Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Norman Axworthy PC CC OM (born December 21, 1939) is a Canadian politician, elder statesman and academic. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. Following his retirement from parliament, he served as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Winnipeg from 2004 to 2014 and as chancellor of St. Paul's University College (a constituent institution of the University of Waterloo). He is currently the Chair of the World Refugee & Migration Council.
Lloyd Axworthy | |
|---|---|
Lloyd Axworthy, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, in 1999 | |
| President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Winnipeg | |
| In office June 6, 2004 – June 27, 2014 | |
| Chancellor | Sanford Riley Bob Silver |
| Preceded by | Patrick Deane (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Annette Trimbee |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office January 25, 1996 – October 16, 2000 | |
| Prime Minister | Jean Chrétien |
| Preceded by | André Ouellet |
| Succeeded by | John Manley |
| Minister of Employment and Immigration | |
| In office November 4, 1993 – January 24, 1996 | |
| Prime Minister | Jean Chrétien |
| Preceded by | Bernard Valcourt |
| Succeeded by | Doug Young |
| In office March 3, 1980 – August 11, 1983 | |
| Prime Minister | Pierre Trudeau |
| Preceded by | Ron Atkey |
| Succeeded by | John Roberts |
| Minister of Labour | |
| In office November 4, 1993 – February 21, 1995 | |
| Prime Minister | Jean Chrétien |
| Preceded by | Bernard Valcourt |
| Succeeded by | Lucienne Robillard |
| Minister of Transport | |
| In office August 12, 1983 – September 16, 1984 | |
| Prime Minister | Pierre Trudeau John Turner |
| Preceded by | Jean-Luc Pépin |
| Succeeded by | Don Mazankowski |
| Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre (Winnipeg—Fort Garry; 1979–1988) | |
| In office May 22, 1979 – November 27, 2000 | |
| Preceded by | Sidney Spivak |
| Succeeded by | Anita Neville |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Fort Rouge | |
| In office June 28, 1973 – April 6, 1979 | |
| Preceded by | Inez Trueman |
| Succeeded by | June Westbury |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lloyd Norman Axworthy December 21, 1939 North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Other political affiliations | New Democratic |
| Alma mater | University of Winnipeg (BA) Princeton University (Ph.D.) |
| Occupation | Academic, author |
Biography
Axworthy was born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, to parents Norman and Gwen Axworthy and into a family with strong United Church roots, and received his BA from United College, a Winnipeg-based Bible school, in 1961. He is the older brother of Tom Axworthy, Robert Axworthy (former Manitoba Liberal Party leadership candidate). He received his Ph.D. in politics from Princeton University in 1972 after completing a doctoral dissertation titled "The task force on housing and urban development: a study of democratic decision making in Canada."[1] He returned to Canada to teach at the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg. At the latter, he also became the director of the Institute of Urban Affairs.[2]
Early political career
Axworthy became involved in politics during the 1950s, becoming a member of the Liberal Party after attending a speech by Lester B. Pearson. He briefly aligned himself with the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the 1960s when Pearson, as federal opposition leader, called for American Bomarc nuclear warheads to be allowed on Canadian soil. He soon returned to the Liberal fold, however, and worked as an executive assistant for John Turner; [citation needed] he supported Turner's bid to become party leader at the 1968 leadership convention.
Axworthy ran for the party in Winnipeg North Centre in the 1968 election, finishing second against veteran NDP Member of Parliament (MP) Stanley Knowles. He first ran for the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in the 1966 election, placing second to Progressive Conservative Douglas Stanes in St. James. In the 1973 election, he was elected as a Manitoba Liberal in Fort Rouge, He was re-elected in the 1977 election, and was the only Liberal in the legislature from 1977 to 1979.
Federal government
He resigned from the Manitoba legislature on April 6, 1979, to run for the federal House of Commons, and in the 1979 election narrowly defeated former provincial PC leader Sidney Spivak in Winnipeg—Fort Garry. He was re-elected in the 1980 election, becoming the only Liberal MP west of Ontario. He was promoted to cabinet under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, serving as Minister of Employment and Immigration, and then as Minister of Transport.
In the Liberal defeat in the 1984 election, Axworthy was one of only two Liberals west of Ontario to be elected (the other being then Liberal leader John Turner). Axworthy played a role in opposition, supporting tough on crime policies, but also supporting fiscal conservatism by critiquing the fiscal taxation policy of Brian Mulroney. He was an especially vocal critic of the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement.
