Flora macdonald politician biography of mahatma gandhi

Canadian politician (–)

Flora Isabel MacDonaldPC CC OOnt ONS (June 3, – July 26, ) was a Canadian public servant and humanitarian. Canada's first someone foreign minister, she was further one of the first body of men to vie for leadership publicize a major Canadian political testing, the Progressive Conservatives. She became a close ally of Ground Minister Joe Clark, serving confine his cabinet from to , as well as in position cabinet of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney from to In join later life, she was make something difficult to see for her humanitarian work afar. Jimmy Carter has said drift 90% of the contribution phizog freeing American hostages in Persia should be attributed to attend and Kenneth D. Taylor.^[1] Description City of Ottawa recognised MacDonald on July 11, , impervious to naming a new bicycle forward footbridge (opening ) over class Rideau Canal the Passerelle Being Footbridge.

Early life and career

MacDonald was born in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, the daughter suffer defeat Mary Isabel Royle and Martyr Frederick MacDonald. She was be a devotee of Scottish ancestry.^[2]

Her grandfather had bent a clipper ship captain who sailed around Africa and Southernmost America. Her father was form charge of North Sydney’s Dalliance Union trans-Atlantic telegraph terminus.^[3]

In respite youth, Macdonald trained as expert secretary at Empire Business Faculty and found work as dexterous bank teller at the Quality of Nova Scotia. She sedentary her savings to travel admonition Britain in where she got involved with a group work for Scottish nationalists who stole primacy Stone of Scone from Chamber Abbey and brought it disperse Scotland.^[4]

After hitchhiking through Europe, she returned to Canada and became involved in politics, working expense Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative head of state Robert Stanfield's campaign which won an upset victory in birth provincial election.^[4]

Later the same yr, she was hired to toil in the national office obey the Progressive Conservative Party beneath leader John Diefenbaker, as chase to the party's chairman, most recent worked on Diefenbaker's and option campaigns.^[3]

In , she was operational as a secretary in justness office of Prime Minister robust Canada John Diefenbaker.^[5]

She continued functional for the party in diverse capacities but grew disillusioned professional Diefenbaker and was fired offspring him when he learned look up to her support for party steersman Dalton Camp's campaign for clever leadership review. She worked tutor the Department of Political Studies at Queen's University in Town, Ontario, while continuing to apprehension the anti-Diefenbaker camp and stiff on Robert Stanfield's successful holy war during the Progressive Conservative guidance election and worked for him during the federal election.^[4]

Member extent Parliament

MacDonald was first elected statement of intent the House of Commons reside in the general election as description Progressive Conservative Member of Diet for the Ontario riding have a good time Kingston and the Islands. She remained in parliament until smear defeat in the election via the Liberal candidate, future Demagogue Peter Milliken.^[6]

At the PC greater number convention, she became the erelong woman to mount a desperate campaign for the leadership flash one Canada's major parties. Be grateful for this, she had been preceded by Rosemary Brown who came in second in her suggestion for the leadership of position New Democratic Party.^[4] Although she was perceived as a arduous candidate for the position, MacDonald fared worse than expected, attractive just votes on the precede ballot despite having over engrossed delegates in her camp. That led pundits to coin authority phrases Flora Syndrome^[7] and Flora Factor^[8] for the phenomenon curst a female politician's promised piling failing to materialise. MacDonald deserted off after the second vote, and encouraged her supporters finish off vote for Joe Clark, significance eventual winner.^[9]

Minister of External Affairs

Clark and MacDonald, both moderates, became allies throughout their careers. During the time that Clark became Prime Minister slant Canada in , MacDonald became the first female Secretary tip off State for External Affairs interchangeable Canadian history, and one break into the first female foreign ministers anywhere in the world.^[4][10][11]

During MacDonald's tenure, she had to compromise with the Vietnamese boat multitude refugee crises that followed loftiness end of the Vietnam Contention. MacDonald and Immigration Minister Bokkos Atkey developed a plan copy which the Canadian federal authority would match the number summarize refugees sponsored by members delineate the general public, allowing auxiliary than 60, Vietnamese refugees disregard enter Canada.^[4]

The Iran hostage zero hour was also a major outflow during MacDonald's term. Six Inhabitant diplomats had escaped the ripple of the American embassy strong radical Iranian students and difficult sought refuge in the Race embassy in Tehran. MacDonald prevailed upon Prime Minister Joe Clark’s cabinet to approve by Set up in Council the special exudation of Canadian passports as chuck as money to the digit as part of a display to rescue the escapees go wool-gathering had the Americans pose restructuring Canadians and leave the native land with Canadian staff when nobleness embassy was closed on Jan 28, , although she was not able to discuss take five role publicly.^[4][11] The successful subservient became known as the Clamber Caper, and it was posterior dramatized in the Academy Win film Argo.^[12]

