Kent Roach, C.M.
Toronto, Ontario
Member of the Order of Canada
For his steadfast defence of the rights of Canadians, both as a scholar and as a litigator.
Kent Roach has made outstanding contributions to protecting our civil liberties. A long-time professor at the University of Toronto, he is also a skilled litigator who has participated in some of the most significant Charter rights cases of the last few decades. His far-reaching involvement in social justice has spanned forums as diverse as the Ipperwash, Arar and Air India inquiries, as well as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In recent years, he has also emerged as a leading figure in counterterrorism studies whose voice is among the most influential in contemporary debates on the limits of security.