Lance Finch

Lance Sydney George Finch, QC OBC (June 16, 1938 – August 30, 2020)[1] was a Canadian lawyer and jurist. He was President of the Vancouver Bar Association and a bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia. He was appointed as a judge in 1983 and went on to serve as the Chief Justice of the British Columbia Court of Appeal from 2001 until his retirement on June 16, 2013.[2]

Lance Finch
QC OBC
Chief Justice of British Columbia Court of Appeal
In office
June 6, 2001 – June 16, 2013
Nominated byJean Chrétien
Preceded byAllan McEachern
Succeeded byRobert J. Bauman
Puisne Justice of the British Columbia Court of Appeal
In office
May 28, 1993 – June 6, 2001
Nominated byBrian Mulroney
Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia
In office
May 5, 1983 – May 28, 1993
Personal details
Born(1938-06-16)June 16, 1938
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
DiedAugust 30, 2020(2020-08-30) (aged 82)
North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Alma materUniversity of British Columbia
ProfessionLawyer

Early life

Finch was born in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1938. His family moved in 1951 to Victoria, British Columbia,[3] where he attended high school. He enrolled in Victoria College in 1955, went on to earn his undergraduate and law degree at the University of British Columbia, and was called to the bar in 1963. He was a member of the University's rowing team. He articled at Guild, Yule & Company in Vancouver, British Columbia, and became partner in 1968. He was president of the Vancouver Bar Association (1976) and served an appointment as a bencher of the Law Society of British Columbia (from 1981 to 1983).[4] He taught at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law and the Continuing Legal Education Program.[5]

Career as a judge

Finch was in private practice from 1963 to 1983.[6] He was appointed to Supreme Court of British Columbia on May 5, 1983. A decade later, on May 28, 1993, he was raised to the British Columbia Court of Appeal and appointed Chief Justice on June 6, 2001.

He publicly voiced concern over access to justice for the working poor and middle class who earn too much to qualify for legal aid but not enough to afford a lawyer.[7] He also called for the legal system to engage the narratives and laws of Indigenous Canadians "with a sense of humility".[8]

He authored the lone dissenting opinion when, in October 2013, the Court of Appeal overturned the Carter v Canada (AG) judgment at first instance, which had found in favour of permitting assisted suicide in Canada. Finch wrote that "[t]he point at which the meaning of life is lost, when life's positive attributes are so diminished as to render life valueless, when suffering overwhelms all else, is an intensely personal decision which 'everyone' has the right to make for him or herself".[9] The case proceeded to the Supreme Court of Canada, which agreed with Finch's position when it reversed the decision of the Court of Appeal in 2015.[10]

Finch returned to private practice in 2013, upon reaching statutory retirement age.[11]

Awards

Finch was awarded an Honorary Law Degree, LLD, by the University of British Columbia.[5] He was appointed to the Order of British Columbia on November 30, 2017.[12]

Personal life

Finch was married to Judy; together, they had three children.[8] He died on August 30, 2020, surrounded by his family.[3] He was 82, and suffered from cancer in the years leading up to his death.[8]

References
  1. "Lance Sidney George Finch". Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  2. Chief Justice Lance Finch’s Retirement
  3. "Former British Columbia chief justice Lance Finch dies at 82". CBC News. The Canadian Press. September 1, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  4. "New Judges – The Honourable – Mr. Justice Lance Finch" (PDF). Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  5. "UBC Archives – Honorary Degree Citations – 2003-07". Library.ubc.ca. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  6. "The Honourable Chief Justice Lance Finch". Cba.org. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  7. "University of Victoria - Alumni and Friends – Events – Legacy Awards". Alumni.uvic.ca. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  8. Fraser, Keith (September 1, 2020). "'Strong, steady and humble': Former top B.C. access to justice judge Lance Finch dies at age 82". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  9. Stueck, Wendy (October 10, 2013). "B.C. court upholds ban on assisted suicide as public debate heats up". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  10. "Carter v. Canada (Attorney General)". Supreme Court of Canada. SCC/CSC. February 6, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  11. "Hon. Lance S.G. Finch, Q.C. | Guild Yule LLP".
  12. B.C.'s highest honour recognizes 16 outstanding citizens
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