#160. [Truth Be Told: My Journey Through Life and the Law], [[McLachlin Beverley]]

Beverley McLachlin grew up outside Pincher Creek, Alberta in the 1940 and 1950’s. Part of the time her log home didn’t have electricity or running water. But the town had a library and it offered music and drama programs. Her parents raised her to accept all people, to question before she believed and to have an open mind.

In the 1950’s the careers open to women were nursing and teaching or being a waitress. At age 18 she moved to Edmonton, to the University of Alberta with the vague idea of taking education but instead took an Arts degree because she felt she didn’t know anything. This led her to philosophy. When she graduated she realized she had to do more so she could do something with her life. A friend had once suggested she consider law and that floated back into her mind. A few weeks into her law degree she knew she had found her home.

Her work included time with a small law firm and teaching at the law school at the University of British Columbia before she moved into being a judge. This led quickly to the Supreme Court of Canada, in Ottawa, where she stayed for 28 years. She was the Chief Justice for over 17 years, the longest serving one in Canada and the first woman in the position.

More of her personal life is covered as well as a review of the important landmark cases the court dealt with in her time there. Her continued love of Justice and the importance of people understanding what the Supreme Court did and peoples access to Justice led to community involvement and public speaking on these issues in Canada and internationally. The Canadian Supreme Court had an international reputation for its deal with constitutional issues following the passing of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

McLachlin always wanted to write fiction and as she drew closer to retirement she turned her hand a writing a legal mystery which was published and well accepted. She has written a second and I hope she follows it up with more.

Her life has not been with out its struggles but these can be matched with sitting at a dinner with her childhood heroine and talking to the Queen for an hour!

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