|
|
About the Institute ..
RT. HON. HERB GRAY
Herb Gray was born in Windsor Ontario, on May 25th, 1931, the son of the late Harry and Fannie Gray. After graduating from Victoria School and Kennedy Collegiate in Windsor, he graduated from the School of Commerce of McGill University (Montreal) and Osgoode Hall Law School (Toronto). He is a member of the Ontario Bar. He was first elected to Parliament on June 18, 1962 in his initial attempt at gaining public office for what is now called Windsor West, a riding which takes in a large part of the City of Windsor. He was re-elected in all twelve subsequent federal elections as a Liberal. This constitutes an unequalled record for continuous days of service in the House of Commons 39 years, six months and 26 days, as well as an unequalled record of 13 consecutive victories in the same riding. Prior to September 1984, Mr. Gray served as Chair of the HOuse of Commons Committee on Finance, Trade and Economic Affairs, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance, Minister without Portfolio working with the Minister of Fiance, Minister of National Revenue, Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs, Critic on Finance for the Official Opposition, Minister of Industry, Trade and Commerce, Minister of Regional Economic Expansion and President of the Treasury Board. From September 1984 to February 1990, he served as Opposition House Leader. From January, 1989 to February 1990, he was also Deputy Leader of the Opposition. From February 6, 1990 to December 21, 1990, he was Leader of the Opposition. From January 1991 to November 1993, he served again as Finance Critic for the Official Opposition. On November 4th, 1993, he was appointed Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada which meant he was responsible for federal law enforcement activities. He was also named Political Minister for Ontario. On June 11th, 1997, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, the first to occupy that position as full time cabinet post. On September 24th, 1997, in addition, he was assigned responsibility for development of the Government of Canada's activities to mark the new millennium. The on March 12, 1998, he was designated as the Minister responsible for the Millennium Bureau of Canada. On September 11th, 2000, he was appointed by the Prime Minister as special representative to deal with the longstanding issue of Indian residential schools. He was then designated Minister responsible for the Office of Indian Residential Schools Resolution of Canada which was created in June 2001. Mr. Gray ceased to be Deputy Prime Minister and resigned from the House of Commons on January 14, 2002 to become the full-time Canadian Chair of the International Joint Commission - an autonomous international organization created by the Boundary Waters Treaty between Canada and the United States dealing with transboundary issues concerning water and air. On January 15, 2002 the Governor General bestowed on Mr. Gray the title "Right Honourable". He is now one of only three Canadians currently to hold the title in addition to the fifteen present and former Prime Ministers, Governors General, and Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada. Mr. Gray was appointed Chancellor of Carleton University, located in Ottawa, Ontario on November 28, 2008. When Mr. Gray was first appointed a Minister in 1969, it was the first time in Canadian History that someone of the Jewish faith was appointed to the Federal Cabinet. Mr. Gray worked extensively as a Minister and as an M.P. in the fields of parliamentary affairs, economic nd industrial developmental , foreign investment, finance, consumer protection, competition, international trade, federal law enforcement, the environment and climate change, and Canada-US border issues. Mr. Gray, who is bilingual, took part in the work of a number of community organizations in the Windsor area prior to his election to Parliament, including the Jaycees (Windsor President 1961-62), B'nai Brith and the Club Richelieu. He is a member of the Machzikei Hadas Synagogue in Ottawa. On July 23, 1967, he married Sharon Sholzberg, a lawyer (B.Sc. and B.C.L. - McGill), originally from Ville St. Laurent (Montreal), Quebec. They have two children and four grandchildren. Mr. Gray is a Companion of the Order of Canada B the highest designation of the Order of Canada - bestowed by the Governor General on up to only 165 outstanding Canadians recognizing their special contribution to Canada.
Back to Executive and Advisory Board
|
|
