Richard Hatfield

Richard Bennett Hatfield, PC, ONB (* April 9, 1931 in Woodstock, New Brunswick; † 26 April 1991) was a Canadian politician and from 1970 to 1987 premier of New Brunswick.

Hatfield was elected in 1961 in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick. There he was in 1969 chairman of the opposition party, Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick which he led to victory in the election in 1970. Hatfield was known beyond the borders of New Brunswick also through his involvement in the negotiations on the reform of the Canadian Constitution, which in the Canada Act of 1982 found their statements. He was also involved in the drafting of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and fought for the equality of the Acadians.

Less successful was he, however, with its economic policy. To establish themselves in the hope of becoming a center of the auto industry in New Brunswick, to Hatfield began to finance the Bricklin SV - 1 but never sat down.

The last years of his tenure was marked by a drug scandal. In October 1984, he was charged with drug possession, but acquitted little later.

Hatfield was never married and spent much time in New York and Europe.

After a disastrous defeat of his party he joined in 1987 as premier of New Brunswick and chairman of the party back. In 1990 he was appointed by the Governor General of Canada in the Canadian Senate. A short time later, however, an inoperable brain tumor in Hatfield was diagnosed with the consequences of which he died in 1991. His grave is located in the Greenwood Cemetery in Hartland.