Justice Harry Maddison is a distinguished northern justice who served the Yukon and Northwest Territories for 30 years. He was both a traditionalist and a reformer. He embraced mediation while many courts were still questioning its value. He was also protective of the independence of the judiciary. He is a principled man, a perfectionist and one who strove in every decision to see justice done. He is also reserved, humble and a delightful and humorous person.

The lawyers of the Yukon wanted to recognize Justice Maddison’s contribution to northern justice and felt that the establishment of a permanent chair with Yukon College was more enduring than the usual gold watch. The Maddison Chair invites a distinguished judge, lawyer or scholar to make a public presentation each year on northern justice. The Maddison Chair Lecture is an ongoing commitment to providing a forum to explore contemporary issues in northern justice.

This is a collection of the first 15 years of those lectures.