Ralph Goodale
Encyclopedia
Ralph Edward Goodale, PC
, MP
(born October 5, 1949) was Canada
's Minister of Finance
from 2003 to 2006 and continues to be a Liberal
Member of Parliament. He was named Opposition House Leader
by interim Liberal leader Bill Graham
in 2006, and continued to serve in this role under the leadership of Stéphane Dion
and Michael Ignatieff
until September 2010 when he was promoted to Deputy Leader
.
and raised on a farm near Wilcox, Saskatchewan
. He was a member of Scouts Canada
and earned the rank of Queen's Scout. He first attended the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus
and then obtained a law degree from the University of Saskatchewan
in Saskatoon
, where he was awarded the Gold Medal for academic achievement.
in the 1974 election
at the age of 24. He served as backbench MP
until the 1979 election
, when he was defeated.
.
He led that party to a very poor showing in the 1982 provincial election
, in which the party received 4.51% of the popular vote and won no seats in the provincial legislature
. However, Goodale was the only Liberal candidate to receive more than 1,000 votes.
The party won 9.99% of the vote in the 1986 provincial election
, but only Goodale was elected to the legislature. Goodale ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility in this election, arguing that both the Progressive Conservative
and New Democrat (NDP) parties favoured excessive spending policies, typified by their proposals for a Keynesian-style stimulation of the provincial economy through subsidized home improvement and renovation schemes.
in the 1988 election
, but he was narrowly defeated by former Regina mayor, Larry Schneider, who later went on to serve briefly in Kim Campbell's cabinet. Beginning earlier that year and prior to his resignation, Goodale's executive assistant was Jason Kenney
. Kenney would become a Conservative Party of Canada
MP in a Calgary
riding.
Goodale then spent five years in the private sector, working for companies such as the Pioneer Life Assurance Company, Pioneer Lifeco Inc., and Sovereign Life Insurance Co.; he has stated in interviews that he felt his political career had ended.
and was elected to Parliament. As a member of the new Chrétien
cabinet, Goodale was named Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. He has the prenomial "the Honourable" and the postnomial "PC" for life by virtue of being made a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
on November 4, 1993.
In 1997, he became the Minister of Natural Resources
. In 2002, he was named Minister of Public Works and Government Services
. The Department of Public Works and Government Services had been plagued by scandals.
A close ally of Paul Martin
, Goodale was appointed to the senior portfolio of Finance Minister when Martin became Prime Minister
on December 12, 2003. In that capacity he tabled two consecutive balanced budgets and launched the Government's productivity agenda.
On December 28, 2005, a letter surfaced from Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) Commissioner
Giuliano Zaccardelli
confirming the force was launching a criminal investigation into whether details regarding government tax policies relating to income trust funds were leaked from the Finance Minister's office. Goodale said he would co-operate completely with any investigation, but would not step aside while the RCMP continued their probe. The investigation deals only with the Department of Finance, and not the minister himself. On February 15, 2007 the RCMP announced the conclusion of the income trust investigation and laid a charge of 'Breach of Trust' against Serge Nadeau, an official in the Department of Finance. Goodale was cleared of any wrongdoing. Goodale blamed the NDP's Judy Wasylycia-Leis
for sabotaging the Liberals in the 2006 election.
reported that Goodale was reconsidering his decision, and stated that he may enter the Liberal leadership election after all. In the end he declined, citing his inability to speak French as a key reason. On November 28, 2006, he endorsed Bob Rae
to be the next leader of the Liberal Party. After the third ballot, Bob Rae, who finished third, was eliminated. Goodale then endorsed Stéphane Dion
, the eventual winner.
Goodale was opposed to David Orchard
's candidacy in the by-election for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River
. Dion terminated the nomination contest and appointed Joan Beatty
as the candidate.
in the Canadian parliament indicated their intention to defeat the Stephen Harper
government in a motion of no confidence
, and expressed their desire for the Governor General
Michaëlle Jean, to ask a member of the opposition to form a new government. There was initially some speculation that Goodale would become Prime Minister of Canada as leader of the coalition government
. However, the coalition agreement simply made "the leader of the Liberal Party" Prime Minister, and the Liberals later agreed that Stéphane Dion
would lead the government on an interim basis until a new Liberal leader was chosen.
As the NDP surpassed the Liberals in number of seats, that gave them priority in choosing parliamentary offices, and they requested that Goodale forfeit his suite in the coveted Central Block. Many Liberals saw this as a measure of disrespect to Goodale, noting that he had seniority as a former cabinet minister and house leader, and as the Conservatives (who also increased their caucus in the election) had not asked any Liberals to give up their offices.
