The friends and former colleagues of Edward (Eddie) Goldenberg at Bennett Jones are deeply saddened by the passing of this exceptional Canadian, at age 77. Eddie died this morning at his home, in Ottawa, with his beloved wife Caroline at his side.
Born in Montreal, a graduate from McGill Faculty of Law, Eddie is best known for his decades as the wise and trusted righthand man to Minister and then Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. Eddie was the person behind the scenes: the counsellor, the negotiator, the troubleshooter. As an advisor to then Justice Minister Jean Chrétien in 1982, he was one of the architects of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The realizations of the Liberal government from 1993 to 2003 owe much to Eddie's loyal service and leadership in the roles of Principal Secretary and then Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister's Office. He earned the highest respect of both elected and non-elected officials, as well as leaders in business, academia and non-governmental organizations, in listening and in applying his superb skills and judgement to help craft practical solutions to the problems of the day. His 2006 book titled The Way It Works – Inside Ottawa remains a reference not only on the inner workings of government, but on the art of decision making.
Bennett Jones is very fortunate that Eddie came to our firm in 2008 after his years in government. Under his leadership, the Bennett Jones Public Policy group became recognized as one of the very best sources of analysis and advice for businesses and governments on a range of public policy issues. Throughout his 16 years with us, Eddie developed strong and lasting relationships with colleagues and clients across the country.
He joined Global Public Affairs in 2024 and continued to advocate for policies for the betterment of Canada, including by spearheading with other prominent Canadians a proposal to attract world-leading researchers that was adopted by the Government of Canada in Budget 2025.
Most of all, for those of us who had the privilege of working with Eddie, he was a dear friend, a person of the highest integrity, and in every way and at every time a proud Canadian. We are grateful for his immense legacy to the country.
Thank you, Eddie.
To Caroline and to his family and friends, we extend our sincerest sympathy.