When the Liberals returned to power in 1993 under Jean Chrétien, Axworthy became a Cabinet minister. After the election, he was given responsibility for the Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), and launched changes in employment insurance. Although his main interest was urban renewal, in a 1996 cabinet shuffle, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In February 1999 and April 2000, Axworthy was President of the United Nations Security Council with Canada's Ambassador to the UN Robert Fowler. In April 2000, Axworthy supported the highly controversial effort to reduce the sanction against Iraq, under the regime of Saddam Hussein, citing a humanitarian explanation "to avoid making ordinary citizens pay for the actions of their leaders". Axworthy clashed with the US government on this issue, particularly over the lack of alternative options to deter the regime from additional aggression.[3] In 2000, he initiated the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty that led to the UN policy of Responsibility to Protect.[4]
He retired from politics in 2000.[5]
Honours and awards
In 1997, Axworthy was nominated by United States Senator Patrick Leahy to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on banning land mines.[6] He did not win, but was thanked by the recipients, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, as having been instrumental in their effort.[7] Critics, however, viewed Axworthy's land mine campaign and the involvement of political NGOs as counter-productive, since many key nations, including the US, Russia and China did not join.[8]
In 1998, he was one of the two winners of the North–South Prize.[9] In 2003, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada[10] and elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.[11]
On October 15, 2012, Elder, Dr. Tobasonakwut Kinew and, Dr. Phil Fontaine, honoured Axworthy – Waapshki Pinaysee Inini, White Thunderbird Man, at a sacred Pipe Ceremony. Axworthy was recognized for his commitment to creating an inclusive learning experience that reflects Indigenous cultures and traditions at UWinnipeg. The ceremony was led by Anishinaabe Elder Fred Kelly and musician and broadcaster Wab Kinew.[12]
Axworthy was presented with an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Environment of the University of Waterloo in October 2014.[13]
On December 30, 2015, Axworthy was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada, the highest grade of the honour.[14]
After politics
In September 2000, Axworthy returned to academia, joining the Liu Institute for Global Issues at the University of British Columbia. He has published Navigating A New World, a book on the uses of "soft power".
In May 2004, he was appointed as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Winnipeg. He retired in June 2014.
Axworthy is Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Americas Division of Human Rights Watch, a highly controversial position resulting from this organisation's record of political bias, fundraising in Saudi Arabia, and lack of credibility.[15] He also serves on the advisory council of USC Center on Public Diplomacy and of Fair Vote Canada, and is an endorser of the Genocide Intervention Network and International Student Exchange, Ontario.
In 2006, Axworthy was elected to the Board of Directors of Hudbay Minerals, Inc.[16]
He currently serves as the President of the World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy.[17]
Axworthy was installed as Chancellor of St. Paul's University College, a constituent institution of the University of Waterloo, in October 2014.[13] He retired from that position in 2017.
Axworthy is the first Chair of the World Refugee & Migration Council, formed in 2017 by the Centre for International Governance Innovation.[18]
Publications
- Navigating a New World, Knopf Canada Publishing, 2004
- Liberals at the Border, University of Toronto Press, 2004
- The Axworthy Legacy, Edited by O. Hampson, N. Hillmer, M. Appel Molot, Oxford University Press, 2001
- Boulevard of Broken Dreams: A 40 Year Journey through Portage Avenue - Displacement, Dislocation, and How Osmosis Can Resolve Community Blight', Rattray Canada Publishing, 2014 (In Press)
Electoral history
| 2000 Canadian federal election: Winnipeg South Centre | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Liberal | Anita Neville | 15,231 | 40.46 | −15.42 | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | David Newman | 10,675 | 28.36 | +14.36 | ||||
| New Democratic | James Allum | 7,501 | 19.93 | +3.96 | ||||
| Alliance | Betty Granger | 3,210 | 8.53 | −3.92 | ||||
| Marijuana | Chris Buors | 640 | 1.70 | |||||
| Canadian Action | Magnus Thompson | 202 | 0.54 | |||||
| Communist | David Allison | 181 | 0.48 | |||||
| Total valid votes | 37,640 | 99.52 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 181 | 0.48 | -0.35 | |||||
| Turnout | 37,821 | 62.54 | -2.38 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 60,471 | – | – | |||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | -14.89 | ||||||
Note: Canadian Alliance vote is compared to the Reform vote in 1997 election.