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,...
, MP
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,...
(born October 5, 1949) was Canada
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...
's Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (Canada)
The Minister of Finance is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible each year for presenting the federal government's budget...
from 2003 to 2006 and continues to be a 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. He was named Opposition House Leader
House Leader
In Canada, each political party with representation in the House of Commons has a House Leader who is a front bench Member of Parliament and an expert in parliamentary procedure...
by interim Liberal leader Bill Graham
Bill Graham
William Carvel "Bill" Graham, PC QC is a former Canadian politician, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of National Defence, and Leader of the Opposition and interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.-Personal life:...
in 2006, and continued to serve in this role under the leadership of Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
and 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...
until September 2010 when he was promoted to Deputy Leader
Deputy Leader
A deputy leader in the Westminster system is the second-in-command of a political party, behind the party leader. Deputy leaders often become deputy prime minister when their parties are elected to government. In opposition, deputy leaders often lead Question Time sessions when the party leader is...
.
Early life
Goodale was born in Regina, SaskatchewanRegina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
and raised on a farm near Wilcox, Saskatchewan
Wilcox, Saskatchewan
Wilcox is a small village in Saskatchewan, Canada. Located approximately 41 kilometers south of Regina, Wilcox is best known for being the home of the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, a boarding school for students in grades 9-12. The village is also home to the Notre Dame Hounds ice hockey...
. He was a member of Scouts Canada
Scouts Canada
Scouts Canada is a Canadian Scouting association that, in affiliation with the French-language Association des Scouts du Canada, is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement...
and earned the rank of Queen's Scout. He first attended the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus
University of Regina
The University of Regina is a public research university located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Founded in 1911 as a private denominational high school of the Methodist Church of Canada, it began an association with the University of Saskatchewan as a junior college in 1925, and was disaffiliated...
and then obtained a law degree from the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
in Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
, where he was awarded the Gold Medal for academic achievement.
Federal politics, 1974-1979
Active at politics from a young age, he was first elected to the Parliament of CanadaCanadian 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...
at the age of 24. He served as backbench MP
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,...
until the 1979 election
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...
, when he was defeated.
Provincial politics
In 1981, Goodale was named leader of the Saskatchewan Liberal PartySaskatchewan Liberal Party
The Saskatchewan Liberal Party is a liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.-Early history :The party dominated Saskatchewan politics for the province's first forty years providing six of the first seven Premiers, and being in power for all but five of the years between the...
.
He led that party to a very poor showing in the 1982 provincial election
Saskatchewan general election, 1982
The Saskatchewan general election of 1982 was the twentieth provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on April 26, 1982, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
, in which the party received 4.51% of the popular vote and won no seats in the provincial legislature
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
The 25th Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan was in power from 2003 until November 20, 2007. It was controlled by the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party under premier Lorne Calvert.-Members:-By-elections:...
. However, Goodale was the only Liberal candidate to receive more than 1,000 votes.
The party won 9.99% of the vote in the 1986 provincial election
Saskatchewan general election, 1986
The Saskatchewan general election of 1986 was the twenty-first provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on October 20, 1986, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
, but only Goodale was elected to the legislature. Goodale ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility in this election, arguing that both the Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan
The Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan is a right-of-centre political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Prior to 1942, it was known as the Conservative Party of Saskatchewan. Members are commonly known as Tories....
and New Democrat (NDP) parties favoured excessive spending policies, typified by their proposals for a Keynesian-style stimulation of the provincial economy through subsidized home improvement and renovation schemes.
Defeated in 1988 election
Goodale resigned as leader to run for the federal Liberal PartyLiberal 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...
in the 1988 election
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
, but he was narrowly defeated by former Regina mayor, Larry Schneider, who later went on to serve briefly in Kim Campbell's cabinet. Beginning earlier that year and prior to his resignation, Goodale's executive assistant was Jason Kenney
Jason Kenney
Jason T. Kenney, PC, MP is Canada's current Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. He has represented the riding of Calgary Southeast in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997....
. Kenney would become a Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
MP in a Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
riding.
Goodale then spent five years in the private sector, working for companies such as the Pioneer Life Assurance Company, Pioneer Lifeco Inc., and Sovereign Life Insurance Co.; he has stated in interviews that he felt his political career had ended.
In government, 1993-2006
Goodale ran again in the 1993 federal electionCanadian 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...
and was elected to Parliament. As a member of the new 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....
cabinet, Goodale was named Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. He has the prenomial "the Honourable" and the postnomial "PC" for life by virtue of being made a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
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,...
on November 4, 1993.
