Eligibility
- Any Canadian except the current President, Past-Presidents within five years, or members of the judiciary while on the bench.
- Candidates must be Canadian citizens.
- Groups are not acknowledged as candidates.
- There are no posthumous awards.
Nomination procedure
The President nominates candidates for this Award. The President may suggest names of candidates directly, ask the members of the Board of Directors to suggest names of candidates, and/or ask CBA Branch Presidents to suggest names of candidates.
Selection process
The CBA President is responsible for selecting the successful candidate. No award may be granted in any one year, and no more than three awards shall be granted in one year.
Award
The Award takes the form of an engraved brass Scales of Justice.
Award winners
- 2025 - The Right Honourable Kim Campbell
- 2024 - The Honourable Rosalie Silberman Abella (Toronto, ON)
- 2023 - Marie-Laure Leclercq, Ad. E. (Montreal, QC)
- 2022 - Honourable Clément Gascon (Montreal, QC)
- 2021 - Prof. Aimée Craft (Ottawa, ON & Winnipeg, MB) and Dr. John Borrows (Victoria, BC)
- 2020 - The Honourable Juanita Westmoreland-Traoré (Verdun, QC) & The Honourable Hugh L. Fraser (Ottawa, ON)
- 2019 - Beverley McLachlin (Ottawa, ON)
- 2018 - Senator Murray Sinclair (Headingley, MB)
- 2017 - Maureen Whelly Mills K.C. (Riverview, NB)
- 2016 - Daphne Dumont, K.C. (Charlottetown, P.E.I.)
- 2015 - Hon. John C. Major, C.C., K.C. (Calgary, AB)
- 2014 - Irwin Cotler (Montreal, QC) and Simon Fodden (Toronto, ON)
- 2013 - Eric Rice (Vancouver, BC)
- 2012 - Vincent Morier (St-Hyacinthe, QC) & Dianne Pothier (Halifax, NS)
- 2011 - Dave Joe (Vancouver, BC)
- 2010 - Brigadier-General (Ret.) Ken Watkin (Kingston, ON)
- 2009 - Gail Asper, O.C., O.M., LL.M. (Winniepg, MB)
- 2008 - Vincent O'Donnell, K.C. (Montreal, QC)
- 2007 - The Honourable R. Roy McMurtry, K.C. (Toronto, ON)
- 2006 - Brian C. Midwinter, K.C. (The Pas, MB)
- 2005 - No recipient
- 2004 - Robert Patzelt (Halifax, NS)
- 2003 - Greg DelBigio (Vancouver, BC)
- 2002 - Antonio Lamer P.C., C.C. (Montréal, QC)
- 2001 - Ted K. Rowan-Legg (Halifax, NS)
- 2000 - Douglas J. Los, (Sudbury ON)
- 1999 - Thomas G. Heintzman, K.C. (Toronto, ON)
- 1998 - Stephen Hanson, (Ottawa, ON)
- 1997 - Brian Crane, K.C. (Ottawa, ON)
- 1996 - Robert Smethurst, (Vancouver, BC)
- 1995 - John C. Tait, K.C. (Ottawa, ON)
- 1994 - R. Dennis Maher, K.C.(North Battleford, SK)
- 1993 - L. Yves Fortier, C.C., K.C. (Montreal, QC)
- 1992 - The Honourable Bertha Wilson, (Ottawa, ON)
- 1991 - The Right Honourable Brian Dickson, (Ottawa, ON)
- 1990 - No recipient
- 1989 - Wilbur F. Bowker, K.C. (Edmonton, AB)
- 1988 - L'honorable Jules Deschênes (Montreal, QC)
- 1987 - Judge Samuel Freedman (Winnipeg, MB)
- 1986 - Judge Maxwell Cohen (Ottawa, ON)
- 1985 - The Honourable Judge George Joseph Tweedy (Charlottetown, P.E.I.)
- 1984 - The Honourable Emmett Hall (Saskatoon, SK)