About John D. Bracco
The John D. Bracco Community is located in North East Edmonton. Transportation services include both the LRT and Edmonton Transit System. Built in 1992, the school's architecture is inviting and expansive. The entrance Atrium serves as both a meeting and performance space. The Families of John D. Bracco represent a wide range of socio-economic circumstances and is demographically diverse.
Who Was John D. Bracco?Justice John D. Bracco 1925 - 2004
Justice Bracco was born on March 31, 1925 in Edmonton, Alberta. He attended public school in Edmonton and Redwater, graduating from the University of Alberta with a B.Ed., LL.B. and D.D.
After teaching school for four years, Justice Bracco returned to the university to complete a degree in law, practicing in Edmonton and Redwater from 1957 until 1975. In 1975 he was appointed Judge of District Court of Alberta; Deputy Judge, Supreme Court of Yukon in 1977; Justice of Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta in 1979; Justice of Court of Appeal of Alberta in 1987; and Justice of the Nunavut Court of Appeal in 1999.
Justice Bracco and his wife, Laura have four children and seven grandchildren. He enjoyed travel, photography, hiking, stained glass, and he was an avid gardener.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, he was committed to community and volunteer activities. These experiences included:
Workshop participant with Ukrainian Judges in Simferopol, Crimea and Uzhorod in Western Ukraine on "Judical Ethics and Judical Conduct" - 1978Member of Advisory Committee re: Canada-Ukraine Judical Reform Project - 1996 - 1999
Co-chair re: Alberta Program re: Visiting Judges from Melitopil, Ukraine - 1996-1997
Delegate to Kiev Conference on Judicial Independence and Consultant to Melitopil City Court - 1997
Participated as invitee to International Consultation on new English Divorce Bill organized by BT Forum at Leeds Castle, England - January 1996
Attended Advanced legal Studies Lectures, Cambridge University, England - 1981 and 1997
Participant and cast member of video film entitled "Men", produced by M.J.W. Production, London, England - 1996-1997
Attended Commonwealth Law Conference, Auckland, New Zealand - 1990 and Vancouver - 1996
Participated as Section Chairperson at International Conference "Management Challenges in 21st Century Policing" in Ottawa - September 1995
Lectured and participated in police program "Major Case Management" session entitled "Major Victim/Witness Issues" at Canadian Police College in Ottawa - November 1995
Judicial Study Leave at University of Calgary Law Facility and University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in England - 1993-1994
Member of the Board (President 1993-1997) of Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family - 1987 to 2004
Co-Instructor at CIAJ Seminar for New Federally Appointed Judges re: Family Law - 1987 - 1991
Visited Ukraine to meet paternal and maternal relatives and took opportunity to visit a court in Kieve where he met with some Ukrainian Judges - 1991
The Edmonton Public School Board named a middle school (Grades 7, 8, and 9) the John D. Bracco School in his honor - 1990. School opened in September, 1992.
Member and Director of Alberta Family Meditation - 1983-1990
Instructor at University of Calgary, Faculty of Law and LESA Seminar re: Trial Advocacy Skills - 1985-1990
Member and National Director of Family Mediation Canada - 1986-1989
Chairperson of Planning Committee for CIAJ Conference on Discrimination in the Law and the Administration of Justice, Kananaskis, Alberta - October 1989
Presenter of paper on "Custody and Access" to Canadian Judicial Seminar, Ottawa, Ontario - August 1989
Chairperson of Legal Education Society of Alberta - Refresher course on Civil Litigation, Banff - May 1987
Member and Chairman of Senate of St. Stephen's College - 1976-1985
Councillor Canadian Bar Association, Alberta Branch - 1973-1975
Board Member Edmonton Family Court Conciliation Project - 1972-1975
Law Society Representative on Department of Education Curriculum Committee re: Law 20 - 1974
Executive of Alberta School Trustees Association - 1969-1971
Trustee Edmonton Public Schools - 1964-1971, Chairman - 1968-1969
Member of Senate of University of Alberta - 1955-1956 and 1963-1973
Negotiator, Mediator and Arbitrator re: Collective bargaining for School Boards and Colleges
Board Member of Metropolitan Edmonton Education Television Association, two years
Sunday School Teacher, Youth Leader, Elder and Board Member at Knox Metropolitan, St. Paul's and later at Ralph Connor Memorial United Churches
Panelist and participant, as lawyer, on various Family Law Committees
Member of the Canadian Bar Association, Canadian Judges Conference, The Vanier Institute of the Family, Legal Archives Society of Alberta and American Judges Association
Chair and panelist on various panels and committees related to Administration of Justice and Family law
Panelist and instructor at various seminars, conferences and Bar Mid-Winter Meetings in the area of Family Law
Honorary Member of the Rotary Club
Justice Bracco retired in Canmore, Alberta where he passed away on January 25, 2004 at the age of 78.