. In 1991 he was appointed Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court and then Chief Justice of that Court in 1994. In February 1996 he was appointed Chief Justice of Ontario, a capacity in which he served for over 11 years until May 30, 2007.

More recently, Mr. McMurtry was appointed Chancellor of York University.