The Honourable James M. Flaherty, P.C., M.P. Minister of Finance


Biographical Notes

Whitby-Oshawa (Ontario)

James M. Flaherty is a third-term Member of Parliament for Whitby–Oshawa (Ontario). He serves as Canada's Minister of Finance and Minister Responsible for the Greater Toronto Area. He is a Governor of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. As Minister of Finance he is an ex-officio member of all Cabinet Committees.

Minister Flaherty was recently awarded Euromoney Magazine's Finance Minister of the Year award. Euromoney credited him with enhancing Canada's reputation for sound fiscal policy while taking full account of social justice and overseeing a strong regulatory regime that has kept the financial sector out of chaos. He has also been described as a pillar in both the G-7 and the G-20.

In 2010, Minister Flaherty was chair of the G-7 Finance Ministers and chair of the annual Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting.

Previously, for more than 10 years, he served as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Whitby–Ajax (Ontario). He served as Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance, Attorney General and Minister of Labour.

He graduated from Princeton University cum laude and then graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School. He was called to the Bar in Ontario with honours and practised law for more than 20 years before being elected to public office.

He is married to Christine Elliott, who serves as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Whitby–Oshawa. They live in Whitby with their triplet sons.

envelopejflaherty@fin.gc.ca.

Previous Ministers of Finance of Canada

Hon. Jim Flaherty Feb. 6, 2006 - present

Hon. Ralph Goodale Dec. 12, 2003 - Feb. 6, 2006.

Hon. John Manley June 2, 2002 - Dec. 12, 2003.

Hon. Paul Martin, Jr. Nov. 4, 1993 - June 2, 2002.

Hon. Gilles Loiselle June 25, 1993 - Nov. 4, 1993.

Hon. Donald Mazankowski Apr. 21, 1991 - June 25, 1993.

Hon. Michael Wilson Sept. 17, 1984 - Apr. 20, 1991.

Hon. Marc Lalonde Sept. 10, 1982 - Sept. 16, 1984.

Hon. Allan MacEachen Mar. 3, 1980 - Sept. 9, 1982.

Hon. John Crosbie June 4, 1979 - Mar. 2, 1980.

Hon. Jean Chrétien Sept. 16, 1977 - June 3, 1979.

Hon. Donald Macdonald Sept. 26, 1975 - Sept. 15, 1977.

Hon. Charles Drury, Acting Minister Sept. 10, 1975 - Sept. 25, 1975.

Hon. John Turner Jan. 28, 1972 - Sept. 9, 1975.

Hon. Edgar Benson Apr. 20, 1968 - Jan. 27, 1972.

Hon. Mitchell Sharp Nov. 11, 1965 - Apr. 20, 1968.

Hon. Walter Gordon Apr. 22, 1963 - Nov. 10, 1965.

Hon. George Nowlan Aug. 9, 1962 - Apr. 22, 1963.

Hon. Donald Fleming June 21, 1957 - Aug. 8, 1962.

Hon. Walter Harris July 1, 1954 - June 21, 1957.

Hon. Douglas Abbott Dec. 10, 1946 - June 30, 1954.

Rt. Hon. James Ilsley July 8, 1940 - Dec. 9, 1946.

Hon. James Ralston Sept. 6, 1939 - July 4, 1940.

Hon. Charles Dunning Oct. 23, 1935 - Sept. 5, 1939.

Hon. Edgar Rhodes Feb. 3, 1932 - Oct. 23, 1935.

Rt. Hon. Richard Bennett Aug. 7, 1930 - Feb. 2, 1932.

Hon. Charles Dunning Nov. 26, 1929 - Aug. 7, 1930.

Hon. James Robb Sept. 25, 1926 - Nov. 11, 1929.

Hon. Richard Bennett July 13, 1926 - Sept. 25, 1926.

Hon. Sir Henry Drayton, Acting Minister June 29, 1926 - July 12, 1926.

Hon. James Robb Sept. 5, 1925 - June 28, 1926.

Rt. Hon. William Fielding Dec. 29, 1921 - Sept. 4, 1925.

Hon. Sir Henry Drayton Aug. 2, 1919 - Dec. 29, 1921.

Hon. Sir Thomas White Oct. 10, 1911 - Aug. 1, 1919.

Hon. William Fielding July 20, 1896 - Oct. 6, 1911.

Hon. George Foster Jan. 15, 1896 - Jul. 8, 1896.

Hon. Sir Mackenzie Bowell, Acting Minister Jan. 6, 1896 - Jan. 14, 1896.

Hon. George Foster May 29, 1888 - Jan. 5, 1896.

Hon. Sir Charles Tupper Jan. 27, 1887 - May 22, 1888.

Hon. Archibald McLelan Dec. 10, 1885 - Jan. 26, 1887.

Hon. Sir Samuel Tilley Oct. 17, 1878 - Nov. 10, 1885.

Hon. Richard Cartwright Nov. 7, 1873 - Oct. 16, 1878.

Hon. Samuel Tilley Feb. 22, 1873 - Nov. 5, 1873.

Hon. Sir Francis Hincks Oct. 9, 1869 - Feb. 21, 1873.

Hon. John Rose Nov. 18, 1867 - Sept. 30, 1869.

Hon. Alexander Galt July 1, 1867 - Nov. 7, 1867.