University of Ottawa confers chief justice with honorary doctorate

The University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law has awarded Chief Justice of Canada Richard Wagner an honorary doctorate.

According to the university, honorary doctorates are awarded for substantial contributions made by the recipient to the university, to their profession or to society at large. The honorary doctorate signifies that the recipient deserves to be recognized for their unsurpassed abilities due to life's learning and experiences.

In 1980, Wagner was called to the Quebec Bar and practised law until his appointment to the Quebec Superior Court in 2004. He argued cases before all the Quebec courts and quasi-judicial tribunals, as well as before the Federal Court and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Wagner was then elected First Councillor of the Bar of Montréal for 2000-2001, before being elected Bâtonnier of the Bar of Montréal for 2001-2002. He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada on Oct. 5, 2012.

In December 2017, Wagner was nominated by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as chief justice of Canada. On Dec. 18, 2017, he succeeded Beverley McLachlin and became the 18^th chief justice.

Aside from Wagner, six other individuals were recognized by the university’s various faculties, including author Amin Maalouf, Canada Goose CEO Dani Reiss and molecular microbiologist Dianne Newman.