UNB Faculty of Law's Viscount Bennett Memorial Lecture Series

Prime Minister R.B. Bennett in civil uniform, ca. 1930–1935.The Viscount Bennett Memorial Lecture Series was established at the UNB Faculty of Law in 1975, under the terms of the will of Viscount Bennett of Mickleham, Calgary, and Hopewell.

Born at Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick, Richard Bedford Bennett (1870–1947) had a long and distinguished career as lawyer, politician, and statesman, serving as Canada's 11th Prime Minister from 1930–35. In 1941 he was raised to the peerage of the United Kingdom.

Visit the Albert County Museum & R.B. Bennett Centre and the Canadian Encyclopedia to learn more about Viscount Bennett.

In commemoration of his life and career, UNB Faculty of Law's Viscount Bennett Memorial Lecture Series promotes greater appreciation of the role of law in contemporary society.

Many of the lectures have been published in the the University of New Brunswick Law Journal/Revue de droit de l'Université du Nouveau-Brunswick.

List of Lecturers

  • 1975 – Justice William F. Ryan
  • 1977 – Lord Hailsham of St. Marylebone
  • 1979 – Brian Hogan
  • 1980 – Peter W. Hogg
  • 1981 – Justice Thomas Berger
  • 1982 – John G. Fleming
  • 1983 – Jonathan Aitken
  • 1984 – Patrick S. Atiyah
  • 1985 – Justice Gérard V. La Forest
  • 1986 – John L.I.J. Edwards
  • 1987 – Bernard Schwartz
  • 1988 – Harry Arthurs
  • 1989 – Justice Beverley M. McLachlin
  • 1990 – John D. Whyte
  • 1991 – Constance Hunt
  • 1992 – Martin L. Friedland
  • 1993 – Albert Levi
  • 1994 – Michael J. Trebilcock
  • 1995 – Justice Wendy G. Baker & Sherene Razack
  • 1996 – Mary Jane Mossman
  • 1998 – Justice Peter de C. Cory
  • 2000 – Ursula Franklin, OC
  • 2000 – Judge David Arnot
  • 2003 – Susan B. Boyd
  • 2004 – Constance Backhouse
  • 2005 – Joseph Arvay, Q.C.
  • 2005 – Kent Roach
  • 2006 – Honourable Mr. Justice Ian Binnie
  • 2007 – Madam Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella
  • 2008 – The Honourable Michel Bastarache
  • 2010 – Stephen Clarkson
  • 2011 – Madam Justice C. Lynn Smith
  • 2011 – Honourable Mr. Justice Thomas Cromwell
  • 2012 – Justice Robert Sharpe
  • 2013 – Honourable Mr. Justice Louis LeBel
  • 2014 – Honourable Judge Akua Kuenyehia
  • 2015 – Honourable H. Wade MacLauchlan
  • 2017 – Honourable David W. Stratas
  • 2017 – Dennis Edney, Q.C.
  • 2019 – Elizabeth May
  • 2020 – Dr. Allan C. Hutchinson
  • 2022 – The Right Honourable Richard Wagner, P.C., Chief Justice of Canada