Peter Blaikie
Encyclopedia
Peter Macfarlane Blaikie is a prominent Canadian lawyer
and a fluently bilingual statesman
from Quebec
.
, Mauricie
on May 10, 1937. He was the son of Kenneth Guy "Bill" Blaikie
(1897–1968) and Mary Petrie Black.
His great grandfather moved to South Africa
from Scotland
in 1861. His grandfather served in active duty during the Second Boer War
and died during the Siege of Ladysmith
in 1900. His father, who was a Rhodes Scholar
, moved to Canada and worked as a chemist
in the laboratory of the Shawinigan Chemicals Industries. He also was a captain with the 81st Field Artillery Battery (which is now the 62nd (Shawinigan) Field Regiment, RCA
's senior sub-unit) during World War II
.
in Lennoxville, Quebec
where he became lifelong friends with fellow student Scott Griffin
, the founder of the Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry that annually awards the Griffin Poetry Prize
. In 1958 Blaikie was chosen as one of two Quebec Rhodes Scholars
, a distinction shared with his father
who had earlier gained a Rhodes scholarship from Natal
where the family was then living. Later in 1958 Blaikie took up his scholarship at St. John's College
, Oxford, graduating in 1960 with a Bachelor of Arts degree
(subsequently a Master of Arts degree). Blaikie went on to obtain a Bachelor of Civil Law
degree from McGill University
in 1965 and was admitted to the Barreau du Québec
the following year.
in Montreal which became a leading Quebec and Canadian law firm, expanding to Toronto
, Vancouver
and Los Angeles
. Lawyers in the firm include former Canadian Prime Ministers
Pierre Trudeau
and Jean Chrétien
as well as the former Premier of Quebec
, Pierre-Marc Johnson
. From the 1960s to the 1980s, Peter Blaikie was a lecturer in Economics at Loyola College
and at Concordia University
and at the Faculty of Law of McGill University.
candidate in the 1979
and 1980 elections
in the federal district of Lachine
. Each time he finished second against Liberal
incumbent Rod Blaker.
Blaikie was a leadership candidate at the party's 1976
and 1983 conventions
. In both cases, he dropped from the race before the first ballot took place.
He was the party's president from 1981 to 1983.
. He was the lead defendant in Procureur général de la province de Québec c. Peter M. Blaikie et autres, the 1979 constitutional
challenge
of the charter's Chapter III.
From 1987 until 1989, Blaikie served as Chairman of the Board of Administration of Alliance Quebec
. He also briefly served as Acting President of the organization, during the transition between the presidencies of Royal Orr and Robert Keaton.
, Blaikie was made a Unican director in 1983 and served as the public company's
President and Chief Operating Officer
from late 1993 until 1998 when he returned to his law practice.
Peter Blaikie is also a business columnist for the Montreal Gazette and Les Affaires, and has been a television
commentator with CKMI-TV
, the Montreal station of the Global Television Network
. He is married to a psychiatrist
, Dr. Maja Romer, with whom he has three daughters and one son.
Jean Chrétien
, historian Jacques Lacoursière
and professional ice hockey
goaltender
Jacques Plante
.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and a fluently bilingual statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
from Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
Genealogy
Blaikie was born in ShawiniganShawinigan, Quebec
Shawinigan is a city located on the Saint-Maurice River in the Mauricie area in Quebec, Canada. It has a population of approximately 51,904 people ....
, Mauricie
Mauricie
Mauricie is a traditional and current administrative region of Quebec. La Mauricie National Park is contained within the region, making it a prime tourist location. The region has a land area of 35,855.22 km² and a 2006 census population of 258,928 residents...
on May 10, 1937. He was the son of Kenneth Guy "Bill" Blaikie
Guy Blaikie
Kenneth Guy Blaikie , generally known as "Bill Blaikie", played first-class cricket for Oxford University and Somerset in the early 1920s. He was born at Johannesburg in South Africa and died at Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada...
(1897–1968) and Mary Petrie Black.
