Pearson Peace Medal

The Honourable Louise Arbour is currently a jurist-in-residence providing strategic advice to lawyers of the International Trade and Arbitration Group. Madam Arbour sat as a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, on the Court of Appeal for Ontario and the Supreme Court of Ontario. She has held senior positions at the United Nations, including that of high commissioner for Human Rights, and is currently a member of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty and the Global Commission on Drug Policy.

The exceptional work of The Honourable Louise Arbour was recognized and celebrated at Rideau Hall today as she was presented with the Pearson Peace Medal.

The Pearson Peace Medal is awarded to a Canadian who has personally contributed, through his or her working life and voluntary commitments, to those causes to which Lester B. Pearson devoted his distinguished career: aid to the developing world; mediation between those confronting one another with arms; succour to refugees and others in need; equal rights and justice for all humanity; and peaceful change through world law and world organization.

The Governor General provided a short address highlighting Mrs Arbour's distinguished contribution to international justice: "Louise Arbour truly grasps the distinction between law and justice, and she knows that the rule of law is only served by the constant, relentless pursuit of justice."

Ms. Nancy Wildgoose, chair of the United Nations Association in Canada, provided a brief introduction of the award.

In 1996, Mme. Arbour was appointed Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Her tireless efforts brought convictions against 60 people charged with participating in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. She also brought charges against Slobodan Milosevic, becoming the first UN prosecutor to indict a serving head of state for war crimes.

Ms. Arbour made some remarks expressing, amongst other things, her excitement at Canada's continued participation in the international community.