Lawrence O'Neil

Who is Lawrence O'Neil?

Lawrence I. O'Neil is the Associate Chief Justice of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Family Division. He was a lawyer by profession, and between 1984 and 1988, was a Progressive Conservative party member of the Canadian House of Commons.

He was elected at Cape Breton Highlands—Canso electoral district in 1984 federal election, thus he served in the 33rd Canadian Parliament. O'Neil was defeated in 1988 federal election by Francis LeBlanc of the Liberal party.

O'Neil was appointed to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia on 19 September 2007 by Justice Minister Honourable Robert Nicholson. The swearing in ceremony took place on 23 October 2007 in St. Ninian's Place on the Campus of St. Francis Xavier University, in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

The appointment proved to be somewhat controversial due to past statements while an MP regarding abortion. On 27 July 1988, in the House of Commons he is reported to having stated that "[i]t appears that there is widespread acceptance of the notion that a mother should have the right to control her body. There is no such right."

Justice O'Neil was a staff lawyer with Nova Scotia Legal Aid in Antigonish at the time of his appointment.