Harry Laforme, Mississaugas of New Credit, 1947-
He is the first Aboriginal person to be appointed to
sit on any appellate court in the history of Canada. He is a Mississauga
Indian and a member of the Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation
located in southern Ontario. He was born and raised on his reserve
where his mother and some of his family continue to reside and
remain active in that First Nation's government. His efforts were
recognized by his own Aboriginal people with such honours as the
1997 National Aboriginal Achievement Award in the area of Law
& Justice, and the presentation on three occasions presented
him with an Eagle Feather, symbolizing the virtues of honesty,
integrity, and respect, by Aboriginal elders. He has many publications
and articles on issues related to Aboriginal law and justice.
Justice LaForme graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1977
and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1979. He articled with the
law firm of Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt and joined that firm as
an associate in the practice of corporate commercial law. After
a brief time with Osler, Hoskin, he commenced his own practice
specializing in Aboriginal law. In practice he litigated and focused
on matters involving the Constitution and Charter of Rights and
Freedoms. He has appeared before each level of Court and travelled
extensively throughout Canada and represented Canadian Aboriginal
interests in Geneva Switzerland, New Zealand, and British Parliament.
In 1989 Justice LaForme was appointed Commissioner of the Indian
Commission of Ontario. In 1991 he was appointed as Chair of the
Royal Commission on Aboriginal land claims. was the first chief
commissioner of the federal Indian Claims Commission, an independent
advisory body established in 1991 to mediate land claims. Before
that, he was commissioner of the Indian Commission of Ontario
for two years. In October 1989 to June 1990 Justice LaForme served
as co-chair on the independent National Chiefs Task Force on Native
Land Claims. In January 1994 he was appointed a judge of the Ontario
Court of Justice (General Division), now the Superior Court of
Justice, Ontario. At the time of his appointment he was one of
only 3 Aboriginal judges ever appointed to this level of trial
court in Canada. In November 2004 Justice LaForme was appointed
to the Ontario Court of Appeal. In 2008 Justice Laforme was appointed
Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission examining abuse
at Indian residential schools.