2026 RECIPIENT | ABOUT THE AWARD | PROCESS | PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS
2026 JUSTICE MEDAL
The 2026 Medal of Justice was awarded to The Honourable Andromache Karakatsanis, a judge of the Supreme Court of Canada, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the administration of justice in Canada for over 40 years, her remarkable leadership at all levels of the justice system, and her commitment to accessible, pragmatic justice that is responsive to the needs of the public.
About The Honourable Andromache Karakatsanis
Justice Andromache Karakatsanis was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada in October 2011. She had been appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario in March 2010 and a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in December 2002.
Justice Karakatsanis is a graduate of the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law School.
Following her call to the Bar in 1982, Andromache Karakatsanis served as a law clerk to the Ontario Court of Appeal. In private practice, she practised criminal, civil and family litigation in Toronto for several years. She then served in the Ontario Public Service for 15 years in a number of senior positions.
During her career in public service, Andromache Karakatsanis served as Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Liquor Licence Board of Ontario (1988-95); as Assistant Deputy Attorney General and Secretary for Native Affairs (1995-97); and as Deputy Attorney General (1997-2000).
Andromache Karakatsanis served as Ontario’s Secretary of the Cabinet and Clerk of the Executive Council from July 2000 to November 2002. As the province’s senior public servant, she provided leadership to the Ontario Public Service and to the deputy ministers.
While in the public service, Justice Karakatsanis was actively involved in issues related to education and reform in the field of administrative justice. She was a recipient of the Society of Ontario Adjudicators and Regulators (SOAR) Medal in 1996 for outstanding service to Ontario’s administrative justice system.
Justice Karakatsanis volunteered extensively with the YMCA of Greater Toronto from 1990 to 2002 and held a number of senior positions, including that of Chair of the Board of Directors. She also served as a member of the Board of the Public Policy Forum and of Canadian Policy and Research Networks (CPRN).
Justice Karakatsanis was born in Toronto on October 3, 1955. She is married to Tom Karvanis and they have two children, Paul and Rhea.
© Jessica Deeks Photography – SCC Collection
ABOUT THE JUSTICE MEDAL
At CIAJ’s 10th anniversary, in 1984, a Justice Medal Award was inaugurated by the Board of Directors to be awarded every second year as a mark of exceptional achievement to a person who, in the opinion of the CIAJ, has shown distinctive leadership in the administration of justice in Canada, or by his or her writings or other endeavors, has made a significant contribution to the administration of justice in Canada.
PROCESS
Recommend a candidate! The CIAJ Board of Directors invites you to submit your nominations for the 2028 Medal Award. Eligibility requirements are described below.
The recipient of the 2028 Justice Medal will be announced at the CIAJ’s 2028 Annual Conference.
Deadline
- July 1st, 2028
Eligibility
- No member of the search committee is eligible for the Award nor any present member of the CIAJ Board of Directors who holds executive office is eligible for the Award.
- Activities in furthering CIAJ’s programs should not be considered as a main reason for the Award. Nevertheless, this might be considered as a supporting or subsidiary factor where a person was nominated primarily for his or her other achievements in or contributions to the administration of justice in Canada.
Conditions
- All nominations for the Award shall be made over the signature of at least two nominators.
- All nominations must be received by the Executive Director, no later than July 1st, 2028.
- Each nomination shall be accompanied by a full description of the work and achievements of the nominee which, in the opinion of the nominators, qualifies the nominee for the award, together with such supporting evidence as the nominator may wish the committee to consider.
- The Executive Director shall refer all such nominations received by CIAJ to the search committee:
− Every other year before June 30, the Executive Committee is to appoint a search committee consisting of not more than 5 members of CIAJ;
− The search committee is to prepare a list of at least 2 and not more than 5 nominees who meet the eligibility requirements. The list is to be submitted to CIAJ’s Executive Committee;
− The Executive Committee is to select the recipient of the Justice Medal from among the nominees on the list prepared by the search committee. - No award shall be made if, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, no nominee meets the above conditions.
- A nomination may be resubmitted for consideration in a subsequent year.
- The Executive Committee shall decide on or before the 2028 Annual Conference, who shall receive the Award.
RECIPIENTS
| 2026 | The Honourable Justice Andromache Karakatsanis (SCC) |
| 2024 | Ruth Sullivan |
| 2022 | The Honourable Rosalie Silberman Abella |
| 2021 | The Medal was not awarded due to the pandemic. |
| 2019 | Professor Emeritus John McCamus (Ontario) and The Honourable Patrick J. LeSage (Ontario) |
| 2017 | The Honourable Thomas A. Cromwell (SCC) |
| 2015 | The Honourable Murray Sinclair (Manitoba) |
| 2013 | The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin (SCC) |
| 2011 | The Honourable René Dussault (Quebec) |
| 2009 | The Honourable Frank Iacobucci (SCC) |
| 2007 | The Honourable Justice Richard D. Schneider (Ontario) |
| 2005 | The Late Honourable Alan B. Gold (Quebec) |
| 2003 | The Late Honourable Constance R. Glube (N.S.) and The Late Honourable Kenneth M. Lysyk (BCSC) |
| 2001 | The Honourable Horace Krever (Ontario) |
| 1999 | Professor Ed Ratushny (Ottawa) |
| 1997 | The HonourableClaire L’Heureux-Dubé (SCC) and The Honourable Sidney Linden (Ontario) The Honourable W. David Griffiths (Ontario) |
| 1995 | The Honourable W. David Griffiths (Ontario) |
| 1993 | The Late Honourable David C. McDonald (Alberta) |
| 1991 | The Honourable G. Arthur Martin (Ontario) |
| 1989 | Dr. W.A. Bowker (Alberta) |
| 1987 | The Late Honourable Brian Dickson (SCC) |
| 1985 | The Late Honourable Jules Deschênes (Québec) |