Ronald St. John Macdonald
Encyclopedia
Ronald St. John Macdonald, CC
(August 20, 1928 – September 7, 2006) was a Canadian
legal academic and jurist.
Born in Montreal
, the son of R. St. John Macdonald and Elizabeth Smith, he served as a Sub-Lieutenant
in the Royal Canadian Navy
(Reserve) during World War II
. When he returned to Canada he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1949 from St. Francis Xavier University
, a Bachelor of Law degree in 1952 from Dalhousie Law School
, and two Master of Law degrees, from the University of London
in 1954, and from Harvard Law School
in 1955. He then began a long legal academic career at Osgoode Hall Law School
of York University
(1955 to 1959), the University of Western Ontario
(1959 to 1961), the University of Toronto
(1961 to 1972), and finally Dalhousie University (1972 to 1990). He was also Dean of Law at the University of Toronto from 1967 to 1972 and at Dalhousie University from 1972 to 1979.
He was the only non-European judge of the European Court of Human Rights
, where he served from 1980 to 1998. He was the first Westerner appointed as Honorary Professor of Law at China's Peking University
. He is the founding President of the Canadian Council on International Law and was President of the World Academy of Arts and Science from 1983 to 1987.
In 1984, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
and was promoted to Companion in 2000. In 1999, he was awarded the Canadian Bar Association
's Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Law in recognition of "outstanding contribution to the law or legal scholarship in Canada". He also was awarded honorary degrees from McGill University, Dalhousie University, and Carleton University.
He died in Halifax on September 7, 2006.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(August 20, 1928 – September 7, 2006) 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...
legal academic and jurist.
Born in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, the son of R. St. John Macdonald and Elizabeth Smith, he served as a Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
in the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
(Reserve) 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...
. When he returned to Canada he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1949 from St. Francis Xavier University
St. Francis Xavier University
St. Francis Xavier University is a post-secondary institution located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. The school was founded in 1853, but did not offer degrees until 1868. The university has approximately 5000 students.-History:...
, a Bachelor of Law degree in 1952 from Dalhousie Law School
Dalhousie Law School
The Schulich School of Law is part of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Formerly called Dalhousie Law School, it was established in 1883, making it the oldest university-affiliated common law school in the Commonwealth. It is the primary law school in Atlantic Canada and...
, and two Master of Law degrees, from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in 1954, and from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1955. He then began a long legal academic career 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...
of York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
(1955 to 1959), the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
(1959 to 1961), the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
(1961 to 1972), and finally Dalhousie University (1972 to 1990). He was also Dean of Law at the University of Toronto from 1967 to 1972 and at Dalhousie University from 1972 to 1979.
He was the only non-European judge of the European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...
, where he served from 1980 to 1998. He was the first Westerner appointed as Honorary Professor of Law at China's Peking University
Peking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...
. He is the founding President of the Canadian Council on International Law and was President of the World Academy of Arts and Science from 1983 to 1987.
In 1984, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
and was promoted to Companion in 2000. In 1999, he was awarded the Canadian Bar Association
Canadian Bar Association
The Canadian Bar Association represents over 37,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers, and law students from across Canada.-History:The Association's first Annual Meeting was held in Montreal in 1896. However, the CBA has been in continuous existence in its present form since 1914...
's Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Law in recognition of "outstanding contribution to the law or legal scholarship in Canada". He also was awarded honorary degrees from McGill University, Dalhousie University, and Carleton University.
He died in Halifax on September 7, 2006.
External links
- Ronald St. John Macdonald at The Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...