John Allen Fraser

John Allen Fraser, PC OC OBC CD QC (born December 15, 1931) is a Canadian retired parliamentarian and former Speaker of the House of Commons.[1]

The Honourable John Allen Fraser PC OC OBC CD QC
32nd Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada
In office 1986–1993
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Jeanne Sauvé Ray Hnatyshyn
Prime Minister	Brian Mulroney Kim Campbell
Preceded by	John Bosley
Succeeded by	Gilbert Parent
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Vancouver South
In office 1972–1993
Preceded by	Arthur Laing
Succeeded by	Herb Dhaliwal
Personal details
Born	(1931-12-15) December 15, 1931 Yokohama, Japan
Political party	Progressive Conservative

Fraser was born in Yokohama, Japan, where his father was working as a lumber salesman. His parents returned to British Columbia when Fraser was four years old.[2] He grew up and was educated there and graduated from the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law in Spring 1954.[3] Fraser first won a seat in Parliament in the 1972 general election as a Progressive Conservative from Vancouver. He stood as a candidate at the 1976 Progressive Conservative leadership convention to replace Robert Stanfield, but did poorly. He was re-elected in 1974, 1979, 1980, 1984 and 1988.[1]

In 1979, Fraser became Minister of the Environment in the short-lived government of Joe Clark, returning to the Opposition benches in 1980. He returned to the Cabinet in the wake of Brian Mulroney's landslide victory in the 1984 federal election, and became Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. He was forced to resign in 1985 as a result of the "Tainted Tuna" affair.[1]

In 1986, he became Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, the first to be elected by fellow Members of Parliament, and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1993.[1]

Honours

In 1995, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.[4] In 2002, he was the recipient of the Vimy Award, which recognizes a Canadian who has made a significant and outstanding contribution to the defence and security of our nation and the preservation of our democratic values.[5][6]

Coat of arms of John Allen Fraser

Crest Issuant from a coronet rim Argent set with maple leaves Gules alternating with thistle flowers Argent a demi cougar Azure holding in its dexter forepaw the baton of office of the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada that is a rod Vert at either end tipped and dovetailed inwards Argent ensigned with a lion sejant Argent its dexter forepaw resting on a coronet érablé Argent the rim set with twelve jewels Gules Escutcheon Azure on a chevron between three fraises Argent three roses Gules Supporters On a grassy mound strewn with shamrocks Vert two cougars Sable semé of fraises Or gorged with wing collars Argent; Motto NOUS SOMMES PREST (We Are Ready) [7]

References

1. John Allen Fraser – Parliament of Canada biography
2. Fraser, The Hon. John A. (1979). "The Environmental Partnership in North America". Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association. 29 (12): 1212–1213. doi:10.1080/00022470.1979.10470918.
3. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-11-18. Retrieved 2012-02-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
4. Order of Canada citation
5. "2002 Vimy Award Recipient – The Honourable John A Fraser". Conference of Defence Associations Institute. Archived from the original on 2012-07-09. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
6. e-Veritas » Blog Archive » Misc Archived 2008-12-07 at the Wayback Machine
7. "Fraser, John Allen [Individual]".

External links