Barbara Jean McDougall | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Barbara Jean McDougall

Barbara Jean McDougall, née Leamen, politician, financial analyst (b at Toronto 12 Nov 1937). She received a BA in political science and economics from the University of Toronto in 1960, and from 1964 to 1974 was an investment analyst.

McDougall, Barbara Jean

Barbara Jean McDougall, née Leamen, politician, financial analyst (b at Toronto 12 Nov 1937). She received a BA in political science and economics from the University of Toronto in 1960, and from 1964 to 1974 was an investment analyst. She became investment manager for the North West Trust Co of Edmonton in 1974, and in 1976 vice-president of A.E. Ames and Co Ltd of Toronto. Throughout this period, McDougall was also a business journalist and commentator for magazines, newspapers and television. She worked in several Tory campaigns in Toronto, and in 1984 was elected MP for St Paul's (Toronto).

As minister of state for finance, she fielded most of the criticism over the government's response to the decline and collapse of 2 Alberta banks in 1985. In June 1986, she became minister of state for privatization and was given responsibility for women's issues. A month later, responsibility for regulatory affairs was added to her portfolio. As minister of employment and immigration from March 1988, she was responsible for negotiating a 5-year agreement with Quebec that gave that province greater powers over immigration and guaranteed that it would receive at least 25% of all immigrants to Canada. In April 1991 she succeeded Joe Clark as secretary of state for external affairs.

McDougall did not seek re-election in 1993 and returned to private business. In addition to several directorships, she was the public governor of the Toronto Stock Exchange.