Roy Heenan


Roy Lacaud Heenan, was a Canadian labour lawyer and academic. He was the founding partner of the Canadian law firm Heenan Blaikie.

Early life and education

Born in Mexico City to Ernest and Yvonne Lacaud Heenan, who moved to Canada in 1947. Heenan graduated from Trinity College in 1953 and attended Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ontario, then received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1957 and a Bachelor of Civil Laws degree in 1960 from McGill University where he also joined the Kappa Alpha Society.

Career

Heenan was called to the Bar of Quebec in 1961. He was a co-founder of Heenan Blaikie and up until his death, Chair of the Executive Committee.
Heenan was an Adjunct Professor in labour law at McGill University from 1971 to 1996 and a lecturer for the Industrial Relations Centre at Queen's University since 1972. He had also taught at Université Laval and the University of Ottawa.
Heenan was the chairman and founding director of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation. He was also a member of the board of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Honours

In 1998, Heenan was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in recognition for being "one of the country's leading labour lawyers who has also made significant contributions to academic life and the art world". McGill University awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 2008.

Death

He died after a long illness on February 3, 2017, aged 81.