List of Chief Justices of Canada

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The following is a list of the Chief Justices of Canada, from 1875 to the present. The Chief Justice presides over the Supreme Court of Canada.

Name Province Term Elevated by
Sir William Buell Richards Ontario September 30, 1875 – January 10, 1879 N/A
Sir William Johnstone Ritchie New Brunswick January 11, 1879 – September 25, 1892 Macdonald
Sir Samuel Henry Strong Ontario December 13, 1892 – November 18, 1902 Thompson
Sir Henri Elzéar Taschereau Quebec November 21, 1902 – May 2, 1906 Laurier
Sir Charles Fitzpatrick Quebec June 4, 1906 – November 21, 1918 N/A
Sir Louis Henry Davies Prince Edward Island November 23, 1918 – May 1, 1924 Borden
Francis Alexander Anglin Ontario September 16, 1924 – February 28, 1933 King
Sir Lyman Poore Duff British Columbia March 17, 1933 –January 2, 1944 Bennett
Thibaudeau Rinfret Quebec January 8, 1944 – June 22, 1954 King
Patrick Kerwin Ontario July 1, 1954 – February 2, 1963 St. Laurent
Robert Taschereau Quebec April 22, 1963 – September 1, 1967 Pearson
John Robert Cartwright Ontario September 1, 1967 – March 23, 1970 Pearson
Gérald Fauteux Quebec March 23, 1970 – December 23, 1973 Trudeau
Bora Laskin Ontario December 27, 1973 – March 26, 1984 Trudeau
Brian Dickson Manitoba April 18, 1984 – June 30, 1990 Trudeau
Antonio Lamer Quebec July 1, 1990 – January 6, 2000 Mulroney
Beverley McLachlin British Columbia January 7, 2000 – present Chrétien

Name	Province	Term	Elevated by
Sir William Buell Richards	Ontario	September 30, 1875 – January 10, 1879	N/A
Sir William Johnstone Ritchie	New Brunswick	January 11, 1879 – September 25, 1892	Macdonald
Sir Samuel Henry Strong	Ontario	December 13, 1892 – November 18, 1902	Thompson
Sir Henri Elzéar Taschereau	Quebec	November 21, 1902 – May 2, 1906	Laurier
Sir Charles Fitzpatrick	Quebec	June 4, 1906 – November 21, 1918	N/A
Sir Louis Henry Davies	Prince Edward Island	November 23, 1918 – May 1, 1924	Borden
Francis Alexander Anglin	Ontario	September 16, 1924 – February 28, 1933	King
Sir Lyman Poore Duff	British Columbia	March 17, 1933 –January 2, 1944	Bennett
Thibaudeau Rinfret	Quebec	January 8, 1944 – June 22, 1954	King
Patrick Kerwin	Ontario	July 1, 1954 – February 2, 1963	St. Laurent
Robert Taschereau	Quebec	April 22, 1963 – September 1, 1967	Pearson
John Robert Cartwright	Ontario	September 1, 1967 – March 23, 1970	Pearson
Gérald Fauteux	Quebec	March 23, 1970 – December 23, 1973	Trudeau
Bora Laskin	Ontario	December 27, 1973 – March 26, 1984	Trudeau
Brian Dickson	Manitoba	April 18, 1984 – June 30, 1990	Trudeau
Antonio Lamer	Quebec	July 1, 1990 – January 6, 2000	Mulroney
Beverley McLachlin	British Columbia	January 7, 2000 – present	Chrétien

Notes

Note 1: Richards and Fitzpatrick never served as puisne justices, but were appointed directly to the position of Chief Justice. All other Chief Justices served as puisne justices before acceding to Chief Justice, usually (but not always) on the basis of seniority.

Note 2: In cases where a Governor General dies in office or leaves the position before a replacement can be named, Canadian tradition is that the Chief Justice assumes the viceregal duties until a new Governor General is appointed. Duff and Taschereau are the two Chief Justices who have served as Acting Governors General under this convention.

List of Chief Justices of Canada

Notes

See also