Persona

Hall, Emmett Matthew

1898-1995

Emmett Matthew Hall was born at St. Columban, Quebec, 29 November, 1898 and moved west with his family to Saskatoon in March 1910. He attended the University of Saskatchewan, and graduated from the College of Law in 1919. Hall was called to the Bar of Saskatchewan in March 1922 and was named King's Council in May 1935. In October 1957 he accepted an appointment as Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench Court for Saskatchewan. He was named Chief Justice of Saskatchewan in 1961, and appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada in November 1962. Hall retired from the Supreme Court in February 1973. In addition to his distinguished legal and judicial career, Hall had an outstanding record of public service. He was appointed Chairman of the Royal Commission on Health Service in 1961, which led to Canada's national medical care insurance scheme. He also chaired the Committee on Aims and Objectives for Education in Ontario, the Board of Trustees of St. Paul Separate School District and was president of the Catholic School Trustees of Saskatchewan. Hall lectured in Law at the University of Saskatchewan from 1948 to 1958, and was a member of the University Senate from 1942 to 1954. A member of the Knights of Columbus since 1918, he was created a Knight of Malta in 1958, of the Order of St. Gregory in 1968 and of the Holy Sepulchre in 1969. Among his many honors and awards are a Honourary Doctor of Laws from the U of S, Companion of the Order of Canada, and the Bronfman Award for public health achievement.