It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing, on March 17, 2023, of the Honourable Pierre A. Michaud, who was Chief Justice of Québec from November 15, 1994 to June 20, 2002, and left his mark on the Court of Appeal of Quebec, on access to justice and on judicial ethics.

The Honourable Pierre A. Michaud, a native of Saguenay, earned his law degree from the Université de Montréal in 1960, was admitted to Quebec Bar the following year and practised civil and commercial litigation. In 1983, he was appointed to the Superior Court of Quebec, subsequently becoming Associate Chief Justice in 1992, and was elevated to the position of Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal of Quebec in 1994, at which time he continued to serve as Vice Chair of the Canadian Judicial Council and as a member of various of its committees for some ten years.

He was a remarkable man whose integrity, leadership, and tireless efforts to improve access to justice and showcase the work of the Court of Appeal of Quebec inspired his peers and contemporaries. Chief Justice Michaud boldly supported the sustained efforts of the Honourable Justice Louise Otis to establish a civil mediation service within the Court of Appeal, a Canadian first among appellate courts. Year after year, civil mediation at the Court of Appeal continues to benefit litigants by providing a means for settling disputes out of court.

He was also one of the driving forces behind the Court of Appeal’s presence in the Ernest Cormier Building. The Court of Appeal has been sitting there since 2004 thanks to Chief Justice Michaud’s remarkable efforts to convince the Government of Quebec to restore the building. While returning to its original vocation, it also contributes to the preservation of Quebec’s judicial architectural heritage.

Given these accomplishments, it is not surprising that he was appointed a Member, and then an Officer, of the Order of Canada (2003; 2004) as well as an Officier de l’Ordre national du Québec (2015). Chief Justice Pierre A. Michaud was truly a remarkable Chief Justice of Québec.

In the words of the current Chief Justice of Québec, Manon Savard, “The honourable Pierre A. Michaud was an invaluable colleague and an extraordinary Chief Justice of Québec. He leaves a legacy that is still very much felt in the work of the Court of Appeal more than 20 years after his retirement. Moreover, beyond all of these accomplishments, there are countless unanimous accounts of his profound humanity. He will remain a source of inspiration for us all.”

The Chief Justice of Québec, as well as her colleagues and the staff of the Court of Appeal wish to express their most sincere condolences to the family and friends of the Honourable Pierre A. Michaud.