Bertha Wernham Wilson, a pioneering figure in Canadian law, made history as the first woman appointed as a puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. Her trailblazing career set multiple precedents in the legal field, paving the way for women in the judiciary.
Born on September 18, 1923, in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, Wilson pursued higher education at the University of Aberdeen, earning a Master of Arts degree in philosophy in 1944. She later moved to Canada and enrolled at Dalhousie University, where she earned her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 1958. Despite gaining acceptance into Harvard Law School’s Master of Laws program, she opted to forgo further studies and instead joined the Toronto-based law firm Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt. A year later, in 1959, she was called to the bar in Ontario, becoming the firm’s first female associate. By 1968, Wilson had broken yet another barrier, becoming the firm’s first female partner. She also founded Osler’s research department, a pioneering initiative that became a model for similar departments across the country.
Wilson’s ascent in the judiciary continued in 1975 when she was appointed as the first female justice to sit on the Court of Appeal for Ontario. Her most significant breakthrough came in March 1982, when Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau nominated her to the Supreme Court of Canada, marking a historic milestone for women in the Canadian legal system. Throughout her tenure, Wilson was known for her progressive rulings, particularly in cases involving individual rights and freedoms.
After nearly a decade on the country’s highest court, Wilson retired in January 1991. Her contributions to Canadian law were recognized with her election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and her appointment as a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1992. From 1991 to 1996, she served as a Commissioner for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP), further cementing her influence in shaping Canadian legal and social policy.
Wilson also delivered a thought-provoking and widely discussed speech, “Will Women Judges Really Make a Difference?” in which she addressed the evolving role of women in the legal profession.
In her later years, Wilson developed Alzheimer’s disease and spent her final days in a retirement home in Ottawa. She passed away on April 28, 2007, at the age of 83.
Her legacy endures as a beacon of progress for women in law, inspiring future generations to challenge and redefine traditional boundaries in the legal profession.