In 1997, he became the Minister of Natural Resources
Minister of Natural Resources (Canada)
The Minister of Natural Resources is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for Natural Resources Canada. As of January 19, 2010, the Minister of Natural Resources is Joe Oliver.-Ministers:Key:...
. In 2002, he was named Minister of Public Works and Government Services
Minister of Public Works and Government Services (Canada)
The Minister of Public Works and Government Services is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's "common service organization" , an expansive department responsible for the internal servicing and administration of the federal...
. The Department of Public Works and Government Services had been plagued by scandals.
A close ally of Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
, Goodale was appointed to the senior portfolio of Finance Minister when Martin became 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...
on December 12, 2003. In that capacity he tabled two consecutive balanced budgets and launched the Government's productivity agenda.
On December 28, 2005, a letter surfaced from Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP) Commissioner
Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Commissioner is the highest rank of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police , and of its predecessor agencies, the North-West Mounted Police and the Royal Northwest Mounted Police . The Commissioner reports directly to the Minister of Public Safety.The Commissioner of RCMP is the Principal Commander of...
Giuliano Zaccardelli
Giuliano Zaccardelli
Giuliano Zaccardelli, COM is a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer who was the Commissioner of the RCMP from 2 September 2000 to 15 December 2006. Zaccardelli's departure from the RCMP was linked to the force's involvement in the Maher Arar Affair...
confirming the force was launching a criminal investigation into whether details regarding government tax policies relating to income trust funds were leaked from the Finance Minister's office. Goodale said he would co-operate completely with any investigation, but would not step aside while the RCMP continued their probe. The investigation deals only with the Department of Finance, and not the minister himself. On February 15, 2007 the RCMP announced the conclusion of the income trust investigation and laid a charge of 'Breach of Trust' against Serge Nadeau, an official in the Department of Finance. Goodale was cleared of any wrongdoing. Goodale blamed the NDP's Judy Wasylycia-Leis
Judy Wasylycia-Leis
Klazina Judith "Judy" Wasylycia-Leis is a Canadian politician. She was a Manitoba cabinet minister in the government of Howard Pawley from 1986 to 1988, and was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from September 22, 1997 to April 30, 2010...
for sabotaging the Liberals in the 2006 election.
In opposition, 2006-present
Goodale won re-election to the House of Commons in the general election on January 23, 2006, but lost his cabinet position with the Liberal defeat.2006 Liberal Party leadership election
After the Liberals' defeat, and Paul Martin's election night announcement that he would be resigning as party leader, Goodale initially indicated that he was not interested in succeeding Martin in that post. "I do not anticipate ever having to cross that bridge," he said. "I rule it out." On March 16, 2006, however, the Toronto StarToronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
reported that Goodale was reconsidering his decision, and stated that he may enter the Liberal leadership election after all. In the end he declined, citing his inability to speak French as a key reason. On November 28, 2006, he endorsed Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
to be the next leader of the Liberal Party. After the third ballot, Bob Rae, who finished third, was eliminated. Goodale then endorsed Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
, the eventual winner.
Goodale was opposed to David Orchard
David Orchard
David Orchard is a Canadian political figure, member of the Liberal Party of Canada, who was the Liberal Party candidate for the Saskatchewan riding of Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River in the 2008 federal election.Previously, Orchard was a member of the now defunct Progressive Conservative...
's candidacy in the by-election for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River
Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River
Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River is a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997.-Demographics:...
. Dion terminated the nomination contest and appointed Joan Beatty
Joan Beatty
Joan Beatty is a Canadian politician. She was the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for the constituency of Cumberland...
as the candidate.
Coalition government
In November 2008, the three opposition partiesOpposition (politics)
In politics, the opposition comprises one or more political parties or other organized groups that are opposed to the government , party or group in political control of a city, region, state or country...
in the Canadian parliament indicated their intention to defeat the Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
government in a motion of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
, and expressed their desire for the Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Michaëlle Jean, to ask a member of the opposition to form a new government. There was initially some speculation that Goodale would become Prime Minister of Canada as leader of the coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
. However, the coalition agreement simply made "the leader of the Liberal Party" Prime Minister, and the Liberals later agreed that Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
would lead the government on an interim basis until a new Liberal leader was chosen.
2011 election
Goodale was one of the 34 Liberal MPs who was returned in the 2011 federal election.As the NDP surpassed the Liberals in number of seats, that gave them priority in choosing parliamentary offices, and they requested that Goodale forfeit his suite in the coveted Central Block. Many Liberals saw this as a measure of disrespect to Goodale, noting that he had seniority as a former cabinet minister and house leader, and as the Conservatives (who also increased their caucus in the election) had not asked any Liberals to give up their offices.