The Honourable John Baird PC |
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10th Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
In office May 18, 2011 – February 3, 2015 |
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Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | Lawrence Cannon |
Succeeded by | Rob Nicholson |
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons | |
In office August 6, 2010 – May 18, 2011 |
|
Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | Jay Hill |
Succeeded by | Peter Van Loan |
Minister of the Environment | |
In office November 7, 2010 – January 4, 2011 |
|
Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | Jim Prentice |
Succeeded by | Peter Kent |
In office January 4, 2007 – October 30, 2008 |
|
Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | Rona Ambrose |
Succeeded by | Jim Prentice |
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities | |
In office October 30, 2008 – August 6, 2010 |
|
Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | Lawrence Cannon |
Succeeded by | Chuck Strahl |
President of the Treasury Board | |
In office February 6, 2006 – January 4, 2007 |
|
Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
Preceded by | Reg Alcock |
Succeeded by | Vic Toews |
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Ottawa West—Nepean |
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In office January 23, 2006 – March 16, 2015 |
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Preceded by | Marlene Catterall |
Succeeded by | Anita Vandenbeld |
Member of Provincial Parliament for Nepean—Carleton |
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In office June 3, 1999 – November 30, 2005 |
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Preceded by | Constituency established |
Succeeded by | Lisa MacLeod |
Member of Provincial Parliament for Nepean |
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In office June 8, 1995 – June 3, 1999 |
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Preceded by | Hans Daigeler |
Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
Personal details | |
Born |
John Russell Baird May 26, 1969 Nepean, Ontario, Canada |
Political party |
Progressive Conservative (1995–2003) Conservative (2003–present) Progressive Conservative (Provincial) |
Alma mater | Queen's University |
John Russell Baird, PC (born May 26, 1969) is a Canadian former politician. Baird served from 2011 to 2015 as Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He had been a member of the federal cabinet, in various positions, since 2006. Previously he was a provincial cabinet minister in Ontario during the governments of Premiers Mike Harris and Ernie Eves. Baird resigned from cabinet on February 3, 2015, and as a Member of Parliament on March 16, 2015.
Before his spell as Minister of Foreign Affairs Baird held the posts of Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Minister of the Environment and President of the Treasury Board. Prior to entering federal politics he was a provincial politician serving in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 2005 and a cabinet minister in the Progressive Conservative governments of Mike Harris and Ernie Eves, serving as the Minister for Children, Community and Social Services, Energy and Francophone Affairs in addition to being the Government's Chief Whip.
A long-time resident of the former city of Nepean, where he attended Bell High School, and a graduate of Kingston's Queen's University, he was until recently the member of the House of Commons of Canada for the riding of Ottawa West—Nepean. Baird was elected there as a candidate for the Conservative Party of Canada in the 2006 federal election, when his party defeated Paul Martin's Liberal Party and established a minority government. Baird was sworn in as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, replacing Jay Hill, on August 6, 2010. Prior to this, Baird served as Transport Minister starting October 30, 2008, Environment Minister starting January 2007, and President of the Treasury Board during the Conservatives' first year in power.