The Honourable Bill Graham PC CM QC |
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Leader of the Opposition | |
In office February 7, 2006 – December 2, 2006 |
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Monarch | Elizabeth II |
Preceded by | Stephen Harper |
Succeeded by | Stéphane Dion |
Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada Interim |
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In office March 18, 2006 – December 2, 2006 |
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Preceded by | Paul Martin |
Succeeded by | Stéphane Dion |
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Toronto Centre |
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In office October 25, 1993 – July 2, 2007 |
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Preceded by | David MacDonald |
Succeeded by | Bob Rae |
Personal details | |
Born |
William Carvel Graham March 17, 1939 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
Political party | Liberal Party of Canada |
Spouse(s) | Catherine Graham |
Residence | Toronto |
Alma mater |
University of Toronto University of Toronto Faculty of Law University of Paris |
Profession | Law professor |
Religion | Anglican |
William Carvel "Bill" Graham PC CM QC (born March 17, 1939) is a former Canadian politician, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of National Defence, Leader of the Opposition and interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. He is currently a member of the Minister's Advisory Panel for Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, providing expertise and advice for the Government of Canada's Defence Review. Graham has recently authored an autobiography, titled "Call of the World: A Political Memoir," that has been well-reviewed by critics across the country.
Graham grew up in Montreal and Vancouver, and he was educated at Upper Canada College, Trinity College at the University of Toronto, the University of Toronto Faculty of Law (where he was an editor of the Law Review and the gold medalist of 1964), and the University of Paris. As a student, he traveled in the Middle East and Europe. He married the former Catherine Curry in 1962, and they have a daughter, Katherine ("Katy", born in 1964) and a son, the freelance writer Patrick Graham (born in 1965).
After his graduation from law school, Graham went to Paris to pursue a doctorate of laws, with a focus on international law, as well as to improve his French. He also represented a Toronto law firm, Fasken and Calvin (known as Faskens) (where he had articled), in Europe. Upon returning to Toronto in 1968, Graham remained at Faskens until 1982 working with Walter Williston in litigation and on his own in a international trade and commercial law practice.
He also became active in civic affairs, particularly the promotion of bilingualism. He served as a Director and, from 1979 to 1987, President of Alliance Francaise de Toronto. In 1975, Graham was appointed by Ontario Attorney General Roy McMurtry to an advisory committee on the implementation of bilingualism in Provincial courts.