Bill Graham (politician)
William C. Graham (March 17, 1939- ) is Canada's current Minister of National Defence.
Personal life
Graham grew up in Montreal and Vancouver. He attended Upper Canada College, Trinity College, Toronto. the University of Toronto and the University of Paris where he received his Doctorate in Law. After some time in private practise, he went on to become a professor at the University of Toronto teaching subjects such as International Trade Law. He has been a visiting lecturer at the University of Montreal and McGill University.
Graham is married and has two children and three grandchildren.
He has occasionally been targeted by rumours in Frank Magazine alleging that he is bisexual. As a result of the Frank allegations, Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant once heckled Graham in the House by shouting "Ask your boyfriend!" at him as he answered a question. Although Graham's riding includes Toronto's Church and Wellesley gay village, and he consequently has a gay-friendly voting record in the House of Commons, Graham has never publicly acknowledged the Frank rumours in any way.
In 1960, Graham drove a Land Rover from England to Pakistan and back. The adventure took five months.
Political life
He was first elected as MP for the riding of
Rosedale (now Toronto Centre) in 1993. He was re-elected in the same riding in 1997 and 2000. Toronto Centre is one of the most diverse ridings in Canada, including upper-class neighbourhoods such as Rosedale and Cabbagetown, public housing developments (Moss Park and Regent Park), and everything in between.
In parliament, Graham became a member and then the chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade. He was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. in a cabinet shuffle by Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in January 2002.
In December 2003, the new Prime Minister, Paul Martin, Jr., appointed Graham to the same position in his cabinet.
In the cabinet shuffle that followed the 2004 Canadian election, Graham was moved to the Defence portfolio.
Honours
- the University of Toronto Faculty of Law has established the William C. Graham Chair in International Law and Development.
- for his work in promoting French language and culture in Ontario (he is a past president of the Alliance française of Toronto)
- Prix Jean-Baptiste Rousseaux
- Médaille d'argent de la ville de Paris (City of Paris Silver Medal)
- Gold Medal of the Alliance française
- Ordre du mérite de l'Association des juristes d'expression française de l'Ontario (Order of Merit of the Association of French-speaking Jurists of Ontario)
- Chevalier of the Legion of Honour
- Chevalier of the Ordre de la Pléiade
