Hnatyshyn, Ray, 1934-2002 : The Right Honourable Ramon ("Ray") John Hnatyshyn was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on 16 March 1934. He was educated at the University of Saskatchewan, earning a B.A. in 1954 and an LL. B. in 1956. He was called to the Bar of Saskatchewan in 1957. When his father, John Hnatyshyn, was named to the Senate, Ramon accompanied him to Ottawa and served as private secretary and executive assistant to the Hon. W.M. Aseltine, Leader of the Government in the Senate until 1960. He then worked in the family law firm and was a lecturer at the College of Law, University of Saskatchewan. He married Karen Gerda Nygaard Andreason in 1960, and the couple had two sons, Carl and John. In 1973, he was appointed Queen's Counsel for Saskatchewan.
Hnatyshyn was first elected to Parliament as a Progressive Conservative M.P. in the general election of 1974. He was re-elected in the general elections of 1979, 1980 and 1984. In 1976 he was appointed Deputy House Leader of the Official Opposition. On 4 June 1979 he was sworn to the Privy Council and was named Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, a position he held until the defeat of the Progressive Conservative government the following year. He then served as Chair of the Caucus Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs and as Opposition Critic for Justice from 1980 to 1984. He was appointed Opposition House Leader in April, 1984.
In 1984, when the Progressive Conservatives returned to power, Hnatyshyn was appointed Government House Leader and served from 1984 to 1986. He was also President of the Privy Council from 1985 to 1986. In February 1986, he was appointed Minister responsible for Regulatory Affairs, and in June 1986, he became Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, positions he held until 1988. He was defeated in the general election of 1988.
Prime Minister Brian Mulroney appointed Hnatyshyn to the post of Governor General on 14 December 1989, and he was sworn in on 29 January 1990. During his years as Canada's de facto Head of State, he and his wife received leaders and dignitaries from around the world at Rideau Hall, and also travelled abroad representing Canada. The Hnatyshyns' encouragement of the arts in Canada was one of the most important accomplishments of their term, one major contribution being the establishment of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards.
Hnatyshyn's term ended in February 1995, and he returned to the practice of law as a senior partner in Gowling, Strathy & Henderson, specializing in advocacy, business law and trade law. He also supported a wide range of charitable causes and continued to be involved in activities relating to his Ukrainian heritage, of which he was proud. He died on 18 December 2002 in Ottawa.
