Peter Russell, a prominent political scientist in Canada, was a beloved figure in the country’s political science community. He was a brilliant, engaging, enthusiastic, and terrifying guest on The Agenda, discussing a political issue that bedevilling the country. Russell was a legend not only at the University of Toronto but also at the highest levels of politics in Canada. He died earlier this week of a debilitating lung condition at age 91 but left an unparalleled legacy of advice to politicians and a love of politics and history to his students, including Canada’s current ambassador to the United Nations.

One of Russell’s students, David Lametti, who would later become attorney general and minister of justice in Justin Trudeau’s government from 2019 to 2023, owes him a lot for his guidance and friendship over many years. He advised Lametti to get his first law degree in Canada, which changed his life and even wrote him a reference letter. Lametti followed up his time at U of T at McGill Law, then at Yale and Oxford, and became an MP in 2015.

Russell’s advice was also relied upon by former Ontario premier Bob Rae, who owes him a lot for his guidance and friendship over many years. During the Meech Lake Accord negotiations in the late 1980s, Russell was part of Premier David Peterson’s advisory team. They were kind of on the same page in life and politics, and they saw Quebec in the same way.

Peter also spent time with Russell between 2006 and 2012, when the former premier was chancellor at U of T. He would talk politics and commiserate, and former York East MPP and Toronto city councillor John Parker knew another side of Russell. “Peter was respected in the highest circles of academia,” Parker emailed. “In his heart of hearts, he never ceased to be the Leaside kid who was as much at home on the hockey rink as he was in [U of T’s] Convocation Hall. He could walk with kings, but he never lost the common touch.”

In 2008, Canadian Governor General Michaëlle Jean received a request from Prime Minister Stephen Harper to prorogue the minority parliament just six weeks after an election. This was an attempt by the prime minister to avoid the hangman’s noose, which would have ended Harper’s tenure after just two years. Before offering his advice, Russell wanted to brush up on precedents and asked parliamentary librarians to scour the Commonwealth for scholarly writings on prorogation. After an exhaustive search, they handed Russell a file on everything they could find, including six pages written by him.

Remembering Peter Russell, a giant of political science in Canada. One of the country’s go-to guys when it came to understanding the Constitution, he leaves an unparalleled legacy. Jan 12, 2024 I’m often asked, “Steve, of the tens of thousands of guests you’ve interviewed over the years — presidents, prime ministers, premiers — which one made you the most nervous?” I’ve never had to think for more than a second before coming up with the answer. Peter Russell.

Jean eventually granted Harper his prorogation, and he served for another seven years as PM, the last four heading a majority government. Russell worked on two books during his last years: Out of the Blue, a memoir, and Two Cheersfor Minority Government, which emerged from the prorogation controversy. The book contains advice from Russell and colleagues from around the world on how to navigate the choppy waters that can be minority parliaments.

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Russell also spent part of his last years devoted to improving Indigenous-settler issues. He was a huge supporter of the Crown because he felt it could play a role in reconciliation through treaty obligations. After the apartheid system in South Africa was overthrown, he helped establish a court system that could garner the respect of all its citizens. Alex Russell, who grew up in a home with a lively dinner table, says that his father’s knowledge of prorogation was put to use when he helped establish a court system that could garner the respect of all its citizens after the apartheid system was overthrown.

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