Former Chief Judge renowned for changes he brought to Provincial Court as its leader

Ernest J. “Ernie” Walter, former Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Alberta and an alumnus of the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta, is being remembered for his strong and significant leadership of the court and for his tremendous people skills.

Walter, ‘64 LLB, died on January 25, 2021. He was 80 years old.

His seven years as head of the Provincial Court (1999 to 2006) were marked by numerous important changes made during his tenure. They include the establishment of family protection courts and a drug treatment court in Edmonton, expansion of an early case resolution process, establishment of a specialized court on the Tsuu T’ina Reserve, extension of videoconference court appearances throughout Alberta, adoption of increased technology to enhance court scheduling, and the start on construction for a new facility for the court in Calgary.

He was also renowned for sitting in almost every Alberta courthouse location during his time as Chief Judge and Assistant Chief Judge, which he did to meet the local judges, clerks and staff and to discover the areas that needed improvement.

Great communicator

A lawyer for 27 years before being appointed to the bench, Walter is recalled by both family and colleagues as someone with a tremendous affinity for relating to and communicating with people from every station of life.

Growing up the second of seven children, he learned about farmers’ concerns during his youth, when his school-teacher parents moved the family to a farm near Paradise Valley.

After completing the combined and accelerated BA and LLB program at the U of A in 1964, Walter worked as both an urban and a rural municipal lawyer with the firm of Brownlee Fryett from 1965 until 1992. During that time, he helped it represent more than 200 municipalities, which represented about two-thirds of the province’s total number of municipalities. His partners at the firm have said he was never too busy to talk with a partner, an associate, a client or a staff member.

Walter became a partner with the firm in 1968, specializing in administrative law, regulatory hearings, municipal law, and litigation. In March of 1984, he was appointed as Queen's Counsel.

In August of 1992, he was appointed a judge of the Provincial Court of Alberta, Edmonton Criminal Division. In May of 1996, he was appointed Assistant Chief Judge, Edmonton Rural Region. Three years later, he was appointed Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Alberta. Upon completion of his term as Chief Judge in 2006, he continued to sit as a provincial court judge until his retirement in December of 2015.

He was instrumental in strengthening the Alberta Provincial Courts Judges Association and the Canadian Association of Provincial Court Judges.

For many years, Walter was involved with fundraising for the Friars' Club of the Edmonton Archdiocese and for the Canadian Diabetes Association. For the latter, he founded and worked on the annual Flame of Hope Golf Tournament, an event so successful it inspired similar events across the country.

Walter was awarded the U of A Alumni Award of Excellence in 2001.

Memorial donations may be made in Walter’s name to the Alberta Diabetes Institute Donations Fund, University of Alberta, Office of Advancement, 3-501, 10230 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton T5J 4P5.

A service will be live-streamed at a date soon to be determined. See connelly-mckinley.com for more information.