Additional information - Career and Accolades

The Honourable Louise Arbour, C.C., G.O.Q.

Professional Experience

  • 2021 to 2022 Independent External Comprehensive Review of policies, procedures, programs and culture within DND and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF)
  • 2017 to 2018 United Nations Special Representative of The Secretary General for International Migration
  • 2016 to 2017 Member of the Advisory Panel to the Minister of Defence on Canada’s Defence Policy Review
  • 2015 to 2017 Judge ad hoc at the International Court of Justice
  • 2014 to 2026 Jurist in residence at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
  • 2009 to 2014 President and CEO of the International Crisis Group
  • 2004 to 2008 United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
  • 1999 to 2004 Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
  • 1996 to 1999 Chief Prosecutor for The International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda
  • 1995 to 1996 Appointed by Order-in-Council as single Commissioner to conduct an inquiry into certain events at the Prisons for Women in Kingston
  • 1990 to 1999 Member of the Court of Appeal for Ontario
  • 1987 to 1990 Member of the Supreme Court of Ontario (High Court of Justice)
  • 1987 Associate Professor and Associate Dean, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • 1977 to 1987 Associate Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • 1975 Assistant Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • 1974 Lecturer in Criminal Procedure, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
  • 1972 Research Officer, Law Reform Commission, Member of the Criminal Procedure Project
  • 1971 to 1972 Law Clerk for Mr. Justice Louis-Philippe Pigeon, Supreme Court of Canada
  • 1970 Articling, Legal Department, City of Montreal

Education and Degrees

  • 1967 B.A. Collège Regina Assumpta, Montréal
  • 1970  LL.L. (with distinction) Faculty of Law, Université de Montréal
  • 1970 to 1971 Quebec Bar Admission Course
  • 1971 Called to the Quebec Bar
  • 1977 Called to the Ontario Bar

Honorary Doctorates

  • 2020 Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
  • 2017 Mount Alisson University, Sackville, NB, Canada
  • 2013 American University in Paris, Paris, France
  • 2011 Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada
  • 2010 University of London, London, England
  • 2010 Ryerson University, Ontario, Canada
  • 2009 Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • 2009 University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada 
  • 2009 University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
  • 2008 Abo Akademi University, Finland
  • 2007 Université Laval, Quebec, Canada
  • 2007 Université de Lille, Lille, France
  • 2006 National University of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
  • 2006 University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
  • 2005 University of International Relations, Moscow, Russia
  • 2003 Université Picardie – Jules Verne, Amiens, France
  • 2003 St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • 2002 University of Lakehead, Ontario, Canada
  • 2001 Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • 2001 University of King’s College, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • 2001 Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada
  • 2001 Memorial University in St. John’s Newfoundland
  • 2001 Windsor University
  • 2001 Concordia University in Montréal, Canada
  • 2001 University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
  • 2000 Université Libre de Bruxelles
  • 2000 University of Victoria
  • 2000 Kingston Royal Military College
  • 2000 Chicago-Kent College of Law
  • 2000 Université de Montréal
  • 2000 McMaster’s University
  • 2000 University of Western Ontario
  • 2000 University of Toronto
  • 2000 Glasgow University
  • 2000 Queen’s University
  • 2000 Carleton University
  • 1999 Law Society of Upper Canada
  • 1999 University of New Brunswick
  • 1999 Laurentian University
  • 1999 Université du Québec à Montréal
  • 1997 University of Ottawa
  • 1995 York University

