Edward Norman (Ted) Hughes

Ted was born in Saskatoon to parents Florence Eva/King (d. 1974) and W. J. (Bill) Hughes (d. 1976). He had one brother Bill (d. 2005). Ted was also predeceased by his beloved and only daughter Sheila Elizabeth Hetschko who he has missed so very much since her sudden passing in 2010. Ted is survived by Helen, his loving companion of 65 years and also by his three sons David of Laos, Keith (Lori) of Spruce Grove and Brian (Elizabeth) of San Diego. Also surviving are daughter-in-law Kathy Robinson of Toronto and son-in-law Barry of Duncan. He leaves eight grandchildren: Kristofer, Kimberly (Michael), Alicia (Tyler), Ryan, Jaylene, Tanner, Jacob and Eva, and three great-grandchildren: Bentley, Hudson and Carter.

Ted graduated in 1950 from the College of Law, University of Saskatchewan and practiced law in Saskatoon for twelve years, followed by eighteen years in Saskatchewan as a federally appointed judge, with the last six years serving as a Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench. In 1980, he joined the Ministry of the Attorney General in British Columbia and served as the province’s Deputy Attorney General from 1983 to 1990. For the next 23 years, until retirement at the end of 2013, Ted had the opportunity to assume a variety of responsibilities. He was the Conflict of Interest Commissioner in British Columbia, Yukon and Northwest Territories. He was a Federal Treaty Negotiator and chaired numerous Commissions of Inquiry in the western provinces and northern territories. The assignment that was most meaningful to him, however, was his service from 2003 until 2008 as the first Chief Adjudicator of Canada’s Indian Residential Schools Settlement Secretariat, a position he undertook on the joint invitation of the Government of Canada, First Nations and Métis survivors of the horrors perpetuated at many of the schools, their legal counsel and the religious denominations that managed the schools. Ted took the time to contribute to the two communities within he spent his life. He was the chairperson of the Board of Governors of Saskatoon City Hospital and Victoria’s Juan de Fuca Hospitals. He served as the president of the Canadian Hospital Association and co-chaired Victoria Hospital Foundation’s “Building Care Together” campaign which raised the funds to equip the Patient Care Centre at Royal Jubilee Hospital. He served, with the mayor of Victoria, as the first co-chair of the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness and recently was a member of the capital fundraising cabinet of the Cool Aid Society with the objective of housing the homeless in our community. Ted was immensely proud of Helen’s contribution to public service through her four years as a Councillor in Saskatoon and eighteen years in Victoria. On all eight occasions that Helen successfully sought election, Ted served as her campaign manager. Ted greatly enjoyed cottage life, firstly at Pike Lake and then the Blackstrap in Saskatchewan and since 1983 at Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island where many happy times with family and friends were enjoyed. Ted was grateful for a number of recognitions afforded to him by organizations and others with whom he had worked. Of particular significance to him was his receipt in 2000 of the Law Society of British Columbia Award, given every two years to honour the lifetime contribution of leaders within the profession and legal community, based on the for criteria of integrity, professional achievement, service and reform.

A Memorial Service honouring Ted’s life will be held at the Anglican Church of St. John the Divine, 1611 Quadra Stteet, Victoria, B.C. at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 1st, 2020.

Those wishing to make a donation in Ted’s memory are invited to do so by sending it to either: College of Law, University of Saskatchewan, 15 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N5A6 marked for deposit to the Ted and Helen Hughes Prize for Excellence in Indigenous Children and Youth and the Law, or the Victoria Foundation, #200 703 Broughton St., Victoria, B.C. V8W1E2 marked for deposit to the Ted and Helen Hughes Fund to be used for grants by the Faculty of Victoria through its Diversity Entrance Awards program to deserving students. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/article-respected-civil-servant-ted-hughes-was-called-upon-to-lead-high/

Condolences may be offered to the family below.

McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com