David P. O'Brien, OC, QC, BCL‘65, receives F.R. Scott Award

David O’Brien (left on photo) was presented with the F.R. Scott Award by Dean Daniel Jutras (right) at a ceremony held on March 30, 2011, at the Faculty of Law of McGill University.

David O’Brien is Chairman of the Royal Bank of Canada – Canada’s largest bank – and of Encana Corporation – one of North America’s largest independent natural gas companies. He also serves on the Boards of Directors of TransCanada Corporation, Molson Coors Brewing Company and Enerplus Corporation. From 1995 to 2001, Mr. O’Brien was Chairman, President and CEO of Canadian Pacific Limited.

Mr. O’Brien started his career as a lawyer at the law firm of Ogilvy Renault in Montreal after obtaining his B.C.L. from the Faculty of Law at McGill University. Currently a Member of the Science, Technology and Innovation Council of Canada, Mr. O’Brien has served on the Board of Governors of the University of Calgary and as Chancellor of Concordia University.

Appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2008, Mr. O’Brien has received a variety of awards over the years, including three honourary degrees (Bishops University, the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University) and the Canadian Executive Service Organization Award for community involvement. He was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame in 2004.

The F.R. Scott Award of Distinguished Contribution was created by McGill University's Faculty of Law and its Advisory Board in 2004 to recognize those alumni who have contributed in a significant way to law and to the life of the Faculty, and provided exceptional service and leadership to society. The award is named in honour of Francis Reginald Scott, Canadian poet, intellectual, constitutional expert and Dean of the Faculty of Law from 1961 to 1964.