Just in time for Jewish Heritage Month, the team behind Heritage Minutes—the iconic 60-second short film series about notable Canadians throughout history—is spotlighting Bora Laskin, the first Jewish justice appointed to the country’s Supreme Court. Laskin became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court soon after, and served from 1970 until his untimely death from pneumonia in 1984 at the age of 71.
The son of Jewish immigrants to Fort William (now Thunder Bay) in Northern Ontario, Laskin was a gold-medal law student in Toronto during the 1930s. Laskin completed multiple degrees, including from Harvard. But with widespread antisemitism in the profession in those days, it was challenging for Laskin to find an articling position, and then a full time job. He pivoted and after nearly two decades teaching law at the University of Toronto in the school he helped develop—and where the law library now bears his name—Laskin was appointed to the Ontario Court of Appeal, where he developed a reputation as a champion of the labour movement. After former prime minister Pierre Trudeau appointed Laskin to the country’s Supreme Court, Laskin’s judgments led to patriating the Canadian Constitution, enshrining the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and equalizing women’s marital property rights.
This new minute-long short film stars veteran Canadian Jewish actor Victor Garber, with a majority Jewish cast and crew. The minute will be broadcast on more than 70 television stations and online beginning May 7.
On today’s episode of The CJN Daily, we’re joined by Sam Rosenthal, one of the creative team members behind the project, who explains why the story is important to the Jewish community and beyond. Toronto school board trustee Shelley Laskin, his niece, also joins.
Related links
- Learn more about Bora Laskin in The CJN (from 2017).
- Read more about him in The Canadian Encyclopedia.
Credits
- Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner)
- Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Andrea Varsany (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer)
- Music: Dov Beck-Levine
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