Hugh and Laura MacKinnon Donate $250,000 to the C.D. Howe Institute

January 28, 2026 – The C.D. Howe Institute, Canada’s most influential think tank, has received a generous $250,000 donation from former Institute Chair Hugh L. MacKinnon, K.C. and his wife, Laura MacKinnon.

Chair Emeritus of both Bennett Jones LLP and the C.D. Howe Institute, Mr. MacKinnon has played a pivotal role in the successes and growth of the C.D. Howe Institute, serving on its Board of Directors since 2009 and providing more than a decade of exceptional leadership as Chair from 2014 to June 2025.

The MacKinnon’s donation follows a previous $300,000 contribution to the Institute’s Centre on Financial and Monetary Policy. This latest act of generosity will support the creation of the William Robson Chair in Public Sector Governance and Accountability, honouring the leadership and legacy of the Institute’s current President and CEO, William B.P. Robson.

“I am deeply grateful to Hugh for his leadership, and to him and Laura for their generosity over many years,” says Robson. “This donation will permanently boost the C.D. Howe Institute’s capacity to deliver independent, high-quality policy research.”

A member of the Law Societies of Ontario, Alberta, and England and Wales, Mr. MacKinnon served as Chair and CEO of Bennett Jones from 2005 to 2024. In addition to his work with the C.D. Howe Institute, he is the past Chair of the Ontario Brain Institute, the Collegium of the University of St. Michael’s College, and the Canada Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center (Washington, DC).

For more information contact: Lauren Malyk, Manager of Communications, C.D. Howe Institute, lmalyk@cdhowe.org

The C.D. Howe Institute is an independent not-for-profit research institute whose mission is to raise living standards by fostering economically sound public policies. Widely considered to be Canada's most influential think tank, the Institute is a trusted source of essential policy intelligence, distinguished by research that is nonpartisan, evidence-based and subject to definitive expert review.

Want more insights like this? Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest research and expert commentary.