John C. Major

{{Infobox Judge

|name = John C. Major

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|office = Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada

|termstart = November 13, 1992

|termend = December 25, 2005

|nominator = Brian Mulroney

|appointer =

|predecessor = William Stevenson

|successor = Marshall Rothstein

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|birth_name =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1931|2|20|mf=y}}

|birth_place = Mattawa, Ontario, Canada

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John Charles Major {{postnominals|country=CAN|CC|KC}} (born February 20, 1931) is a Canadian jurist and was a puisne justice on the Supreme Court of Canada from 1992 to 2005.{{cite web|title=Judges of the Court: The Honourable Mr. Justice John C. Major|url=http://www.scc-csc.gc.ca/court-cour/ju/major/index-eng.asp|publisher=Supreme Court of Canada|access-date=15 July 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120227170459/http://www.scc-csc.gc.ca/court-cour/ju/major/index-eng.asp|archive-date=27 February 2012}}

Early life and education

Major was born at Mattawa Hospital in Mattawa, Ontario.{{Cite web |date=2019-06-26 |title=John Major |url=https://mattawamuseum.ca/local-history/local-characters/john-major/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Mattawa Museum |language=en-CA}} Major received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Loyola College in 1953 and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in 1957.

Career

Major practised law as a partner in the Calgary office of Bennett Jones LLP for 34 years. He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1972. From 1975 to 1985, he was the Senior Counsel for the Calgary Police Service. He was appointed to the Court of Appeal of Alberta on July 11, 1991.

Supreme Court

On November 13, 1992, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. He was known for his belief in providing deference to government and for his particularly succinct writing style. Major stepped down from the court on December 25, 2005, approximately two months before the mandatory retirement date of his 75th birthday.

Administrator of Canada

On September 27, 2005, Major served as Administrator of Canada, due to the absence of Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, during the transition between Governors General Adrienne Clarkson and Michaëlle Jean.

Post-court

On January 5, 2006, he rejoined the Calgary office of Bennett Jones LLP, the firm with which he practised before his judicial career.{{cite web|url=http://www.bennettjones.com/MajorJohn/|title=Hon. John C. (Jack) Major C.C., Q.C.|website=Bennett Jones|access-date=5 February 2015}} On March 8, 2006, he was appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to lead a public inquiry into the Air India Flight 182 bombing and the resulting trials. He was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in the Canada Day 2008 Honours.