Richard Bennett Hatfield
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The Honourable Richard Hatfield PC ONB |
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| 26th Premier of New Brunswick | |
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In office November 11, 1970 – October 26, 1987 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Lieutenant Governor |
Wallace Samuel Bird Hédard Robichaud George Stanley Gilbert Finn |
| Preceded by | Louis Robichaud |
| Succeeded by | Frank McKenna |
| Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick | |
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In office October 13, 1967 – October 13, 1987 |
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| Preceded by | Charles Van Horne |
| Succeeded by | Malcolm MacLeod |
| MLA for Carleton | |
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In office June 19, 1961 – November 18, 1974 Serving with Fred McCain, Charles Gallagher, A. Edison Stairs |
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| Preceded by | Hugh John Flemming |
| Succeeded by | District abolished |
| MLA for Carleton Centre | |
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In office November 18, 1974 – October 13, 1987 |
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| Preceded by | District created |
| Succeeded by | Allison DeLong |
| Senator for New Brunswick | |
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In office September 7, 1990 – April 26, 1991 |
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| Appointed by | Brian Mulroney |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Bennett Hatfield April 9, 1931 Hartland, New Brunswick |
| Died | April 26, 1991 (aged 60) Fredericton, New Brunswick |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Religion | Protestant |
Richard Bennett Hatfield, PC ONB (April 9, 1931 – April 26, 1991) was a New Brunswick politician and the longest serving Premier in the province's history (1970–1987).
The youngest of five children of Heber Hatfield and Dora Robinson, Richard was brought up with politics in the household. His father, already a well known potato shipper, was Hartland's mayor when he was born. In 1938, at 7 years old, his father brought him to the Conservative Party of Canada leadership convention in Winnipeg where he met his namesake, R. B. Bennett. In 1940 Heber was elected Victoria-Carleton county Conservative Member of Parliament and served until his death due to cancer in 1952. Young Richard spent a lot of time in Ottawa even getting to know John Diefenbaker and his first wife Edna.
After graduating from high school in 1948 in his home town Hartland, Hatfield attended Acadia University for four years majoring in chemistry and English where he became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He also got involved in drama, an experience that seemed to have the most lasting impact of any during his years at Acadia. "That was extremely valuable" he said. "It would benefit every politician to have a bit of theatre training... too many politicians get caught up using big words to impress, but don't know how to project feelings." After Acadia, he attended Dalhousie University to become a doctor but after a year he turned to law. He graduated Dalhousie Law School in 1956.
Hatfield left Halifax in 1957 and moved to Truro to take a job with the firm Patterson, Smith, Matthew and Grant so he could do his six months articling period. After successfully completing his articles, he left Truro to join Gordon Churchill who was at the time Minister of Industry in Ottawa. He declined a job offer at the firm and he never practised law again. He stayed in Ottawa for nine months until he called his brother Fred for a job back home. Frederick Heber Hatfield (1922-2004), who was managing the potato shipping and processing operation since Heber died, agreed and Richard became vice-president of sales. He worked with his brother until 1965. When his family sold their potato chip plant to Humpty Dumpty Snack Foods, he decided to be a politician full-time.
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