The Honourable John Baird was elected as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Ottawa West-Nepean on January 23, 2006. On February 6, 2006, Mr. Baird was appointed to the Privy Council as President of the Treasury Board in Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s first cabinet. Mr. Baird later served as Canada’s Environment Minister. He was named to his current portfolio, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, following the federal election of May 2011.

Mr. Baird was successfully re-elected in Ottawa West-Nepean in the 2008 Federal General Election. Shortly after, Mr. Baird was sworn in as Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.

[John Baird] recognizes the vast moral divide between Israel and Iran, between liberty and tyranny, and has the courage to articulate it. I have to beleive that to the great majority of Canadians, Baird’s moral courage is a source of national pride

In August 2010, recognizing Mr. Baird’s ability to reach across the aisle and work with Members of Parliament from all parties, Prime Minister Harper asked Mr. Baird to help make Parliament work by asking him to serve as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. In November 2010, the Prime Minister also asked Mr. Baird to serve once again as Minister of the Environment.

Prior to being elected as a federal Member of Parliament, Mr. Baird served as the Member of Provincial Parliament for the ridings of Nepean and Nepean-Carleton from 1995-2005.

In the Ontario Provincial Legislature, Mr. Baird served in a number of capacities including Minister of Community and Social Services, Minister Responsible for Children, Deputy House Leader, Chief Government Whip, Minister of Energy and Government House Leader. He was known for championing the cause of people with developmental disabilities, and greatly expanded the Ontario work-for-welfare program. Mr. Baird also served as Parliamentary Assistant for the Ministries of Labour, Management Board, and Finance.

Prior to his election as an MPP, Mr. Baird served as Special Assistant to the Honourable Perrin Beatty, the then federal Minister of Communications and Secretary of State for External Affairs.

Mr. Baird was recently awarded the World Economic Forum’s, Young Global Leader Award and Ottawa Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 Award. He was recently recognized by Members of Parliament from all parties as Maclean’s magazine’s “Parliamentarian of the Year”. He is a long-standing member of the Royal Canadian Legion (Bell’s Corners Branch), an honourary member of the Nepean Kiwanis and a lifetime member of Canada’s largest Association for Community Living.

Mr. Baird is a life-long resident of Nepean, Ontario. He has an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in political studies from Queen’s University.