The First Women Judges at the Supreme Court of Canada and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The paper forms part of a collective biography on the first four women to sit as judges of the Supreme Court of Canada. Each has been a pioneer in her own way: Bertha Wilson (1982-1991) was the Court's first woman judge; Claire L'Heureux Dube (1987-2002) was its most openly feminist judge; Beverley McLachlin (1989-present) was the first woman to be named Chief Justice of Canada; and Louise Arbour (1999-2004), before and after her tenure at the Court, would be the first Canadian woman to assume positions of leadership in key international human rights institutions.The paper will draw these women together through their experiences at the Supreme Court. It explores how each saw herself as an individual, as a woman, and as a judge. It examines each woman's conception of rights, and the way that conception is reflected in her jurisprudence. In addition, it explores their perceptions of the Court, of the judge's role, and of law as an agent of change. Most of all, it considers the distinction they share, of being the Supreme Court's first women judges. In 2007, the year of the Charter's 25th anniversary, the paper for Berlin will focus on the way these four women contributed to and influenced our understanding of rights, including - but not limited to - the rights of women. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Law & Society is the property of Law & Society Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)