SQLFusion - Cornwall Project Truth sexual abuse trial judge honoured by Carleton Law Society

Of Medals and Honours: The Carleton Medal
The Honourable Justice Colin McKinnon, Superior Court of Justice
The following are excerpts from remarks made by Justice McKinnon, upon being presented with the Carleton Medal “for great diligence, high ideals and outstanding leadership in the practice of law” in Ottawa earlier this year.
[As found in The Advocates E-Brief, Vol. 17 No. 1 Summer 1995 http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:Oqao4H5020oJ:www.advocates.ca/publications/pdf/eBrief/E-Brief%2520Summer%252005.pdf+%22Colin+McKinnon%22+%26+carleton+%26+advocates+%26+award&hl=en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=1]
...It is exactly nine years and three days since Roydon Kealey and I were telephoned by then Minister of Justice Allan Rock, informing us we had been appointed judges of the Ontario Court (General Division) ... It was a thrilling day for both of us, and we have since become close friends... On learning of tonight’s award, Roydon’s immediate comment was, “Remember, Colin, it is merely a secular bauble. The only thing that counts at the end of the day is whether you’re heading up or down.” I began to ponder whether there is validity to “secular baubles” and, if so, what. It occurred to me that the grand panoply of human history is thoroughly pinned with such baubles ... Medals and honours abound. The act of singling out individuals for the receipt of such honours, both as historical habit and present practice, is a hallmark of civilized behaviour.
Given their vast popularity, how should such honours be perceived? In my opinion, they should not be viewed as exalting particular individuals, but rather acknowledging a particular individual’s achievement as constituting one example of broader group achievement. Medals and honours should not be regarded as exclusive, but rather inclusive, in the sense that the honour embraces the group to which the individual recipient belongs ... Every day ... persons perform deeds, great and small, deserving of medals and honours -- acts of mercy, of kindness, of courage, of selflessness, of artistic creativity, of leadership, of brave quiet suffering -- in fulfillment of the highest attributes of human endeavour. Very few are singled out for notice ... Such is the nature of honorifics....
...The Carleton Medal is not only a well-sculpted piece of metal to be possessed with pride -- it is, and should be, a symbol of ephemeral qualities and cardinal truths -- a reminder that no muscle is so important as the human heart; that an unbridled devotion to personal profit robs the soul of its essence; that the smallest cause is of serious import to the litigant advancing it; that lawyers and judges exist to serve the public, and not the other way around; that no particular form of legal work is less worthy than any other, so long as the work is done well and pursued ethically; that lawyers and judges must be prepared to suffer bitter public derision from time to time in our role as guardians of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; that the law is not just something written down in a book, but a living, breathing mechanism that can foster “peace, order and good government” and the rule of law among all people who make up this magnificent country; that to maintain a secure, vibrant and robust society things must constantly change.
By that I mean to say that we should not steep ourselves so deeply in tradition that we become blind to the demands of contemporary society. We must maintain a critical eye on the past, preserve what is good and instructive, and jettison what is base and prejudicial. With this attitude we can develop a living tradition, where dedication to reform infuses our world view. There is one value that is immune to reform, however: the devotion to doing justice. The exercise of this immutable, irreducible virtue can vouchsafe the life of the law, guarantee fairness for all and ensure lasting human harmony...
The Advocates E-Mail printed the following explanation of the Carleton Medal Award.
... The history of the County of Carleton Law Association evidences amazing ingenuity and accomplishment, devotion to high ideals and public service, and a continuing preoccupation with meaningful endeavours. The lawyers of the Ottawa Bar are second to none in this province ... The Carleton Medal was conceived in our Centennial Year with pride and hope. It should never be regarded as exclusive and forever be symbolic of the highest virtue that governs the lifeblood of the law; a never-faltering commitment to respond positively to a world that thirsts for justice, a world that will not rest until injustice is conquered. If this ideal remains a goal of its recipients, then the medal shall survive in perpetuity, for perfect justice shall remain and forever be, unobtainable. And so the honour should be reserved for those who seek it, however difficult their path may be, however imperfect their quest may prove. The reward is in the effort.on
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