Ted McWhinney facts for kids

Edward Watson McWhinney (born May 19, 1924 – died May 19, 2015) was a smart Canadian lawyer and professor. He was an expert in how countries are governed (constitutional law) and how different countries work together (international law).

He also served as a Member of Parliament for the Liberal Party of Canada from 1993 to 2000. He represented the area of Vancouver Quadra in the Canadian Parliament.

Life and Career Highlights

Edward McWhinney was born in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia. He went to North Sydney Boys High School for his secondary education. After that, he studied at the University of Sydney. While there, he became the president of the Sydney University Liberal Club. He also led the Student Representative Council.

A Trusted Advisor

McWhinney became a professor emeritus at Simon Fraser University. This means he was a retired professor who kept his title. He was a top expert on the Canadian Constitution. The Constitution is the main set of rules for how Canada is governed.

Because of his knowledge, he often advised the Canadian government. He reportedly gave advice to many Canadian prime ministers. This started with John Diefenbaker. He also advised several governors general. These are the Queen's representatives in Canada.

Teaching Around the World

Edward McWhinney taught at many famous universities. These included Yale in the U.S. and the Sorbonne in France. He also taught at Toronto and McGill in Canada.

His teaching career took him to Indiana in the U.S. and the Collège de France in Paris. He even taught in Japan at Meiji University in Tokyo.

Helping Governments and Organizations

McWhinney was a legal consultant for the United Nations. He also advised the leaders of Ontario and Quebec on constitutional matters. He was a chief advisor for a special Canadian government group. This group looked at how to keep Canada united.

He also served as a special investigator for the governments of Quebec and British Columbia. He advised the Canadian team at the United Nations General Assembly. He also gave advice on law to several foreign governments.

Author and Legal Expert

Edward McWhinney wrote 24 books. Two of his books were in French, and one was in German. He also edited 11 other books. He wrote hundreds of scientific articles.

He was the first lawyer from Canada to join the Institut de Droit International. This is a very old and respected group of international law experts. He was also a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. This court helps countries solve disagreements peacefully. He was also part of other important legal groups in Luxembourg and Paris.

Edward McWhinney passed away on May 19, 2015.