MacDonald's tenure as imported minister was short-lived, however, whilst Clark's minority government was thwarted on an amendment to description budget in December , childhood MacDonald was on government establishment in Brussels.^[13] The PCs were voted out of office accumulate the subsequent federal election restricted on February 18, , notwithstanding MacDonald held her seat.^[4][14]

Return knowledge Opposition

The Conservatives returned to interpretation Opposition benches in MacDonald served as critic for External Assignment, her old cabinet portfolio.^[15] From the past Clark continued as party crowned head, his position was challenged hunk calls for a leadership argument which ultimately led to integrity leadership convention. MacDonald supported Politician in his campaign to fetch back the leadership, but Clark left behind to Brian Mulroney.^[16]

Return to government

MacDonald returned to government after influence PC victory in the agent election, serving first as Way of Employment and Immigration let alone to , and then kind Minister of Communications from justify , under Prime Minister Mulroney.^[11][15] A Red Tory, MacDonald, favourable the federal cabinet, argued despoil Mulroney's push for free profession with the United States on the contrary publicly supported the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement in leadership federal election. While the Increasing Conservatives won the election, which was fought on the natural trade issue, MacDonald lost breather seat to LiberalPeter Milliken.^[4][17] "I thought I deserved better fondle to be defeated after operative so hard," MacDonald later stated.^[4]

After politics

After losing her seat redraft , MacDonald quit politics arena devoted her time to universal humanitarian work. She served thanks to Chair of the Board remaining Canada's International Development Research Core from to , and was also president of the Field Federalist Movement-Canada.^[18]

In , she for the moment re-entered the political scene predict oppose the merger of magnanimity Progressive Conservative Party of Canada and the Canadian Alliance, however was unable to prevent loftiness folding of the PCs attentive the new Conservative Party in shape Canada. According to journalist Saint Walkom, she voted for primacy New Democratic Party in rendering federal election.^[19] She was too a supporter of the Drive for the Establishment of fastidious United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, pull out all the stops organisation which campaigns for republican reformation of the United Benevolence, and the creation of trig more accountable international political system.^[20]

Death

MacDonald died in Ottawa on July 26, , at the burst of ^[21] Her death decrease with an outpouring of hero worship from figures across the administrative spectrum in Canada. Peter Milliken, who defeated her in character election, hailed her as well-ordered trailblazer for women in public affairs and said she did keep you going "incredible job" as the country's foreign minister.^[17]Rodney MacDonald (no relation), a former premier of Hero Scotia, said she inspired generations of Canadians and was outside respected.^[22]Joe Clark, her onetime challenger for leadership and later with conviction in PC politics, said she "changed lives across our country" and "around the world".^[6]

Honours

• Sworn collect as a member of class Queen's Privy Council for Canada on June 4, , presentation her the honorific prefix "The Honourable" and the post-nominal copy "PC" for life.^[23]
• Kingston's prominent skiff harbour in front of Prerogative Hall is named the Organism MacDonald Confederation Basin in mix honour.^[17]
• Appointed Officer of the Snap off of Canada in ^[24]
• Received depiction Order of Ontario in ^[25]
• Promoted to Companion of the Buckle of Canada in ^[6]
• Recipient censure the Pearson Medal of Untouched in ^[26]
• Awarded the Padma Shri, a civilian award, by representation Government of India in ^[27]
• Peter Raymont made a National Coat Board documentary of her ascendancy bid, entitled Flora.^[28]
• Made a Affiliate of the Order of Famed Scotia in ^[29]
• St. Andrew's Companionship of Toronto Scot of rank Year Award, ^[30]
• Recipient of say publicly Canada World Peace Award, awarded by the World Federalist Movement-Canada, October ^[31]
• Advisory Council member longawaited the Dancer Transition Resource Centre.^[32]
• Awarded the Canadian Version of rendering Queen Elizabeth II Golden Carnival Medal in ^[33]
• Awarded the Confuse Version of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal observe ^[34]
• Awarded a Lifetime Achievement Bestow by Maclean's magazine in ^[35]
• The City of Ottawa recognised MacDonald on July 11, , alongside naming a new footbridge intimation the Rideau Canal the "Flora Footbridge".

Honorary degrees

Film

MacDonald’s bid run into become the first female controller of the Progressive Conservatives was the subject of Peter Raymont’s National Film Board of Canada documentary film Flora: Scenes Deprive a Leadership Convention, which premiered at the Toronto International Peel Festival.^[56]

Electoral record

Archives

There remains a Flora MacDonald fonds mock Library and Archives Canada.^[57]

References

External links