1. Loi sur les privilèges des entrepositaires, approuvée en 1921; 2. Loi sur les polices d'assurance contre l'incendie, revisée de nouveau et approuvée en 1922; 3. Loi sur les ventes conditionnelles (baux-ventes), approuvée en 1922. La loi concernant l'assurance sur la vie, soumise à la Conférence de 1921, et dont la discussion occupa presque tout le temps de la réunion de 1922, a été renvoyée de nouveau aux commissaires de l'Ontario, avec recommandation de présenter un nouveau rapport en 1923. Quelques surintendants des assurances nommés par des gouvernements provinciaux et quelques représentants des compagnies d'assurance ont comparu devant la Conférence et exposé leurs vues sur le sujet. Vu l'importance attachée à la loi des assurances sur la vie, la révision de la loi des ventes en bloc et la préparation d'une loi sur les privilèges d'ouvrier (mechanic's liens) ont été remis à l'an prochain. Des projets de loi ont été préparés par les différents comités sur les sujets suivants : 1. exécution réciproque des jugements.1 La Conférence a de plus sous considération les sujets suivants, sur lesquels, cependant, aucun projet de loi n'a été soumis pour discussion: 1. Impôts sur les successions. 2. Accidents du travail. 3. Compagnies à fonds social.14 4. Protection et droits de propriété des femmes mariées. 13 Le point de vue français sur cet important sujet a été exposé à l'Association en 1918, par M. Frédéric Allain, du Barreau de Paris (Procés-verbaux. 1918. p. 125) et en 1921, par M. Pierre Beullac, C.R, du Barreau de Montréal, (Procès-verbaux. 1921, p. 206). 14 Voir sur ce sujet le rapport des commissaires du Manitoba, présenté en 1920, et cité au 23 Revue du Notariat, p. 318. De cet exposé des travaux de la Conférence, plusieurs conclusions s'imposent : En premier lieu, il faut féliciter la Conférence de la sage lenteur qu'elle apporte à ses importants travaux. Elle suit à la lettre le conseil du vieux Boileau: Hâtez-vous lentement et sans perdre courage; Il faut également la féliciter sur le choix des sujets qu'elle a choisis, tous éminemment pratiques, s'ils ne sont pas tous applicables à la Province de Québec, et sur l'autorité qu'elle s'est déjà acquise auprès de la plupart des législatures provinciales. Cette Conférence, auxiliaire de l'Association, mais à peu près complètement indépendante d'elle, travaille dans l'ombre et sans bruit, et ne cherche à imposer ses vues que par la seule persuasion, n'espérant d'autre témoignage que celui de la conscience de chacun de ses membres. La gloire, si gloire il y a, ira aux législateur qui substituera les lois ainsi préparées au travail hâtif des représentants du peuple. Sic vos, non vobis, mellificatis, apes.1 15 "Je ne puis terminer ce travail sans remercier mon bon ami M. John D. Falconbridge, C.R., de Toronto, pour les observations judicieuses qu'il m'a faites et pour l'obligeance qu'il a déployée à me procurer des documents qui m'ont permis de mettre mon article au point avant la publication du rapport de la Conférence pour 1922, qui ne paraîtra que dans quelques semaines. THE LATE CHIEF JUSTICE GUSTAVE BY THE HONORABLE MR. JUSTICE GREENSHIELDS. "L'adversaire ne douterait de sa parole, le Juge ne voudrait rien vérifier après lui." "In steady good sense, judicial patience and impartiality, and freedom from prejudice, he was surpassed by none." On the morning of the 24th of November, last, the rapidly circulated report of the death of the Chief Justice of the Province of Quebec brought surprise, shock and sorrow to many. To those of us who were in daily intimate association with him the surprise was lessened by the knowledge that his health for some time left much to be desired; that daily close and intimate association increased the shock and added greatly to the sorrow. The report of his death told us the manner of his dying; in peaceful, natural, unaided sleep he passed into the great Unseen, and in a moment, as has been said "He hath learnt the secret hid On the morning of the 27th, without pomp or ostentation, which-to use his own testamentary words -"he detested," his mortal remains were borne to their last resting place. We who followed (and there were thousands) with bowed heads and sad and kindling hearts, realized-some of us did at least-that we had lost a well beloved Chief Justice; to many came the even more personal realization, that a true and trusted friend, a safe and wise guiding Counsellor had been to them lost. In very truth to all it became a reality that a great and good man had ceased his earthly activities; that a busy, unselfish career of well nigh half a century, as a citizen, as a member of the Bar, as the occupant of the highest judicial position in the Province in which he lived, had all too soon come to an end. It was borne in upon those who gave consideration, that his work in varied spheres was as a "mighty current that made for righteousness.' On the 16th day of April, 1856, in the County bearing the historic name of "Champlain," on the north shore of that noble river so aptly described as one "Whose mighty current gave Its freshness for a hundred leagues he was born. His boyhood days were passed much as those of many another boy, in like places and under similar conditions. He grew to early manhood surrounded by a class bearing the time honoured name of the "Quebec Habitant;" a class than which none is more carefree, happy and contented; none more hospitable and industrious; none more law abiding and God fearing; none wherein the love for kin and country is more deeply rooted; none wherein is more deeply implanted the full meaning of the obligation "to do unto others as you would that others should do unto you.' That it was early decided that Lamothe should follow a professional career is manifest. About 1871 ho left his home to attend a College at Three Rivers. I pass over the years he spent there with the remark that I have before me as I write a record of his scholastic achievements while at that Institution. He won in various classes, in various and varied subjects, twelve first prizes and two of the second class. Shortly after completing his course he selected for his future activities the profession of the law. He then started, not only to become a member of the Bar of his Province, but to become a lawyer, and there is a difference. Circumstances which he was unable to overcome prevented him from following the lectures in any of the Law Faculties then existing in the dif ferent Provincial Universities. He on more occasions than one expressed to me the regret that he held no University degree. I venture, however, to say, that with all the boasted efficiency of our Law Faculties (concerning which I have no criticism to offer), the late Chief Justice commenced the study of the law following a method which has produced the greatest Jurists of this Province. He did not seek to learn the law second hand or parrot like from others; he went to the source, and during more years than the average student occupies to become a member of the Bar he absorbed law to become a lawyer. He did become a member of the Bar; he became a great lawyer; he became a great Jurist, and he became a great and good Chief Justice. Not in the lecture room, but possibly and probably within the narrow limits of a much smaller room, aided by books borrowed from those who were able and willing to lend, he thoroughly and completely digested, in the first instance, the laws of this Province. Not the law only as revealed in the more or less stilted and ofttimes unhappily chosen words of our Code, but the underlying fundamental principles to express which the words found in our Code Articles were chosen. Lamothe saw far behind the Articles of the Code, and his vision reached and his mentality mastered the great principles which the Code Articles seek to embody. The wonderful and almost startling lucidity and brevity with which, as a Judge, he applied those principles to particular cases and special facts, commanded the admiration of his brother Judges, and inspired complete confidence among the members of the Bar. His written opinions, as we have them of record, are models of judicial pronouncements; only one with a thorough comprehensive grasp of those great principles which underlie the laws of all countries where law has reached the dignity or even the semblance of a Science could have produced what he has left as lasting monuments to his legal learning. |