Medals and Awards

  • 2023 The Ordre de Montréal, Commander 2023
  • 2023 O'Connor Justice Prize
  • 2021 Symons Medal
  • 2021 Goler T. Butcher Medal, The American Society of International Law.
  • 2019 Scotiabank Ethical leadership Award, Halifax, Canada
  • 2019 McCall-Pierpaoli Humanitarian Award, Refugee International, Washington DC
  • 2019 Global leadership award, Global Canada, Toronto
  • 2016 Laureate of the 2016 Tang Prize in the Rule of Law category
  • 2016 Senior Fellow, Massey College, Toronto, Canada
  • 2015 Tarnopolsky Human Rights Award, CIJ-Canada, Montréal, Canada
  • 2015 Special Recognition of Achievement Award, Excellence Canada
  • 2015 Grand Officier de l’Ordre de la Couronne, Royaume de Belgique
  • 2015 AMS, Women Against Multiple Sclerosis Award, Toronto, Canada
  • 2015 Honorary Peace Patron Award, The Mosaic Institute, Toronto, Canada
  • 2014 Center for Reproductive Rights, Award for Distinguished Services and Commitments to Women Rights, New York, USA
  • 2014 2014 Inductee, Canada’s Walk of Fame
  • 2014 Trinity Praeses Elit Award, Dublin University Law Society
  • 2013 Griffin Bell Award for Courageous Advocacy, American College of Trial Lawyers
  • 2011 Chirac Foundation Special Jury Prize
  • 2011 Council of Europe North-South Prize winner for 2010
  • 2010 Central European University Open Prize 2010, Central European University, Hongrie
  • 2010 Légion d’honneur (Commandeur)
  • 2010 Colombian Order of National Merit (Grand Cross)
  • 2009 Ordre national du Québec (Grande Officière)
  • 2009 Arthur Kroeger Award for Public Affairs
  • 2009 Calgary Peace Prize
  • 2009 Grande Croix de l’Ordre du Mérite Civil décerné par Sa Majesté le Roi d’Espagne
  • 2008 The Jackson H. Ralston Prize in International Law, Stanford University
  • 2008 Honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
  • 2008 Henry E. and Nancy Bartels World Affairs Fellow, Cornell University
  • 2008 United Nations Human Rights Prize
  • 2007 Award Women Groundbreakers in the First International Courts, Open Society Institute, The Hague, The Netherlands
  • 2007 Stanley Knowles Humanitarian Award, Ontario Public Services - Employees Union, Ontario, Canada
  • 2007 Ordre du Canada (Compagnon)
  • 2006 Award for Lifetime Achievement, Canadian Race Relations    Foundation, Toronto, Ontario
  • 2006 Award for Canadian Global Citizen Extraordinaire, International Development Relief Foundation, Toronto, Ontario
  • 2006 Distinguished Canadian Leadership Award, University of Ottawa
  • 2005 Woman of Distinction Award, NGO Committee on the Status of Women – New York
  • 2005 Second Thomas J-Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human Rights, University of Connecticut
  • 2003 Médaille de la Faculté de droit de l’Université de Montréal
  • 2003 Inducted into International Hall of Fame – International Women’s Forum
  • 2003 Honorary Fellowship – American College of Trial Lawyers
  • 2003 Médaille 125e anniversaire – Faculté de droit, Association des diplômés en droit – Université de Montréal
  • 2002 Stefan A. Riesenfeld Symposium Award, Berkeley Journal of International Law
  • 2002 Mc Gill Centre for Research and Teaching on Women Person of the Year 2002 Award
  • 2002 Prix de la Fondation Justice dans le Monde de l’Union internationale des Magistrats, 2002 Year Award
  • 2001 Wolfgang Freidman Memorial Award, Columbia Law School
  • 2001 EID-UL-ADHA Award, The Association of Progressive Muslims of Ontario
  • 2001 Médaille du Barreau du Québec
  • 2001 National Achievement Award 2001, Jewish Women International of Canada
  • 2000 Pennsylvania Bar Foundation’s Second Annual Service to Humanity Award, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
  • 2000 Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt Four Freedoms Medal (Freedom from Fear), Roosevelt Study Center, Middleburg, The Netherlands
  • 2000 Women of Distinction Award, Toronto Hadassah-Wizo
  • 2000 Peace Award, World Federalists of Canada
  • 2000 Lord Reading Law Society’s Human Rights Award
  • 1999 Medal of Honour, International Association of Prosecutors
  • 1999 Médaille du Mérite, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal
  • 1999 Prix de la Fondation Louise Weiss, Paris
  • 1998 G. Arthur Martin Award, Criminal Lawyers’ Association, Toronto 1999 Medal of Honour of the International Association of Prosecutors, First Recipient
  • 1996 Achievement Award of the Women’s Law Association, Toronto
  • 1995 Médaille de l’Université de Montréal

Related Professional Activities

  • 2019 Board Member, MasterCard Foundation
  • 2019 Board Member, Kofi Annan Foundation
  • 2015 Board Member, Mira Foundation
  • 2015 Member, Jury for the 40th anniversary of the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms
  • 2014 Member, Awards Committee, Roland Berger Human Rights Award
  • 2014 Member, Jury for the Max van der Stoel Award
  • 2014 to present Member, International Advisory Board, University of Ottawa School of Government
  • 2013 to 2014 Member, Steering Board for the UK Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative
  • 2012 to present Member, Advisory Board, Franklin D. Roosevelt International Disability Rights Award
  • 2012 to present Honorary membership, New York City Bar Association
  • 2012 to present Co-Chair, Campus Montreal Fundraising Campaign
  • 2011 Member, Global Commission on Drug Policy
  • 2010 Member, Global Commission on Elections, Democracy, and Security
  • 2010 Member, International Commission Against the Death Penalty
  • 2010 Member, Advisory Board, The Coalition for the International Criminal Court
  • 2010 Member, Jury for the Edelstam Prize
  • 2009 Advisor, Mediation Group, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, Geneva
  • 2009 to present Member, Advisory Board, World Bank Development Report 2011: ‘Conflict, Security and Development’
  • 2009 to present Advisor to The Belinda Stronach Foundation
  • 2009 to present Honourary Member of the Nansen Refugee Awards Selecting Committee of the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees
  • 2009 to present Technical Advisory Board du Weidemann Foundation
  • 2009 to present Member of the Global Council, Women’s Forum
  • 2009 to present Member, Board of Directors, International Center for Transitional Justice
  • 2008 to present Member, Conseil d’administration, International Crisis Group
  • 2008 to present Honorary Council Member, Canadian Centre for International Justice
  • 2008 to present Patron, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders
  • 2007 to present Member, Consultative Council of ONUART Foundation
  • 2003 Member, Board of Editors, Journal of International Criminal Justice
  • 2001 Honorary Bencher of Grays Inn, London, England
  • 2001 Member of the International Council, Institute for Global Legal Studies of Washington University School of Law St-Louis, Missouri
  • 2001 Member Advisory Board, International Journal of Constitutional Law, Oxford University Press (New York Law School)
  • 2000 to 2004 Member, Board of Trustees, International Crisis Group
  • 2000 Honorary Member, Golden Key National Honour Society
  • 2000 Honorary Member, American Society of International Law
  • 1999 to 2009  Honorary Professor, University of Warwick, Coventry, Royaume-Uni.
  • 1992 Lifetime Member of l’Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario
  • 1987 Vice President, Canadian Civil Liberties Association
     

Current as of August 2023