| 1997 Canadian federal election: Winnipeg South Centre | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Liberal | Lloyd Axworthy | 20,006 | 55.89 | −5.55 | ||||
| New Democratic | Sara Malabar | 5,717 | 15.97 | +7.63 | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Andrea Rolstone | 5,011 | 14.00 | +4.73 | ||||
| Reform | Gary Hollingshead | 4,457 | 12.45 | −0.10 | ||||
| Natural Law | Ron Decter | 224 | 0.63 | +0.09 | ||||
| Independent | Jim Blomquist | 202 | 0.56 | |||||
| Marxist–Leninist | Karen Naylor | 180 | 0.50 | +0.32 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 35,797 | 99.17 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 299 | 0.83 | ||||||
| Turnout | 36,096 | 64.92 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 55,600 | – | – | |||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | -6.59 | ||||||
| 1993 Canadian federal election: Winnipeg South Centre | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Liberal | Lloyd Axworthy | 25,881 | 61.44 | +3.01 | ||||
| Reform | Vern A. Hannah | 5,288 | 12.55 | +10.82 | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Mike Radcliffe | 3,903 | 9.26 | −19.64 | ||||
| New Democratic | Lloyd Penner | 3,512 | 8.34 | −2.01 | ||||
| National | Bill Loewen | 3,099 | 7.36 | |||||
| Natural Law | Elizabeth Innes | 225 | 0.53 | |||||
| Libertarian | Clancy Smith | 89 | 0.21 | −0.13 | ||||
| Independent | Karen Naylor | 76 | 0.18 | |||||
| Canada Party | Ben J. Fulawka | 54 | 0.13 | |||||
| Total valid votes | 42,127 | 100.0 | ||||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | -3.90 | ||||||
| 1988 Canadian federal election: Winnipeg South Centre | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||||
| Liberal | Lloyd Axworthy | 26,191 | 58.42 | |||||
| Progressive Conservative | Garth Dawley | 12,960 | 28.91 | |||||
| New Democratic | Les Campbell | 4,637 | 10.34 | |||||
| Reform | Ross Malabar | 777 | 1.73 | |||||
| Libertarian | Clancy Smith | 154 | 0.34 | |||||
| Independent | Ken Kalturnyk | 111 | 0.25 | |||||
| Total valid votes | 44,830 | 100.0 | ||||||
References
- ^ Axworthy, Lloyd (1972). The task force on housing and urban development : a study of democratic decision making in Canada.
- ^ "The University of Winnipeg Foundation; The University of Winnipeg". www.uwinnipeg.ca.
- ^ "MPs urge lifting sanctions to halt Iraq 'tragedy': Toronto Star". www.dgp.toronto.edu. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
- ^ "The Responsibility to Protect". www.idrc.ca. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ Geddes, John (23 February 2016). "Maclean's Lifetime Achievement Award - Lloyd Axworthy: A politician who thinks globally, and acts locally". Maclean's. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
- ^ . Disability International. Archived from the original on 21 March 2005. Retrieved 2 July 2005..
- ^ . Archived from the original on 8 September 2005.
- ^ Davenport, David (1 December 2002). "The New Diplomacy". Policy Review.
- ^ . North-South Centre. Council of Europe. Archived from the original on 15 February 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2008.
- ^ "Order of Canada Lloyd Axworthy". Office of the Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
- ^ "Book of Members, 1780–2010: Chapter A" (PDF). American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
- ^ "Axworthy Honoured At Sacred Pipe Ceremony". University of Winnipeg. 15 October 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Lloyd Axworthy to be installed as first chancellor of St. Paul's today". St. Paul's University College. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
- ^ "Order of Canada Appointments". The Governor General of Canada His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston. Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
- ^ Bernstein, Robert L. (20 October 2009). "Opinion: Rights Watchdog, Lost in the Mideast". New York Times.
- ^ "Hudbay Minerals Inc. - News/Media". hudbayminerals.com.
- ^ . www.wfm-igp.org. Archived from the original on 29 June 2014.
- ^ "About the World Refugee & Migration Council". World Refugee & Migration Council. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
External links
- Lloyd Axworthy – Parliament of Canada biography
- Order of Canada Citation