Three appointees to the Order of Canada recognized for legal contributions

They are leaders in their respective fields in the academe, corporate law and dispute resolution

Three appointees to the Order of Canada recognized for legal contributions

Governor General Julie Payette has issued 120 new appointments to the Order of Canada, three of whom were recognized for their legal contributions.

Lawyer Daniel Jutras was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada, while lawyers Marie Giguère and Julie Macfarlane were made Members of the order.

Daniel Jutras of Montreal, a professor and administrator at McGill University’s Faculty of Law, was honoured for his contributions to the international development of pluralist law.

He was previously executive legal officer of the Supreme Court of Canada and personal secretary to former Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin. He acted as amicus curiæ in the Reference on the Reform of the Senate of Canada, and received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013.

Recognized for her leadership in commercial and corporate law, Marie Giguère, also of Montreal, has held prominent positions in a number of companies and non-profit organizations, including Boralex, TMX Group and Douglas Institute Foundation.

She was also recognized for her commitment to community initiatives, especially as regards the support of women in business. She was a recipient of the Lexpert Zenith Award, which honours leading women lawyers, in 2013.

Julie Macfarlane, a professor at the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Law, mediator and dispute resolution consultant, received her appointment for her advocacy of self-represented litigants. Director of the National Self-Represented Litigants Project,  she is also the author of texts on settlement, dispute resolution and Islamic divorce.

Companions, members and officers of the Order of Canada are recognized for their significant contributions to the community and the nation. They exemplify the Order’s motto, “desiderantes meliorem patriam,” meaning “They desire a better country.”

The new appointees will receive their insignia at an event to be held at a later date.