Memorable Manitobans: Benjamin Hewak (1935-2017)

Lawyer, judge.

Born at Winnipeg in 1935, he attended St. John’s High School and the University of Manitoba, receiving a BA degree from the latter in 1956. He graduated from the Manitoba Law School in 1960 then practiced law as a Crown attorney, becoming in 1965 a defense counsel with the firm of Pollock, Nurgitz, Bromley, Myers and Hewak. He was a County Court Judge from July to September 1977 when he was appointed a Puisne Judge in the Court of Queen’s Bench. He was Chief Justice from August 1985 to his retirement in January 2003. He also served as a West Kildonan alderman before the Unicity merger. Active in the Ukrainian community of Winnipeg, he sang in the Hoosli Ukrainian Male Chorus and was chairman of the Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble. He was inducted into the Order of Manitoba (2004) and was commemorated by Ben Hewak Bay in West Kildonan. He died at Winnipeg on 21 December 2017.

Sources:

“Humble, effective leader transformed the court,” Winnipeg Free Press, 22 December 2017, page B3.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 23 November 2019

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

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