Doing Justice

Doing Justice is an intimate, deeply researched portrait of one of Canada's most influential judges--written from a uniquely personal perspective. In this landmark biography, John I. Laskin brings readers inside the public achievements and private life of his father, Bora Laskin, the pioneering labour arbitrator, constitutional scholar, and Chief Justice of Canada whose courage, humanity, and vision helped shape modern Canadian law.

Drawing on personal letters, archival materials, unpublished speeches, interviews, and decades of legal experience, John I. Laskin reveals the man behind the robe: the devoted son of Jewish immigrants who championed education and fairness; the gifted athlete from Fort William who never forgot his humble roots; the relentless scholar who believed that law must serve society; and the loving husband and father whose family grounded his extraordinary life.

The book traces Bora Laskin's journey from his early years in Northern Ontario to his groundbreaking academic career, his battles against discrimination, his pioneering work in labour law, and his transformative tenure on the Supreme Court of Canada. Along the way, it illuminates the values that defined him--fairness, integrity, independence, compassion--and the dissents and decisions that cemented his legacy, including his iconic judgment in Murdoch v. Murdoch, a catalyst for sweeping legislative reform.

Moving, meticulous, and candid, Doing Justice is both a son's tribute and a rich historical account of a remarkable Canadian who changed the legal landscape while remaining, in the eyes of those who knew him, modest, principled, and unfailingly human. It is the story of a life devoted to the law--and to doing what is right.