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Berger, Thomas R. (1933-)

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Thomas R. Berger

Thomas R. Berger

For more than forty years, Thomas Berger has been one of the pre-eminent legal figures in Canada. He was counsel for the Nisga’a nation of British Columbia in a case in which the Supreme Court recognized the place of aboriginal rights in Canadian law. He was the youngest judge appointed to the Supreme Court in the 20th Century, and served for 12 years.

Mr. Berger’s public intervention in 1981 was instrumental in the inclusion of aboriginal rights in the new Canadian Constitution. He wrote Fragile Freedoms, a study of human rights and dissent in Canada, which was published in English and French. In 2003, he wrote One Man’s Justice, an account of his work as a lawyer. Mr. Berger holds honorary degrees from thirteen universities, and received the Order of Canada in 1990.

—Courtesy of Order of British Columbia Biography