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Chief Justice of Canada
The Chief Justice of Canada
Incumbent
Richard Wagner, PC

since December 18, 2017
Supreme Court of Canada
Office of the Chief Justice
Judiciary of Canada (Queen-on-the-Bench)
Style The Right Honourable
Madam/Mister Chief Justice
Member of Supreme Court
Canadian Judicial Council (Ex-officio chairman)
Order of Canada advisory council (chairman)
Seat Supreme Court Building, Ottawa, Ontario
Nominator Cabinet
Appointer Governor General of Canada
Term length No set term, though retirement is mandatory at age 75
Constituting instrument Supreme Court Act
Inaugural holder Sir William Buell Richards
Formation September 30, 1875
(149 years ago)
 (1875-09-30)
Salary $413,500 (as of April 2018)
Website Supreme Court

The Chief Justice of Canada (French: Juge en Chef du Canada) is the presiding judge of the nine-member Supreme Court of Canada, the highest judicial body in Canada.

List of chief justices

Since the Supreme Court was established in 1875, the following 18 persons have served as Chief Justice:

Name
(Province)
Order and term Length of term Appointed on
advice of
Date of birth Date of death
Richards, William BuellWilliam Buell Richards
(Ontario)
1st September 30, 1875 –
January 10, 1879
3 years, 102 days Mackenzie May 2, 1815 January 26, 1889
Ritchie, William JohnstoneWilliam Johnstone Ritchie
(New Brunswick)
2nd January 11, 1879 –
September 25, 1892
13 years, 258 days Macdonald October 28, 1813 September 25, 1892
Strong, Samuel HenrySamuel Henry Strong
(Ontario)
3rd December 13, 1892 –
November 17, 1902
9 years, 339 days Thompson August 13, 1825 August 31, 1909
Taschereau, Henri ElzéarHenri Elzéar Taschereau
(Quebec)
4th November 21, 1902 –
May 1, 1906
3 years, 161 days Laurier October 7, 1836 April 14, 1911
Fitzpatrick, CharlesCharles Fitzpatrick
(Quebec)
5th June 4, 1906 –
October 20, 1918
12 years, 138 days Laurier December 19, 1851 June 17, 1942
Davies, Louis HenryLouis Henry Davies
(Prince Edward Island)
6th October 23, 1918 –
May 1, 1924
5 years, 191 days Borden May 4, 1845 May 1, 1924
Anglin, Francis AlexanderFrancis Alexander Anglin
(Ontario)
7th September 16, 1924 –
February 27, 1933
8 years, 164 days King April 2, 1865 March 2, 1933
Duff, LymanLyman Duff
(British Columbia)
8th March 17, 1933 –
January 6, 1944
10 years, 295 days Bennett January 7, 1865 April 26, 1955
Rinfret, ThibaudeauThibaudeau Rinfret
(Quebec)
9th January 8, 1944 –
June 21, 1954
10 years, 164 days King June 22, 1879 July 25, 1962
Kerwin, PatrickPatrick Kerwin
(Ontario)
10th July 1, 1954 –
February 2, 1963
8 years, 216 days St. Laurent October 25, 1889 February 2, 1963
Taschereau, RobertRobert Taschereau
(Quebec)
11th April 22, 1963 –
August 31, 1967
4 years, 131 days Pearson September 10, 1896 July 26, 1970
Cartwright, John RobertJohn Robert Cartwright
(Ontario)
12th September 1, 1967 –
March 22, 1970
2 years, 202 days Pearson March 23, 1895 November 24, 1979
Fauteux, GéraldGérald Fauteux
(Quebec)
13th March 23, 1970 –
December 22, 1973
3 years, 274 days P. Trudeau October 22, 1900 September 14, 1980
Laskin, BoraBora Laskin
(Ontario)
14th December 27, 1973 –
March 26, 1984
10 years, 90 days P. Trudeau October 5, 1912 March 26, 1984
Dickson, BrianBrian Dickson
(Manitoba)
15th April 18, 1984 –
June 29, 1990
6 years, 72 days P. Trudeau May 25, 1916 October 17, 1998
Lamer, AntonioAntonio Lamer
(Quebec)
16th July 1, 1990 –
January 6, 2000
9 years, 189 days Mulroney July 8, 1933 November 24, 2007
McLachlin, BeverleyBeverley McLachlin
(British Columbia)
17th January 7, 2000 –
December 14, 2017
17 years, 341 days Chrétien September 7, 1943 2024-11-21(living)
Wagner, RichardRichard Wagner
(Quebec)
18th December 18, 2017 –
Incumbent
6 years, 339 days J. Trudeau April 2, 1957 2024-11-21(living)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Presidente de la Corte Suprema de Canadá para niños

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