Film Screening—Without Precedent: The Supreme Life of Rosalie Abella

Images courtesy of Melbar Entertainment Group

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The Hon. Rosalie Silberman Abella, whose parents survived the Holocaust, was born in a displaced persons camp in Stuttgart, Germany in 1946. She came to Canada as a refugee in 1950. She graduated from the University of Toronto's University College in 1967, earned her law degree at U of T in 1970 and received an honorary degree from U of T in 1990.

Her legal career has been was marked by a series of firsts: she was the first Jewish woman appointed to Canada’s top court; the first pregnant woman appointed to the judiciary in Canada; and the first refugee appointed to the bench in Canada. As the sole Commissioner of the 1984 federal Royal Commission on Equality in Employment, she is credited with creating the term and concept of "employment equity". Since her retirement in 2021, Abella has been appointed a distinguished visiting jurist at U of T Law and the Pisar visiting professor of Law at Harvard Law School.

The University of Toronto, through generous philanthropic support, is recognizing the trailblazing legal career of Abella and her beloved late husband, Canadian historian, Professor Irving Abella (BA 1963 UC, MA 1964, Hon. LLD 2014). The Irving and Rosalie Abella Chair in Justice and Equality will enhance U of T Law as a global leader in equity and human rights.

Join us as we celebrate their supreme life and partnership. The Hon. Justice Abella will be joined in conversation with filmmakers Barry Avrich (BA WDW 1985), director/producer, and Mark Selby (BA Innis 2002), producer, following the screening.

This event is free to attend in-person only. Screening at 5:30 p.m., doors open at 5:00 p.m.