Honourable Harry S. LaForme O.C., I.P.C.

The Honourable Harry S. LaForme is Anishinaabe and a member of the Mississauga of the Credit First Nation located in southern Ontario. He was born and raised mainly on his reserve during a time when the Indian Agent was present on the Nation. Many of his family continue to reside and remain active in that First Nation's government.

Harry graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1977 and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1979. He articled with the law firm of Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt; joined the firm as an associate; and, after a brief time commenced his own practice specializing in Indigenous law.  During his legal practice Harry focused on matters involving the Constitution and the Charter.  He has appeared before each level of Canadian Court, travelled extensively throughout Canada, and represented Canadian Indigenous interests in Geneva Switzerland, New Zealand, and the British Parliament.

Harry served as: co-chair of the independent National Chiefs Task Force on Native Land Claims; Chief Commissioner of the Indian Commission of Ontario; Chair of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Land Claims; and taught the "Rights of Indigenous Peoples" at Osgoode Hall Law School.  

In January 1994 Harry was appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice, Ontario and was – at that time - one of only 3 indigenous judges ever appointed to this level of trial court in Canada.  In November 2004. Harry was appointed to the Ontario Court of Appeal and is the first indigenous person to be appointed to sit on any appellate court in the history of Canada.

As a judge Harry authored many decisions that impacted and developed the law in regards to criminal, Indigenous and constitutional cases. Decisions that Harry authored or coauthored had international impact such as Halpern; the equal marriage decision and Wakeford; the medicinal, marihuana decision.

In 2008 Harry was appointed Chair of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission. He resigned from that position honouring the promise he made to Survivors of Indian Residential Schools that if he could not be independent, he would resign.  On behalf of the National Indian Residential School Survivors Society, the Elders cited the 7th grandfather teaching “Truth” and gifted Harry with an Eagle Feather.

Harry served as a member of the Rhodes Scholarship selection committee.

Harry retired from the Court of Appeal of Ontario in October 2018 and returned to the practice of law. Harry is Senior Counsel with the law firm of Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP; a firm that represents only First Nation communities.

In March 2021 Harry was appointed by Canada’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice to lead consultations with international and domestic experts, practitioners and exonerees about wrongful convictions with the goal of Canada creating an independent miscarriages of justice commission. On November 1, 2021 he delivered to Canada his report containing numerous recommendations about what such a commission could look like.

Harry was one of the lead plaintiffs’ counsel in the pan Canada class action lawsuit against Canada that sought to address the lack of clean water on numerous First Nations in Canada. In March 2023 Harry was appointed to the position of Mizhinawe in relation to the Robinson Huron Treaty settlement agreement and held that position until September 9, 2023.

Harry is privileged to have been honoured with: numerous Eagle Feathers including one at his swearing in at Ontario Court of Appeal and one from the National Indian Residential School Survivors Society; the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in the area of Law & Justice; a Talking Stick carved by Git’san artist Ya’Ya, Chuck Heit; a bursary created in his name for Indigenous first year law students by the University of Windsor Faculty of Law; and honourary Doctor of Law degrees from York University; University of Windsor, the University of Toronto, the Law Society of Upper Canada, and an honourary Doctorate of Education from Nipissing University. Harry and his spouse, Janice, sponsor an annual bursary for a first-year law student member of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers.

On April 3, 2024 York University awarded Harry with the Alumni Award for Outstanding Contributions. The Gala ceremony adopted Anishinaabe tradition and protocol and took place on the Treaty Lands of Harry’s First Nation.

On November 7, 2024 the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal honoured Harry by gifting him with an allyship award at their Spirit of Hope Gala event.

Harry has written and published numerous articles on issues related to indigenous law and justice.  He speaks frequently on many topics that include Indigenous issues, Indigenous law, criminal law, constitutional law and civil and human rights. Harry has received awards in regards to his commitment to social justice.