Robert Leslie Barnes is a native of Coquitlam, British Columbia.  He could not “go west” as a young man, so he “came east” instead.  He graduated from Acadia University in 1974 with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Political Science.  He was recognized on graduation with Acadia’s Bronze Medal for the highest academic standing in his department.  He entered Dalhousie Law School the same year and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1977.  He articled in both British Columbia and Nova Scotia and in 1978 was admitted to the bars of both provinces.

In his letter of support for the nomination of Mr. Justice Barnes as the recipient of Dalhousie Law School’s Weldon Award for Unselfish Public Service, the Secretary General of the Canadian Red Cross, Dr. Pierre Duplessis, wrote as follows:

As Secretary General, I have had the honour of working with Bob for the last six years, during which I have come to truly appreciate our President as a humanitarian.  Inside and outside the boardroom, Bob is continuously guided by humanitarian principles and values which have inspired me, our Governors, and our volunteers and staff at all levels of the Canadian Red Cross, from coast to coast.  For his contribution to the Society, he was honoured by the Red Cross in November 2003 with our Distinguished Service Award and by our Honourary President, the Governor General of Canada, in 2002, with the Queen’s Jubilee Commemorative Medal.  It is not in these honours, however, that Bob takes pride; it is in being associated with and representing the dedicated, selfless and committed volunteers that make up Canada’s largest volunteer pool.  Whenever he travels within Canada, he insists on meeting our community service volunteers, shaking their hands and thanking them individually for their commitments to humanity.  His genuine and sincere personality speaks to young and old alike, and many have personally shared with me their respect and admiration for our President.

Almost peerless as a trial lawyer in matters involving insurance, products liability, complex personal injury and professional liability, Mr. Justice Barnes was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1995.  He was also very active in his service to the legal profession.  He was a member of Bar Council.  He was a director and later a chairman of the Barristers’ Liability Claims Fund.  He was an advisory board member of the Canadian Lawyers’ Insurance Association.  He lectured in Insurance Law at Dalhousie Law School.  He delivered numerous papers and was a frequently sought-after speaker for professional development and continuing legal education conferences.  As a testament to his legal prowess, he was sworn in as a Justice of the Federal Court of Canada in December of 2005.

Outside of the law, Mr. Justice Barnes’ volunteer commitment to humanitarian causes has been no less stellar.  He has occupied almost every position within the ranks of the Canadian Red Cross; not only locally, provincially and regionally but nationally and internationally as well.  At the time of his appointment to the Federal Court of Canada,  he had just completed a year as the Immediate Past National President of the Canadian Red Cross, having served as the organization’s National President from 2001 to 2004.  He was also just completing his two year appointment to the International Federation of Red Cross Societies of which he was the Vice-President for the Americas. 

Mr. Justice Barnes’ travels on behalf of the humanitarian mandate of the Red Cross were almost legendary.  Venezuela, Colombia, Japan, Korea, Algeria, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, England, Chile and Switzerland were just some of his regular destinations.  His message was always the same: “the developed world, with its riches and its promise, must continue to recognize and do more for those who are tired, cold, hungry, afraid, dispossessed or beset by war, natural disaster or by other human tragedy.”  He stood at “Ground Zero” and welcomed families displaced by preceding events into his own home.  Like the Red Cross itself, Mr. Justice Barnes was always available “any time... anywhere.” 

If, as Mark Twain wrote, “kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see,” Mr. Justice Barnes has spoken very loudly.  His is a legacy of personal commitment to those most in need.For his selfless voluntarism in the very best of the Weldon Tradition, Dalhousie Law School is proud to recognize Mr. Justice Robert L. Barnes as its 2006 recipient of the Weldon Award for Unselfish Public Service.