George Baker (politician)
Encyclopedia
George S. Baker, PC
(born September 4, 1942) is a Canadian
politician and member of the Senate of Canada.
Baker was first elected to the House of Commons
in the 1974 election
as the Liberal
Member of Parliament
(MP) for Gander—Twillingate
, in Newfoundland and Labrador
. He was re-elected in every subsequent election (representing Gander—Grand Falls
after 1988) until his appointment to the Senate by Governor General
Adrienne Clarkson
, on the recommendation of Prime Minister
Jean Chrétien
, in 2002.
Although a popular and articulate MP, he was hurt by the tradition of appointing no more than one Canadian Cabinet minister from Newfoundland at a time, and by his reputation as a maverick who said what he thought rather than what the party leadership would like him to say. Fred Mifflin
's and Brian Tobin
's appointments to cabinet following the 1993 election
meant Baker had to remain on the backbench. Tobin's resignation from the cabinet to become Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
opened the way for Baker to be appointed as Minister of Veterans Affairs
. But when Prime Minister Chrétien lured Tobin back to Ottawa for the 2000 election
, Baker was removed from Cabinet. He was appointed to the Senate in 2002.
Baker lives in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, with his wife Averill Baker. He has four children; Annelle, Averill, Eli, and Joscelyn, and one grandaughter named Annelle.
, largely in response to the $1.7 billion cuts in equalization payments
that represented no less than 20% of the province's budget, due to a change of how natural resources are factored in the calculation of equalization transfers.
This prompted a rebuke from the Prime Minister's office and political commentators in Toronto and Ottawa. Some Conservative MPs demanded that Michael Ignatieff
kick him out of the Liberal caucus, that he refused to do. However, this action caused little outcry in his home province.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(born September 4, 1942) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician and member of the Senate of Canada.
Baker was first elected to the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 1974 election
Canadian federal election, 1974
The Canadian federal election of 1974 was held on July 8, 1974 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 30th Parliament of Canada. The governing Liberal Party won its first majority government since 1968, and gave Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau his third term...
as the Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Gander—Twillingate
Gander—Twillingate
Gander—Twillingate was a federal electoral district in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1988....
, in Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
. He was re-elected in every subsequent election (representing Gander—Grand Falls
Gander—Grand Falls
Gander—Grand Falls was a federal electoral district in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 2004....
after 1988) until his appointment to the Senate by Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Louise Clarkson is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation....
, on the recommendation of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
, in 2002.
Although a popular and articulate MP, he was hurt by the tradition of appointing no more than one Canadian Cabinet minister from Newfoundland at a time, and by his reputation as a maverick who said what he thought rather than what the party leadership would like him to say. Fred Mifflin
Fred Mifflin
Fred J. Mifflin, PC, CD is a retired Rear Admiral in the Canadian Forces and a former politician.After retiring from 32 years of service in the Royal Canadian Navy, Mifflin entered politics and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1988 election...
's and Brian Tobin
Brian Tobin
Brian Vincent Tobin, PC is a Canadian businessman and former politician. Tobin served as the sixth Premier of Newfoundland from 1996 to 2000. Tobin was also a prominent Member of Parliament and served as a Cabinet Minister in Jean Chrétien's Liberal government.- Early life, education, and family...
's appointments to cabinet following the 1993 election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
meant Baker had to remain on the backbench. Tobin's resignation from the cabinet to become Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador is the first minister, head of government and de facto chief executive for the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Before 1964, the position's official title was Premier of Newfoundland...
opened the way for Baker to be appointed as Minister of Veterans Affairs
Minister of Veterans Affairs (Canada)
The Minister of Veterans Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet whose position was created in 1944. The Department of Veterans Affairs Canada was split from the Department of Pensions and National Health and was given the responsibility of administering benefits and pensions...
. But when Prime Minister Chrétien lured Tobin back to Ottawa for the 2000 election
Canadian federal election, 2000
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada....
, Baker was removed from Cabinet. He was appointed to the Senate in 2002.
Baker lives in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, with his wife Averill Baker. He has four children; Annelle, Averill, Eli, and Joscelyn, and one grandaughter named Annelle.
Bloc Newfoundland controversy
In March 2009, as a Liberal Senator for Newfoundland and Labrador, he was the first among Newfoundland's federal parliamentarians to overtly call for the foundation of a new sovereigntist party, based on the Bloc QuébécoisBloc Québécois
The Bloc Québécois is a federal political party in Canada devoted to the protection of Quebec's interests in the House of Commons of Canada, and the promotion of Quebec sovereignty. The Bloc was originally a party made of Quebec nationalists who defected from the federal Progressive Conservative...
, largely in response to the $1.7 billion cuts in equalization payments
Equalization payments
Equalization payments are cash payments made in some federal systems of government from the federal government to subnational governments with the objective of offsetting differences in available revenue or in the cost of providing services....
that represented no less than 20% of the province's budget, due to a change of how natural resources are factored in the calculation of equalization transfers.
This prompted a rebuke from the Prime Minister's office and political commentators in Toronto and Ottawa. Some Conservative MPs demanded that Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
kick him out of the Liberal caucus, that he refused to do. However, this action caused little outcry in his home province.