Gérald Fauteux

Gérald Fauteux, born on October 22, 1900, in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, was a distinguished Canadian jurist and lawyer. He was the son of Homère Fauteux and Héva Mercier, and he pursued his legal education at the Université de Montréal, graduating with an LL.L in 1925. Shortly after, he was called to the bar and began his legal career in Montreal, where he practiced alongside his uncle, Honoré Mercier Jr., establishing the law firm Mercier & Fauteux.

From 1930 to 1936, Fauteux served as Crown Prosecutor for Montreal, later becoming the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the province of Quebec in 1939. His legal expertise was further recognized when he acted as a legal adviser for the Royal Commission on Spying Activities in Canada in 1946. In addition to his practice, he contributed to academia by teaching criminal law at McGill University for fourteen years and serving as the dean of the Faculty of Law from 1949 to 1950.

Fauteux's judicial career began with his appointment to the Quebec Superior Court in 1947, followed by his elevation to the Supreme Court of Canada on December 22, 1949. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of the University of Ottawa's law faculty, serving as its dean from 1953 to 1962, and was later appointed Chancellor of the university in 1973. His tenure as the 13th Chief Justice of Canada lasted from March 23, 1970, until his retirement on December 23, 1973, marking a significant twenty-four years of service on the court, four of which were as Chief Justice.

In recognition of his contributions to the legal field, Fauteux was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1974. His legacy endures at the University of Ottawa, where Fauteux Hall, housing the Faculty of Law, is named in his honor. Gérald Fauteux passed away on September 14, 1980, at the age of seventy-nine, leaving behind a remarkable legacy in Canadian law.