Gascon, Clément (1960-…), served as a puisne (associate) justice of the Supreme Court of Canada from 2014 to 2019. Prior to his appointment, Gascon served as a judge on the Quebec Court of Appeal, the province’s highest court.
Gascon was born on Feb. 5, 1960, in Montreal, Quebec. He attended McGill University and received a bachelor of civil law degree in 1981. In 1982, Gascon was admitted to the Bar of Quebec, the body of lawyers licensed to practice law in the province. From 1982 to 2002, he worked for the private Montreal law firm of Heenan Blaikie. There, he specialized in civil and commercial litigation and labor law. Litigation is the action of carrying out a lawsuit.
In addition to his work for the law firm, Gascon taught business law, construction law, and labor law at several schools, including McGill University and the University of Quebec. He also taught law at the Bar of Quebec. Gascon co-wrote a number of books and other publications about employment contracts and unfair competition.
From 2002 to 2012, Gascon was a judge on the Quebec Superior Court, the province’s second highest court. While a member of the Superior Court, he served regularly in its commercial division, which hears commercial law cases. In 2012, Gascon was appointed to the Quebec Court of Appeal. While serving as a judge, Gascon remained active in educational programs, including the annual Judgment Writing Seminar of the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice, as well as various legal education seminars.
Gascon was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada on June 9, 2014. He retired from the court in September 2019. In 2023, Gascon was made a companion of the Order of Canada for his contributions to law, and for his commitment to removing associations of shame or disgrace from mental illness. The Order of Canada is a high Canadian civilian honor.
