Former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Gerald Eric Le Dain Passes Away

The Honourable Gerald Eric Le Dain, formerly a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, passed away in Toronto on December 18, 2007.

He served on the Supreme Court between 1984 and 1988.

From the official Court press release:

"Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, on behalf of the members of the Supreme Court of Canada, lamented Justice Le Dain's passing, 'Justice Le Dain served on the Court during an important time in its history, taking part in the challenge of breathing life into the rights guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Justice Le Dain's decisions in these early Charter cases shaped the interpretation of our fundamental rights, and continue to have relevance to this day. Members and staff of the Court extend their deepest condolences to Justice Le Dain's family'. "

He is especially well-known for having led a landmark commission of inquiry into the recreational use of drugs in Canada from 1969 to 1973. The Le Dain Commission's report recommended marijuana possession be decriminalized. The Archives of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation contain footage about the Commission.

The 2002 final report of the Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs provides historical context for understanding the Le Dain Commission in its ch. 12 entitled The National Legislative Context (see the section entitled "The Le Dain Commission (1969-1973)").