Lawrence Pennell
Encyclopedia
Lawrence T. Pennell, PC
, QC
(March 15, 1914 – August 9, 2008) was a Canadian
lawyer, politician, and jurist
.
, the youngest of six children of English immigrants John and Agnes Pennell, Pennell grew up on a farm near Smithville, Ontario
. After graduating from Smithville High School, he worked at Dofasco for two years before attending McMaster University
where he majored in political science and economics. After graduating in 1938, he studied law at Osgoode Hall Law School
. He married Anne Andrews, a registered nurse, in 1943.
During World War II
, he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force
first as an instructor at the British Commonwealth Air Training Program in Edmonton and then hunting for submarines in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, based in Scotland
, and in the west coast of Africa
. After the war, he was called to the Ontario Bar and practiced law in Brantford.
as Liberal
Member of Parliament
for Brant—Haldimand
in the 1962 election
. From 1964 to 1965, he was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance. In 1965, he was appointed to the Cabinet by Prime Minister
Lester Pearson as Solicitor-General of Canada. He retired from politics in April 1968 and was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ontario
where he served until 1985.
After retiring, he served on the Ontario Mental Health Review Board and on an Ontario commission of inquiry on municipal government. In 1946, he co-founded the Brantford Red Sox
baseball team.
From 1971 to 1977, he was Chancellor of McMaster University
.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(March 15, 1914 – August 9, 2008) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
lawyer, politician, and jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
.
Early life
Born in Brantford, OntarioBrantford, Ontario
Brantford is a city located on the Grand River in Southern Ontario, Canada. While geographically surrounded by the County of Brant, the city is politically independent...
, the youngest of six children of English immigrants John and Agnes Pennell, Pennell grew up on a farm near Smithville, Ontario
Smithville, Ontario
Smithville is a community in the township of West Lincoln. It is located on Regional Road 20 between Hamilton and Niagara Falls in the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada.-Annual events:...
. After graduating from Smithville High School, he worked at Dofasco for two years before attending McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
where he majored in political science and economics. After graduating in 1938, he studied law at Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law...
. He married Anne Andrews, a registered nurse, in 1943.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
first as an instructor at the British Commonwealth Air Training Program in Edmonton and then hunting for submarines in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, based in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and in the west coast of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. After the war, he was called to the Ontario Bar and practiced law in Brantford.
Politics
Pennell was first elected to the Canadian House of CommonsCanadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
as Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Brant—Haldimand
Brant—Haldimand
Brant—Haldimand was a federal and provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1953 to 1968, and in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1987 to 1999.-Federal electoral district:...
in the 1962 election
Canadian federal election, 1962
The Canadian federal election of 1962 was held on June 18, 1962 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 25th Parliament of Canada...
. From 1964 to 1965, he was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance. In 1965, he was appointed to the Cabinet by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Lester Pearson as Solicitor-General of Canada. He retired from politics in April 1968 and was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ontario
Supreme Court of Ontario
The Supreme Court of Ontario was a superior court of the Canadian province of Ontario. Now defunct, in 1989 the Courts of Justice Amendment Act, 1989 was enacted by the Government to create one large superior trial court for Ontario...
where he served until 1985.
After retiring, he served on the Ontario Mental Health Review Board and on an Ontario commission of inquiry on municipal government. In 1946, he co-founded the Brantford Red Sox
Brantford Red Sox
The Brantford Red Sox are an independent, minor league baseball team of the, semi-pro, Intercounty Baseball League based in Brantford, Ontario. They play their home games at Arnold Anderson Stadium.-History:...
baseball team.
From 1971 to 1977, he was Chancellor of McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
.