Honourable Justice Catherine Anne Fraser served as Alberta’s Chief Justice from 1992 to 2022. During her thirty-year tenure, she was the first woman to be appointed as Chief Justice in Canada, serving Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut Courts of Appeal.
Throughout Chief Justice Fraser’s career, she developed a reputation of inspired leadership and remained devoted to delivering fair and equal justice. She helped to modernize the governance model for the court administration processes and helped to improve its responsiveness and accountability to the public.[1] Chief Justice Fraser contributed her time, energy, and expertise to LESA as a past board member and program volunteer. Her impact upon the Alberta legal profession is greatly appreciated, and she will be greatly missed.
In honour of Chief Justice Fraser’s profound impact on Alberta’s legal profession, the province will fund $500,000 to support a scholarship for law students in Alberta. Each award of $12,500 will be given to two law students from the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta each year that demonstrate the legal principles defended by Chief Justice Fraser.[2]
[1] “News Release – Retirement of Chief Justice Catherine Anne Fraser,” online: Court of Appeal of Alberta, 29 July 2022 [https://albertacourts.ca/ca/publications/announcements/news-release—retirement-of-chief-justice-catherine-anne-fraser].
[2] “Honouring Chief Justice Fraser and Supporting Law Students,” online: Gov-Monitor, 6 October 2022 [https://www.govtmonitor.com/page.php?type=document&id=4332450].
