Biography
The Honourable A. Anne McLellan, P.C., O.C. joined Bennett Jones LLP in its Edmonton office July 4, 2006. Ms McLellan provides strategic advice to the firm and its clients.
Ms McLellan serves on the Board of Directors of: Nexen, an independent Canadian-based global energy company; Agrium, a global producer and marketer of agricultural nutrients and industrial products and retail supplier of agricultural products and services; Cameco, the world's largest uranium producer; and Edmonton Regional Airport Authority, a financially independent non-share corporation charged with managing the regions four airports. In addition, she sits on the Boards of the Royal Alexandra Hospital Charitable Foundation, Habitat for Humanity Edmonton Society, Canadian Business for Social Responsibility and the Institute for Research for Public Policy. Among her many other community commitments she is involved with the Canadian Blood Services Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Steering Committee and the Community Outreach Committee for the Lois Hole Hospital for Women. Ms McLellan is also a member of the Premier's Council for Economic Strategy where she provides "guidance on actions the Alberta government can take to best position the province for the future."
On May 12, 2006 she was appointed Distinguished Scholar in Residence at the University of Alberta in the Alberta Institute for American Studies. In 2007 the University of Alberta awarded Ms McLellan an honorary doctorate of laws degree and in July 2009 Ms McLellan was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Ms McLellan served four terms as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre from October 25, 1993 – January 23, 2006. She served as Deputy Prime Minister of Canada and as the first Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness in the government of the Rt. Hon. Paul Martin (December 2003 - January 2006). Ms McLellan served as Minister of Health (January 2002 – December 2003), Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada (June 1997 – January 2002) and Minister of Natural Resources and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians (November 1993 – June 1997).
Prior to her political career, Ms McLellan was an assistant professor of law at the University of New Brunswick from 1976 to 1980. In 1980, she was appointed associate professor of law at the University of Alberta. She served as associate dean of the Faculty of Law between 1985 and 1987 and as acting dean from July 1991 to June 1992.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Law degree from Dalhousie University and a Master of Laws degree from King's College, University of London. Ms McLellan was admitted to the Bar of Nova Scotia in 1976.
