Ralph Goodale
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Ralph Edward Goodale (born October 5, 1949, in Regina, Saskatchewan) is Canada's current Minister of Finance.
Goodale was raised on a farm near Wilcox, and before serving in Ottawa he had lived in the province of Saskatchewan for his entire life. He first attended the University of Regina and then obtained a law degree from the University of Saskatchewan.
Active in politics from a young age, he was first elected to the Parliament of Canada in the 1974 election at the age of twenty-four. He served as backbench MP until the 1979 election, when he was defeated. In 1981, he was acclaimed as leader of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party.
He led that party to a very poor showing in the 1982 provincial election, in which the party received few votes and won no seats in the provincial legislature. Goodale himself was the only Liberal candidate to receive a respectable number of votes.
The party bounced back under his leadership to win almost 10% 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 parties favoured excessive spending policies.
Goodale resigned as leader to run for the federal Liberal Party in the 1988 election, but he was not elected to represent his riding. 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 in senior positions for companies such as the Pioneer Life Assurance Company, Pioneer Lifeco Inc., and Sovereign Life Insurance Co. He eventually ran in the 1993 federal election and was elected to parliament. As a member of the new Chrétien government, Goodale was named Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
In 1997, he became the Minister of Natural Resources. Goodale maintained a reputation of being honest, and 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, Jr., Goodale was rewarded with the extremely important role of Finance Minister when Martin became Prime Minister on December 12, 2003.
| 27th Ministry - Government of Paul Martin | |||
| Cabinet Posts (1) | |||
| Preceded by: John Manley | Minister of Finance (2003-) | Succeeded by: (incumbent) | |
| 26th Ministry - Government of Jean Chrétien | |||
| Cabinet Posts (4) | |||
| Preceded by: Don Boudria | Minister of Public Works and Government Services (2002-2003) | Succeeded by: Stephen Owen | |
| Minister of State (2002) NB: no portfolio specified (while House Leader) | |||
| Preceded by: Anne McLellan | Minister of Natural Resources (1997-2002) | Succeeded by: Herb Dhaliwal | |
| Preceded by: Charlie Mayer | Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (1993-1997) NB: "Minister of Agriculture" before 1995 | Succeeded by: Lyle Vanclief | |
| Special Cabinet Responsibilities | |||
| Preceded by: Position created | Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board (1997-2003) | Succeeded by: Reg Alcock | |
| Preceded by: Anne McLellan | Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians (1997-2003) | Succeeded by: Denis Coderre | |
| Special Parliamentary Responsibilities | |||
| Preceded by: Don Boudria | Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (2002) | Succeeded by: Don Boudria | |
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| Preceded by: Bill Knight | Member of Parliament for Assiniboia 1974-1979 | Succeeded by: Len Gustafson |
| Preceded by: Larry Schneider | Member of Parliament for Regina—Wascana 1993-1997 | Succeeded by: The electoral district was abolished in 1996. |
| Preceded by: The electoral district was created in 1996. | Member of Parliament for Wascana 1997- | Succeeded by: Incumbent |