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John R. Baird (1969-) has served as an Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament from 1995 to 2005 and as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons, representing the riding of Ottawa West Nepean, since 2006, serving as Progressive Conservative Cabinet Minister in the governments of Mike Harris, Ernie Eves and Stephen Harper.
John Baird was born on 26 May, 1969 in Nepean, Ontario. Prior to becoming a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP), he obtained an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in political studies from Queen's University and was elected president of the Conservative Party's youth wing in 1988. Baird served as a Special Assistant to Perrin Beatty, then Canada's Minister of Communications and Secretary of State for External Affairs. He was first elected MPP for the Ottawa-area riding of Nepean in June 1995. Baird was re-elected in 1999 and again in 2003 as the Member for Nepean-Carleton.
Baird sat on several Standing Committees and served in various capacities after the Conservative government first took office in 1995. He was Parliamentary Assistant in several government ministries including Labour, Management Board, and Finance. He was also Government House Leader. Premier Mike Harris appointed Baird as Minister of Community and Social Services and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs in 1999, and later Minister Responsible for Children in February of 2001. As Minister, Baird was known for expanding the Government's Work for Welfare Program and championed the cause of people with developmental disabilities.
During the Ernie Eves government (April 2002-October 2003), Baird served as Deputy House Leader and P.C. Party Whip, as well as Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs. In August 2002, he was appointed Minister of Energy, and was appointed Government House Leader the following year.
After the provincial election of October 2003, Baird served in Opposition as Francophone Affairs, Finance and Culture Critic and as Opposition House Leader. He continued to serve on the Legislative Assembly's Board of Internal Economy from May 2002 to May 2005. Before departing provincial politics, he was Opposition Deputy House Leader at Queen's Park.
During the federal election of 2004, Baird acted as Ontario co-chair for the Conservative Party of Canada and as Ontario co-chair for Stephen Harper's leadership campaign. In addition he was the co-chair of Jim Flaherty's Ontario PC leadership campaign.
Baird is a life-long resident of Nepean and ten-year member of the Royal Canadian Legion (Nepean Branch), an honorary member of the Nepean Kiwanis, and a lifetime member of Canada's largest Association of Community Living.
Baird was nominated on 5 May 2005 as the Conservative Party of Canada candidate for the next federal election in the federal riding of Ottawa West Nepean, confirming his intention to leave provincial politics. He resigned his seat in the Ontario Legislature, effective 29 November 2005. On 23 January 2006 he was elected as federal Member of Parliament. Baird served as President of the Treasury Board in the new Stephen Harper cabinet from 6 February 2006 to 3 January 2007. On 4 January 2007, Baird was sworn in as Minister of the Environment in Harper's second cabinet.
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Added Apr/12.