Wednesday, June 11, 2025 | 2:00 p.m.

Murray Rankin is a distinguished legal scholar, environmental advocate and public servant whose contributions have shaped Canadian law and politics. He studied at Queen’s University, Université de Montréal, the University of Toronto and Harvard University. From 1977 to 1990, he was a professor at the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Law, where he strengthened the Environmental Law Centre and helped establish the joint-degree program in Indigenous Law.

An accomplished lawyer, Rankin served as a special adviser to provincial and federal governments and pled landmark environmental law cases. He was appointed as Queen’s Counsel in 1999 and founded several non-governmental organizations, including West Coast Environmental Law, the Land Conservancy of BC and the BC Public Interest Advocacy Centre.

Rankin’s political career spanned more than a decade, serving as the Member of Parliament for Victoria (2012–2019) and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Oak Bay-Gordon Head (2020–2024). He championed stronger environmental protections, improved healthcare, fairer taxation and higher pensions. He played a pivotal role in privacy and freedom of information legislation, medical assistance in dying legislation, treaty negotiations with First Nations, and expanding BC’s park system. He was appointed by the Prime Minister as the first chair of Canada’s National Security and Intelligence Review Agency.

His lifelong commitment to justice, governance and community service has left an enduring legacy for future generations.