The School of Public Policy mourns Jim Palmer

On Tuesday, August 27, James (Jim) S. Palmer passed away at the age of 84.

Originating from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Jim came to Calgary in 1952, with his wife, Barbara, as a fifth-generation lawyer. Here, Jim was well recognized as a leader in business, tax and international law, and for helping grow his firm, Burnet Duckworth Palmer, into a major oilpatch player.

With a passion for politics, Jim became one of former Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin’s closest advisors in the West. Jim supported a number of social organizations, including the Calgary Homeless Foundation, United Way Calgary, Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity.

Jim served on the Board of Governors and as Chancellor of the University of Calgary from 1986 to 1990. From 1990 to 1993, Jim acted as Chair of the University’s Building the Vision fundraising campaign and helped to surpass the goal of $40 million raised. In addition to these contributions, in 2009, Jim and his wife provided a generous donation to the U of C, which helped establish The School of Public Policy.