Medicare’s Architect

Emmett Hall, then chief justice of the Saskatchewan Court of Queen’s Bench, was presiding over a jury trial in Regina on the morning of January 5, 1961, when the registrar handed him a note. John Diefenbaker wanted to speak to him as soon as possible. The two were old friends from law school days, and Diefenbaker had appointed Hall to his position on the bench. When Hall reached the Prime Minister by telephone during a break, he found him in an agitated state. Diefenbaker, under pressure from the Canadian Medical Association, wanted Hall to head up a royal commission to assess the health needs and resources of Canada, and he wanted an answer as quickly as possible. Hall said he wanted to think about how his judicial work would be affected, but promised to get back to the Prime Minister very soon. The trial resumed, and at 12:45 Hall adjourned the court for lunch. He walked over to the Wascana Club, and upon entering the lobby heard the main story on the 1 p.m. news: his own...