Casper Bloom, Q.C., Ad. E.

Chairperson

Born in Montréal, Mr. Bloom received a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario, and a Licence en Droit from the Université de Montréal. Mr. Bloom was admitted to the Bar of Quebec and began practising law at Ogilvy Renault, where he subsequently became a senior partner and continued practising until 2000.

As a specialist in labour and employment law, Mr. Bloom has been an active litigator in both official languages before many courts and administrative tribunals, including the Quebec Provincial and Superior Courts and Court of Appeal, the Federal Court, arbitration boards of several provinces, various labour relations boards, and the Quebec and Canadian Human Rights Commissions. Mr. Bloom was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1985 and Advocatus Emeritus in 2007.

From 2000 to 2002, Mr. Bloom served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Lake Carriers Association, where he was responsible for the labour relations of all the major carriers in the Great Lakes–St-Lawrence Seaway system. From 2002 to 2006, Mr. Bloom served as Legal Counsel and Director of Academic and Employee Relations at Concordia University.

Mr. Bloom has frequently been called upon by governments to advise and consult on matters related to public policy and the public interest, including electoral law, linguistic and equality rights and Canadian unity. He is recognized both nationally and internationally for his public-law advocacy, having served in many capacities, including terms as the Batonnier of the Bar of Montreal, National Chair of the Labour Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association, Chair of the Labour Law Section of Quebec, President of the Lord Reading Law Society and President of the Quebec Branch of the Canadian Bar Association. In addition, he has served as a member of the Federal Court Challenges Program, has been a Governor of the Quebec Bar Foundation and is currently a trustee of the Foundation for Legal Research. His community activities include serving on the boards of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Canadian Friends of Tel Aviv University and the Board and executive of the McGill University Health Centre. Mr. Bloom also lectured at McGill University in Labour and Employment Law from 1972 to 1977.

Mr. Bloom has received many awards and distinctions in his career, including the 1998 Award of Distinction of the Department of Justice for his contributions to Canada’s legal, linguistic and cultural duality, the 2000 Award of Merit of the Barreau du Québec, the 1994 Human Rights Award of the Lord Reading Law Society and the 2009 Sheila and Victor Goldbloom Distinguished Community Service Award.

Mr. Bloom was appointed Chairperson of the Public Service Labour Relations Board on January 2, 2007 for a period of three years. He was subsequently reappointed for an additional three-year term, which will end on January 2, 2013.