Presentation
of the Bora Laskin Award to Pierre Verge
Speech
given by Robert P. Gagnon
Sutton Place Hotel in Toronto at 7:00 p.m. on May
5, 2004
It
is both an honour and a great joy for me to introduce Pierre Verge, Emeritus Professor
at the Faculty of Law, Université Laval, in Quebec City, to whom the University
of Toronto is awarding the Bora Laskin Award this year, in recognition of his
outstanding contribution to labour law. Pierre
Verge has devoted more than 35 years to teaching labour law and developing this
field of law, through his fundamental research both nationally and internationally. Professor
Verge's brilliant career was first built on a broad and solid training acquired
in several notable institutions including the University of Toronto right here. Admitted
to the Barreau du Québec (Bar of Quebec) in 1961, the following year he
obtained a Master's of Arts in economy from McGill University. In 1968, he was
awarded a master's degree in law by the University of Toronto. Pierre Verge then
decided to pursue his studies with Professor Bora Laskin, but the latter's nomination
to the bench meant that he did his doctorate under the supervision of Professor
Harry Arthurs, the first recipient of the Bora Laskin Award in 2003. Pierre Verge
completed his doctoral studies at Université Laval in 1970. Three years
later, in 1973, he became dean of its Faculty of Law. Professor
Verge has made extensive contribution to the doctrine of labour law. He is the
author and co-author of several works and some one hundred articles marking the
evolution of labour law both in Canada and abroad. Pierre
Verge's conception of labour law is in keeping with Bora Laskin's thinking. It
advocates the autonomy of his field of law from common law, while not ignoring
the contribution of other sources of law, and for its understanding, other social
sciences. This
conception can be found, for example, in three editions of a book entitled Droit
du travail, which was written in collaboration with Louis LeBel, now a judge on
the Supreme Court of Canada, and yours truly. It offers a doctrinal synthesis
of labour law in the Quebec and federal jurisdictions. The last edition, which
dates back to 1991, is still today a standard reference work for lawyers and decision-makers. Another
work, an essay on the specificity of labour law published in 1997 with his co-author
Professor Guylaine Vallée, is internationally recognized for its intellectual
rigor and original conception of the place of labour law within the legal sphere
of Western countries. Professor
Verge has always put his sharp mind and impressive capacity for analyzing labour
law at the service of his intellectual integrity and his social convictions about
all aspects of current issues. His recent work on globalization and its effects
on the internationalization of labour law attests to these qualities. He never
hesitates to address a new issue or to reconsider a position already expressed.
In his view, only the importance of the issue and the merit of the arguments matter. On
a more personal level, his unfailing courtesy and ever moderate tone have never
diminished Pierre Verge's perseverance, which can become veritable tenacity when
necessary. Pierre Verge is also a generous man: generous with his spirit; generous
with his time and ability to listen; generous with the place that he has deservedly
earned within the legal and labour law community. He was my first supervisor in
the world of law. He soon became a model and my mentor. Pierre verge is a source
of motivation and inspiration for young lawyers who intend to go into practice
or research in labour law in Canada. To
sum up, Pierre Verge is not only a great lawyer and a great scholar but also a
person of exceptional stature. "For
all these reason", as our courts of all jurisdictions would say, the
University of Toronto could only choose Pierre Verge for the 2004 Bora Laskin
Award.
-
Robert P. Gagnon -
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