Former Ontario Attorney General Roy McMurtry dies at age 91

Former provincial attorney general and Ontario chief justice Roland (Roy) McMurtry has died. He was 91 years old.

McMurtry, a giant in the state’s legal and political world, died on Monday, his son Jim McMurtry said in a post on X.

“My father fought for rights and freedoms,” Jim wrote Tuesday morning. “I was the proudest son.”

The French Federation of Ontario (AFO) told X that it was “saddened” by McMurtry’s passing.

“He played a leading role in the introduction of bilingualism in our nation’s courts of justice,” the AFO said. “rest in peace.”

McMurtry practiced law for 17 years and was elected to the Ontario Legislature in 1975, serving in that position until 1985. As attorney general under former Progressive Conservative premier Bill Davis, McMurtry chaired Ontario’s cabinet committee on race relations.

The Ontario Court of Appeal’s website says he played a “central and influential” role in negotiating the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and nationalizing Canada’s Constitution. During his time as attorney general, Mr. McMurtry oversaw many reforms to the judicial system, including bilingualism in the courtroom. He was considered a leading defender of human rights and a voice for issues facing the black community.

Watch | Mr. McMurtry said this about the backlash against discrimination.

After a career in politics, Mr. McMurtry served as Canada’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom before being appointed a judge.

He was awarded the Order of Ontario, Ontario’s highest honor, in 2008 and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.

The Ontario Court of Appeal said in a post to Stated.

“Former Chief Justice McMurtry was a giant whose vision and brilliance helped shape the state and country we live in today,” the paper said.

Flags at Osgoode Hall, where the Court of Appeal is located, will be flown at half-mast, the court said.

Politicians also joined in on Tuesday to offer their condolences.

Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey recalled Mr. McMurtry as a man of “unwavering dedication to justice, enduring influence in government, strong leadership, and inspiring people to seek a more just and equitable society.” did.

McMurtry was “essentially a wise leader,” Downey said. “He left an impact on his community, his state and his country. He was a giant in his own right.”

He was one of the judges on Ontario’s Court of Appeal, which upheld a lower court’s ruling that the common law definition of marriage was inconsistent with the Charter, which paved the way for legalizing same-sex marriage.

Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie expressed her condolences.

“He was a true gentleman and played a key role in the great constitutional debates of the 1980s,” she said.