Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Ottawa West–Nepean (Ontario)
John Baird was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 representing the riding of Ottawa West-Nepean. In August 2010, Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed him Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. He is a member of the Cabinet Committee on Priorities and Planning, Chair of the Cabinet Committee on the Environment and Energy Security, and Vice-Chair of the Operations Committee of Cabinet.
In February 2006, Mr. Baird was sworn in as President of the Treasury Board. In this role, he introduced and successfully steered the new Federal Accountability Act through both Houses of Parliament. In January 2007 he was named Minister of the Environment, and in October 2008 he became Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, where he spearheaded the design, negotiation and delivery of some 12,000 infrastructure stimulus projects across the country.
Prior to entering federal politics, Mr. Baird was a member of Ontario’s provincial legislature, where he represented the constituency of Nepean-Carleton from 1995-2005. During that time, he served as Minister of Community and Social Services, Energy, Francophone Affairs, Children and Youth Services, and as Government House Leader.
Mr. Baird is a long-time member of the Royal Canadian Legion, an honorary member of the Nepean Kiwanis, and a lifetime member of Canada’s largest Association for Community Living. In 2008 he was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. Maclean’s Magazine and the Historica-Dominion Institute named him 2010 Parliamentarian of the Year after a vote of his colleagues in all parties in the House of Commons.
He is a graduate of Queen’s University.
