Marjory LeBreton

The Honourable Marjory LeBreton PC
Senator from Ontario
Incumbent
Assumed office June 18, 1993
Personal details
Born	July 4, 1940 (1940-07-04) (age 71) Nepean, Ontario
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Douglas LeBreton
Profession	Political advisor
Cabinet	Leader of the Government in the Senate

Marjory LeBreton, PC (born July 4, 1940) is Leader of the Government in the Canadian Senate, a position of cabinet-rank; and vice-chair of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Canada. She worked with four leaders of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada - John Diefenbaker, Robert Stanfield, Joe Clark and Brian Mulroney - from 1962 to 1993 before being appointed to the Senate on the advice of Mulroney. She sat as a Progressive Conservative Senator from her appointment until moving with most of her caucus colleagues to the new Conservative Party of Canada in 2004, of which she was soon elected as Chief Whip. She served as an advisor to then opposition leader Stephen Harper during the 2006 election, which Harper won. After the election she was named to the cabinet position of the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Early and personal life

Marjory LeBreton was born in neighbourhood of City View, a part of the city of Nepean, Ontario which is today part of the city of Ottawa. She is married to Douglas LeBreton, with whom she had two children: Linda and Michael. Linda was killed in an accident involving a drunk driver which led to LeBreton's active involvement in the Mother's Against Drunk Driving organization.

Progressive Conservative staffer

LeBreton began working at Progressive Conservative party headquarters in 1962, moving from there to the office of leader John Diefenbaker when he became opposition leader following the 1963 election. During her time in the leader's office, she accompanied him on a national whistlestop tour during the 1965 election - the last such tour until Green Party of Canada leader Elizabeth May undertook such a tour during the 2008 election.

Following Diefenbaker's resignation as leader, she continued in the leader's office under Robert Stanfield through his three election campaigns - 1968, 1972 and 1974. When Stanfield announced his resignation in 1975, she went to work in the PC Party office helping to coordinate the 1976 Progressive Conservative leadership convention.

Joe Clark won the 1976 convention and hired LeBreton into his leader's office as tour coordinator, a position she held until Clark won the 1979 federal election.

She later worked in the office of Brian Mulroney while he was prime minister, rising to position of Deputy Chief of Staff and Government Appointments Director. She was appointed by Mulroney to the Senate on June 18, 1993, shortly before his retirement from politics.^[1]

Senator

LeBreton is generally considered to be a Red Tory and is progressive on social issues such as abortion rights. She was also one of the few politicians in the Parliament of Canada to oppose Bill 36, Canada's anti-terrorism legislation in 2001.

She was a long-time foe of proposals to merge the Progressive Conservatives with the Canadian Alliance but reluctantly supported the late 2003 proposal to unite the parties and subsequently became a Conservative Party of Canada senator once the merge was complete. Over time, she warmed to the new party, and later served as one of Stephen Harper's top advisors in the 2006 federal election.

She is currently the Leader of the Government in the Senate in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. LeBreton also acquired the role of Secretary of State for Seniors during a cabinet shuffle on January 4, 2007.

LeBreton is well known for her work on the campaign trail where her job is to “assist the media.”^[2]

Committee assignments

Following her appointment to the Senate, during the 34th Canadian Parliament, she sat on the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration.

During the 35th Parliament, she sat on the Internal Economy committee, Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, as well as the Special Committee on Pearson Airport Agreements.

In the 36th Parliament, she sat on the Internal Economy committee, Social Affairs committee, Agriculture and Forestry committee, Standing Committee on Transport and Communications, Standing Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce, as well as the Special Committee on Security and Intelligence.

In the 37th Parliament, she sat on the Social Affairs committee, the Agriculture and Forestry committee, the Transport and Communications committee, the Standing Committee on Privileges, Standing Rules and Orders, and the Standing Committee on National Finance.

In the 38th Parliament, she sat on the Social Affairs committee, the Transport and Communications committee, the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament, the Standing Committee on Human Rights, and the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs.

In the 39th Parliament, Social Affairs committee, the Rules committee, the Human Rights committee and the Foreign Affairs committee.

During the 37th, 38th and 39th parliaments she was vice-chair of the Social Affairs committee. During the 40th Parliament, as government leader, she does not sit formally on any committees but is an ex-officio member of all of them.^[3]

See also

• List of Ontario senators

References

1. ^ http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/senmemb/senate/isenator_det.asp?senator_id=59&sortord=N&Language=E&M=M
2. ^ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/04/28/is-stephen-harper-a-hologram/
3. ^ http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=d21687fd-9452-4d14-99c8-5f15ef816e76&Language=E&MenuID=lists.senators.aspx&MenuQuery=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.parl.gc.ca%2FParlinfo%2Flists%2Fsenators.aspx%3FLanguage%3DE%26Parliament%3D8714654b-cdbf-48a2-b1ad-57a3c8ece839%26Name%3D%26Party%3D%26Province%3D%26Gender%3D%26Current%3DTrue%26PrimeMinister%3D%26TermEnd%3D%26Ministry%3D%26Picture%3DFalse&Section=ALL

External links

• Marjory LeBreton's Biography
• Cabinet profile

28th Ministry – Cabinet of Stephen Harper
Cabinet Posts (1)
Predecessor	Office	Successor
Jack Austin	Leader of the Government in the Senate 2006–present	incumbent
Sub-Cabinet Post
Predecessor	Title	Successor
	Minister of State for Seniors (2007-2010) styled as Secretary of State until 2008	Diane Ablonczy

2009

Persondata
Name	LeBreton, Marjory
Alternative names
Short description	Canadian politician
Date of birth	July 4, 1940
Place of birth	Nepean, Ontario
Date of death	living
Place of death