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Terribly sad news. I’ve just learned former #SCC Justice Peter Cory has died. He was a gentleman, unfailingly polite to counsel and reporters. Here’s the story I wrote on his exit from the bench. He later led an inquiry into deaths in Northern Ireland.
http://www.fact.on.ca/newpaper/ts990306.htm
http://www.fact.on.ca/newpaper/ts990306.htm
Peter Cory also led the inquiry into the wrongful conviction of Thomas Sophonow.
And he was a bomber pilot with the RCAF's 6 Bomber group. He flew 22 missions over Germany, but I couldn't get him to talk about it. ``Please. That's nothing special, compared to others who gave so much and did so much.''
What he did remember is the name and home town of his mid-upper gunner who died in the war. A Newfoundlander, Cory says. One of his favourite books was E. Annie Proulx's Shipping News, which describes in loving detail his gunner's home province.
He was viewed back then by many academics as "the conscience of the court." And because of his gentle manner, and let's admit, sweater-looks, was often compared to Mr. Rogers. That made him laugh. He told me: "I always thought I was better looking than Mr. Rogers.''
Between 3:30 and 4:30 each afternoon, Cory used to make a cookie run on the court's third floor, handing around a jar of shortbreads or chocolate chip biscuits to his colleagues. They told me it wasn't annoying. They loved that it made the austere place more collegial.
This may surprise you, but Peter Cory did not think the #SCC job was the peak of his career, nor the most important role in the judiciary.
Cory told me: "I think the trial judge is the most important entity in the whole system. It's the trial judge that demonstrates justice and fairness to the community, and that's of pre-eminent importance.''
Cory once threw out a contempt of court citation against Toronto lawyer Harry Kopyto, and said judges ought to welcome criticism, that courts weren't fragile flowers that would wither in the heat of controversy.
