John McKay (politician)

Infobox CanadianMP
honorific-prefix =The Honourable
name=John Norman McKay

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term_start=1997
term_end=
predecessor= Doug Peters
birth_date= birth date and age |1948|3|21
birth_place= Toronto, Ontario
successor=
death_date=
death_place=
profession= attorney
party=Liberal
party colour=Liberal
residence=Toronto
riding=Scarborough—Guildwood
footnotes=
term_start2=
term_end2=
predecessor2=
successor2=
spouse=Carolyn Dartnell
religion=Baptist|

John Norman McKay, PC, MP (born March 21, 1948) is a lawyer and a Liberal Canadian politician. He was first elected in 1997 in the former riding of Scarborough East. As of 2006 he is the Member of Parliament for the riding of Scarborough—Guildwood. McKay was formerly the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance while the Liberal party governed, but now serves as an opposition MP. Having served as a Parliamentary Secretary to a Minister he holds the distinction “The Honourable” and “P.C.” (Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada) for life.

Born in Toronto, McKay has lived all of his life in Scarborough, Ontario. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto Scarborough and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Queen’s University. He is a member of Spring Garden Baptist Church in Toronto.

McKay has successfully sponsored two Private Members' Bills, the Better Aid Bill and the Fire-Safe Cigarettes Bill, a difficult feat in Canadian parliamentary government as most bills originate from the cabinet of the governing party.

Early life and career

John McKay is a life-long resident of the Scarborough region, located in eastern Toronto. McKay attended five of the area’s public schools before attending the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus where he earned his Bachelor of Arts. He later earned his Bachelor of Laws from Queens University.

After completing his degree he went into private practice as a real estate attorney, assuming positions of leadership in the legal community. Most notably, he was the President of the Durham Bar Association, an Executive Member of County and District Law Association, Real Estate Executive of the Canadian Bar Association, and a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada's Committee on Title Insurance. [http://www.johnmckaymp.on.ca/page.asp?pageid=37]

Election to federal parliament

John McKay was first elected to the House of Commons in June of 1997 as a Liberal during the general election of the 36th Canadian Parliament. McKay was twice elected to the former electoral district of Scarborough East, in 1997 and 2000, with 54.3 and 59.8 percent of the vote respectively. After 2000, the riding of Scarborough East was abolished and became Scarborough-Guildwood, which acquired parts of Scarborough Southwest and Scarborough Centre. McKay is currently the Member of Parliament for Scarborough-Guildwood and was elected as the representative for the riding in 2004 and 2006 with 57.5 and 53.3 percent of the vote respectively.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

From 2003 to 2006, John McKay served as Parliamentary Secretary to then Finance Minister Ralph Goodale. Paul Martin, during his tenure as Prime Minister, implemented a number of reforms aimed at making Parliament more democratic. One of these reforms gave greater authority to MPs serving as parliamentary secretary to a Minister, in contrast to their previous role that had been largely clerical with little purview over government policy. To this end, John McKay was given Ministerial responsibility for the improvement of partnerships between the public and private sectors.

During the 2003 – 2006 period the Ministry of Finance tabled two consecutive balanced budgets and implemented its productivity strategy, aimed at improving economic growth through innovation, elimination of domestic trade barriers, competitive taxes, and improved infrastructure among other initiatives. [http://www.fin.gc.ca/news04/04-078_1e.html]

Committees

John McKay was the vice-chairman of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights (2001–2003) and a member of the Standing Committee on Finance (2004–2008). He is currently the Chair of the Caucus Committee on Economic Prosperity (2007–present), and a member of Planning and Priority Committee chaired by Stéphane Dion (2007–present).

Other Parliamentary Experience

· Official Opposition Critic for Crown Corporations – 2006· Chair of the Canada-Caribbean Parliamentary Friendship Group – 2006· Head of Canadian delegation at Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting - Barbados 2005, St. Kitts 2004· Chair of the Canada-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group from 01-04· Head of Canadian delegation to Taiwan 2003

Private Members’ Bills

John McKay has successfully sponsored two Private Members' Bills during his tenure as a Member of Parliament:

· C-293, passed in 2008, outlines specific requirements for the disbursement of Canadian foreign aid. The Bill requires that Canadian foreign aid be exclusively targeted toward the goal of poverty reduction, and requires timely and transparent reporting of how such funds are spent.

· C-260, passed in 2005, requires cigarette manufacturers to produce ‘fire-safe’ cigarettes (cigarettes that extinguish when left unattended, reducing their inflammability).

The Development Assistance Accountability Act - C-293

In 2006 John McKay introduced Private Members’ Bill C-293, which called for significant changes to the manner in which Canada’s official development assistance is delivered and administered. Often referred to as the ‘Better Aid Bill,’ its primary purpose is to mandate that the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) target Canada’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the specific goal of poverty reduction in developing nations.

The Bill established a set of principles that CIDA must take into account when adjudging how aid is to be spent. First, it requires that the perspectives and concerns of those who receive ODA be taken into account. This means that Canadian aid flows will have to respect the priorities of its beneficiaries - the people living in poverty. Secondly, it requires that ODA be promulgated in a manner consistent with Canadian values and foreign policy, sustainable development, and the promotion of democracy and human rights. The Bill also requires that Canadian foreign aid spending be more transparent and accountable to Parliament and must be reported in a timely manner.

Due to the legislated focus on long-term poverty reduction, ODA cannot be redirected towards international military efforts or short-term disaster relief (areas of policy that the Canadian government must fund separately) and is subject to judicial review and oversight by the Minister.

