Jim Peterson
From Free net encyclopedia
Jim Peterson may also refer to a Montana state representative.
James Scott "Jim" Peterson, PC, MP, BA, LL.M (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian politician and former Minister of International Trade.
Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he has a DCL from McGill University, an Master of Laws from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Ontario.
As an Member of Parliament in the House of Commons he represents the riding of Willowdale in Toronto. Peterson first ran as a candidate for the Liberal Party in the 1979 election but was defeated. He ran again in the 1980 election and won but lost his seat in the 1984 election. He was returned to Parliament as a result of the 1988 election and has been re-elected in each subsequent election.
In 1997, Jean Chrétien appointed him to the Ministry as Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions), but Peterson was sent back to the backbench in 2002. He returned to serve in the cabinet of Paul Martin, whom Peterson had long supported.
Peterson first came to public attention in 1974 when he helped ballet star Mikhail Baryshnikov defect from the Soviet Union during a performance of the Bolshoi Ballet in Toronto.
Jim Peterson is the brother of former Ontario Premier David Peterson. Another brother, Tim Peterson, sits in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
He had recently been mentioned as a potential interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada[1], prior to the appointment of Bill Graham to the position. Peterson has not been named to a critic's portfolio in the Liberal Party's Shadow Cabinet. He and his brother David are supporting Michael Ignatieff for the Liberal party leadership.
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