'A judicial superstar': First Canadian woman appointed provincial chief justice retiring

The first woman appointed as chief justice of a province in Canada who has served 30 years in Alberta is retiring Saturday.

Catherine Anne Fraser, who also serves as the appeals court chief justice in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, will be stepping down from her positions. According to Canadian law, the mandatory retirement for justice is at age 75 — limiting Fraser's term to end no later than Aug. 4 this year.

"I have been humbled, and grateful, to have had this unparalleled opportunity to serve," Fraser said in a statement. "I have been fortunate to have worked with talented colleagues on the Alberta and Northern Courts of Appeal and the Canadian Judicial Council dedicated to achieving the highest level of justice for those we serve.

"I am confident that I leave the Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut Courts of Appeal well positioned to continue to inspire public trust in our justice system."

Fraser was born in New Brunswick and moved to Edmonton as a teen. She dreamed of practicing law and completed her bachelor of arts and laws at the University of Alberta in 1969 and 1970, respectively.

Two years later, she finished her master's at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

She returned to Edmonton and focused on practicing corporate and commercial law and serving as Public Service Employee Relations Board chair for several years. She also taught law at the University of Alberta and became Queen's Council in 1983.

In 1989, Fraser was appointed to the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta. Two years later, she was named to the Court of Appeal.

She was appointed as chief justice on March 12, 1992, and also became the youngest person in Alberta's history to hold that position at the age of 44.

As of publication, no replacement has been announced for the trailblazing lawyer. When asked if there is a timeline for naming a new chief justice, a Prime Minister's Office spokesperson said there was no "news to share at this time."

Sheilah Martin, Supreme Court of Canada justice, said in a statement that Fraser provided "first-class" justice throughout her career.

"Fraser has worked tirelessly and effectively," Martin added. "Known for her brilliant judgments, inspired leadership, administrative acumen and forward-thinking, she has been a judicial superstar whose many contributions will also benefit future."

Outside of Canada, Fraser was involved in several judicial education initiatives, including in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Croatia, Taiwan, Zimbabwe, Australia, and England.

Recently, Fraser was one of the justices that ruled Bill C-69, the federal Impact Assessment Act, unconstitutional. Passed in 2019, the act allowed Ottawa to consider the health, social, and environmental impacts of new resource projects.

In the non-binding decision stemming from a provincial reference question, Fraser noted that, while legitimate, environmental and climate change concerns should not override Canada's division of power.

"Intra-provincial activities are not immune from federal government regulation, providing that regulation remains within constitutional dividing lines," Chief Justice Fraser wrote in the court's opinion.

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench Chief Justice Mary Moreau noted many of Fraser's accomplishments during her tenure, including overseeing the digitization of appeals court operations and penning "key decisions in all areas of the law."

"She advocated strongly for the independence of Canada's courts and the value of education on social issues for judges," Moreau said. "She is a trailblazer whose vision and leadership will be missed by her fellow Chiefs and Albertans alike."