Prior to the passage of C-293, parliamentary committees and NGOs had called for a clearer mandate for ODA. Critics of Canada’s aid spending noted that assistance was often sent to countries that have recently experienced strong economic growth and prosperity or have dubious records regarding human rights. In an article from June 19, 2007, National Post columnist John Ivison reported that Canada had sent $7.7 million to the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland for job creation programs and reconciliation projects, despite the country’s healthy economy, lower taxation rate and higher per capita GDP. [John Ivison. The National Post. Tuesday, June 19, 2007, http://www.johnmckaymp.on.ca/nm-list.asp] In another example, Ivison noted that in 2004-2005 China received $57 million in ODA, amid concerns held by the international community about human rights abuses.

On March 20, 2008 C-293 passed third reading in the House of Commons with unanimous support from all parties. It received Royal Assent on May 29, 2008, thus becoming law as the Development Assistance Accountability Act, (An Act respecting the provision of official development assistance abroad).

Canada’s Development Assistance Accountability Act represents a trend among other nations that provide foreign aid toward legislated mandates for the provision of foreign aid. In 2002 the U.K. passed the International Development Act that entrenched poverty reduction as the preponderant focus of its foreign aid. [http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection-R/LoPBdP/PRB-e/PRB0631-e.pdf] Other countries with similar legislation include Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Luxembourg, Denmark and Belgium.

John McKay is one of the more active Members of the Canadian Parliament on the issue of aid to developing nations, having been the Vice President of CIDO; an organization devoted the development of microfinancing in developing nations. In 2007 McKay traveled with Michael Savage M.P. (Liberal), Alexa McDonough M.P. (NDP), and Bill Casey M.P. (Conservative) to Kenya as part of a Parliamentary envoy to assess the efficacy and potential of ODA in developing nations. Though C-293 had been introduced prior to the trip, according to McKay the Kenyan sojourn gave greater urgency to the need for ODA reform. “We did not come away with easy answers regarding development and poverty, but a much clearer sense that we do have the capacity for meaningful change.” [McKay, John. The Face of Poverty. http://www.johnmckaymp.on.ca/nm-show.asp?story=347, p.7]

An Act to amend the Hazardous Products Act (fire-safe cigarettes) - C-260

In 2002 John McKay introduced Bill C-260, an amendment to the already existing Hazardous Products Act, which forces tobacco manufacturers to produce fire-safe cigarettes in response to the threat of fire posed by cigarettes left unattended. The Bill requires that cigarettes meet regulated ignition propensity standards (RIPs) by law and provide evidence to the Minister of Health of compliance with the regulation. As of October 1, 2005, all cigarettes in Canada are manufactured to self-extinguish before burning to the filter, thus reducing the risk that it will start a fire when a person falls asleep or forgets about it.

Prior to the C-260, the Canadian Ministry of Health estimated that unattended cigarettes resulted in 2085 fires, 70 deaths and $28.1 million in damages to property. [http://www.johnmckaymp.on.ca/nm-show.asp?story=366] Health Canada further estimates that RIP cigarettes will prevent 34-68% of fire -loss damages. [Ibid.]

After C-260 received Royal Assent in 2003, Canada became the first country to introduce nation-wide ignition propensity regulations on cigarettes, and has become an example used by advocacy groups in other nations for the imposition of such regulations. [http://www.firesafecigarettes.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=81&itemID=1033&URL=Legislative%20up dates/Adoptions/Canada%20the%20first%20nation%20to%20enact%20a%20fire-safe%20cigarette%20law]

Miscellaneous

· John McKay is a past board member of the [http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~dmg/ Doris McCarthy Gallery] , located on the University of Toronto Scarborough campus. [http://www.newcenturyinstitute.us/print/151.asp] McKay is a ardent social conservative and fought strongly against same-sex marriage; he has consistently opposed any legislation which supported equal rights for gay and lesbian Canadians.

Notes and references

C260· http://www.firesafecigarettes.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=81&itemID=1033&URL=Legislative%20updates/Adoptions/Canada%20the%20first%20nation%20to%20enact%20a%20fire-safe%20cigarette%20law· http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/pubs/tobac-tabac/ignition-incend/index-eng.php

C293

· http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/prb0631-e.htm· http://www.parl.gc.ca/39/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/fore-e/rep-e/repafrifeb07-e.pdf· http://cmte.parl.gc.ca/cmte/CommitteePublication.aspx?COM=8979&Lang=1&SourceId=120069

Other

· http://www.fin.gc.ca/news04/04-078_1e.html· http://www.guildwood.on.ca/Site/Guild%20Inn%20history.html· http://www.newcenturyinstitute.us/print/151.asp· http://www.sports-wired.com/golf/trivia.asp· http://www.toronto.ca/culture/brochures/brochure_guild_walk_2001.pdf· http://www.toronto.ca/waterfront/tour/scarborough_bluffs.htm· http://www.ywcatoronto.org/assets/pdf/employment/0805_svc_analysis.pdf

External Links----

* [http://www.johnmckaymp.on.ca/ Official Site]
* [http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/ProfileMP.aspx?Key=78463&Language=E/ Parliamentary Web Page]
* [http://www.liberal.ca/default_e.aspx/ Liberal.ca]

###@@@KEY@@@###incumbent succession box
title=Member of Parliament from Scarborough-Guildwood
start=1997
before=Doug Peters, Liberal