His great grandfather moved to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1861. His grandfather served in active duty during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
and died during the Siege of Ladysmith
Siege of Ladysmith
The Siege of Ladysmith was a protracted engagement in the Second Boer War, taking place between 30 October 1899 and 28 February 1900 at Ladysmith, Natal.-Background:...
in 1900. His father, who was a Rhodes Scholar
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
, moved to Canada and worked as a chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
in the laboratory of the Shawinigan Chemicals Industries. He also was a captain with the 81st Field Artillery Battery (which is now the 62nd (Shawinigan) Field Regiment, RCA
62nd (Shawinigan) Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
The 62nd Field Artillery Regiment, RCA is a militia unit of the Canadian Army that has its own military band and is located in Shawinigan, Quebec...
's senior sub-unit) during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Education
In 1958, Blaikie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bishop's UniversityBishop's University
Bishop's University is a predominantly undergraduate university in Lennoxville, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Bishop's is one of three universities in the province of Quebec that teach primarily in the English language...
in Lennoxville, Quebec
Lennoxville, Quebec
Lennoxville is an arrondissement, or borough, of the city of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Lennoxville is located at the confluence of the St. Francis and Massawippi Rivers approximately five kilometers south of downtown Sherbrooke....
where he became lifelong friends with fellow student Scott Griffin
Scott Griffin
Scott Griffin is a Canadian businessman and philanthropist best known for founding the Griffin Poetry Prize, one of the world's most generous poetry awards in 2000. Celebrating its tenth year in 2010, the Griffin Poetry Prize has become known as the most adventurous international literary award...
, the founder of the Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry that annually awards the Griffin Poetry Prize
Griffin Poetry Prize
The Griffin Poetry Prize is Canada's most generous poetry award. It was founded in 2000 by businessman and philanthropist Scott Griffin. The awards go to one Canadian and one international poet who writes in the English language....
. In 1958 Blaikie was chosen as one of two Quebec Rhodes Scholars
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
, a distinction shared with his father
Guy Blaikie
Kenneth Guy Blaikie , generally known as "Bill Blaikie", played first-class cricket for Oxford University and Somerset in the early 1920s. He was born at Johannesburg in South Africa and died at Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada...
who had earlier gained a Rhodes scholarship from Natal
Natal Province
Natal, meaning "Christmas" in Portuguese, was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg. The Natal Province included the bantustan of KwaZulu...
where the family was then living. Later in 1958 Blaikie took up his scholarship at St. John's College
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
, Oxford, graduating in 1960 with a Bachelor of Arts degree
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(subsequently a Master of Arts degree). Blaikie went on to obtain a Bachelor of Civil Law
Bachelor of Civil Law
Bachelor of Civil Law is the name of various degrees in law conferred by English-language universities. Historically, it originated as a postgraduate degree in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, but many universities now offer the BCL as an undergraduate degree...
degree from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in 1965 and was admitted to the Barreau du Québec
Barreau du Quebec
The Bar of Quebec is the provincial law society for lawyers in Quebec, Canada...
the following year.
Law career
In 1973, he co-founded Heenan BlaikieHeenan Blaikie
Heenan Blaikie LLP is a full service Canadian law firm. It practices in the areas of business, labour and employment, litigation, taxation, entertainment law and intellectual property law. The firm was founded in 1973 by Roy Heenan, Donald Johnston, and Peter Blaikie...
in Montreal which became a leading Quebec and Canadian law firm, expanding to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Lawyers in the firm include former Canadian Prime Ministers
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...
Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
and 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....
as well as the former Premier of Quebec
Premier of Quebec
The Premier of Quebec is the first minister of the Canadian province of Quebec. The Premier is the province's head of government and his title is Premier and President of the Executive Council....
, Pierre-Marc Johnson
Pierre-Marc Johnson
Pierre-Marc Johnson, , is a Quebec lawyer, physician and politician. He was the 24th Premier of Quebec from October 3 to December 12, 1985.- Early background :...
. From the 1960s to the 1980s, Peter Blaikie was a lecturer in Economics at Loyola College
Loyola College (Montreal)
Loyola College was a Jesuit college in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It ceased to exist when it was incorporated into Concordia University in 1974. A portion of the original College remains as a separate entity called Loyola High School....
and at Concordia University
Concordia University
Concordia University is a comprehensive Canadian public university located in Montreal, Quebec, one of the two universities in the city where English is the primary language of instruction...
and at the Faculty of Law of McGill University.
Federal politics
Blaikie ran as a Progressive ConservativeProgressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
candidate in the 1979
Canadian federal election, 1979
The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of Liberal Party of Canada after 11 years in power under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Joe Clark led the Progressive...
and 1980 elections
Canadian federal election, 1980
The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Parliament of Canada...
in the federal district of Lachine
Lachine (electoral district)
Lachine was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1968 to 1988.This riding was created in 1966 from Jacques-Cartier—Lasalle riding...
. Each time he finished second against 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...
incumbent Rod Blaker.
Blaikie was a leadership candidate at the party's 1976
Progressive Conservative leadership convention, 1976
The 1976 leadership election of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was held in Ottawa on February 22, 1976, to elect a leader to replace Robert Stanfield, who had resigned after losing the 1968, 1972, and 1974 elections. It unexpectedly elected a 36-year-old, little-known PC Member of...
and 1983 conventions
Progressive Conservative leadership convention, 1983
The 1983 Progressive Conservative leadership election was held on June 11, 1983 in Ottawa, Ontario to elect a leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada...
. In both cases, he dropped from the race before the first ballot took place.
He was the party's president from 1981 to 1983.
Language policy activist
For many years, Blaikie lobbied against Quebec's Charter of the French LanguageCharter of the French Language
The Charter of the French Language , also known as Bill 101 and Loi 101, is a law in the province of Quebec in Canada defining French, the language of the majority of the population, as the only official language of Quebec, and framing fundamental language rights for everyone in the province...
. He was the lead defendant in Procureur général de la province de Québec c. Peter M. Blaikie et autres, the 1979 constitutional
Constitution of Canada
The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada; the country's constitution is an amalgamation of codified acts and uncodified traditions and conventions. It outlines Canada's system of government, as well as the civil rights of all Canadian citizens and those in Canada...
challenge
Legal dispute over Quebec's language policy
The legal dispute over Quebec's language policy began soon after the enactment of the Charter of the French Language by the National Assembly of Quebec in 1977....
of the charter's Chapter III.
From 1987 until 1989, Blaikie served as Chairman of the Board of Administration of Alliance Quebec
Alliance Quebec
Alliance Quebec was a group formed in 1982 to lobby on behalf of English-speaking Quebecers in the province of Quebec, Canada. It began as an umbrella group of many English-speaking organizations and institutions in the province, with approximately 15,000 members. At its height in the mid-1980s,...
. He also briefly served as Acting President of the organization, during the transition between the presidencies of Royal Orr and Robert Keaton.
Other activities
A longtime friend and advisor to Aaron Fish, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Unican Security Systems Ltd.Unican Security Systems Ltd.
Unican Security Systems Ltd. was a Canadian-based company created by Aaron Fish in the 1960s and sold in 2000. At its sale , the company had over $800 million in sales annually and was the largest maker of key blanks and key copying machines in the world. Peter Blaikie was a major supporter of the...
, Blaikie was made a Unican director in 1983 and served as the public company's
Public company
This is not the same as a Government-owned corporation.A public company or publicly traded company is a limited liability company that offers its securities for sale to the general public, typically through a stock exchange, or through market makers operating in over the counter markets...
President and Chief Operating Officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
from late 1993 until 1998 when he returned to his law practice.
Peter Blaikie is also a business columnist for the Montreal Gazette and Les Affaires, and has been a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
commentator with CKMI-TV
CKMI-TV
CKMI-DT-1 is the Global Television Network owned-and-operated station in Quebec.Originally a privately owned CBC Television affiliate in Quebec City, the station moved most of its operations to Montreal in 1997 after launching a rebroadcaster there and becoming a Global affiliate as Global Quebec...
, the Montreal station of the Global Television Network
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
. He is married to a psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
, Dr. Maja Romer, with whom he has three daughters and one son.
Honour
In 1997, Blaikie was inducted into the Académie des Grands Shawiniganais, which consists of a Hall of Fame of Shawinigan residents, past and present. Other inductees include former Prime Minister of CanadaPrime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
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....
, historian Jacques Lacoursière
Jacques Lacoursière
Jacques Lacoursière, CM, CQ is a French-speaking TV host, author and historian from Quebec, Canada.-Life and career:Lacoursière was born in Shawinigan, Mauricie, and currently resides in Beauport in the Greater Quebec area....
and professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
Jacques Plante
Jacques Plante
Joseph Jacques Omer Plante was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. During a career lasting from 1947–1975, he was considered to be one of the most important innovators in hockey...
.