Foreign Voices in the House of Commons: Reflections on the Canada's Stature in its 150th Year
Jan 19, 2018
J. Patrick Boyer Q.C, King Edward, Vanity Fair Rm.
Foreign Voices in the House of Commons: Reflections on the Canada's Stature in its 150th Year

Patrick Boyer has led a most interesting and multi-faceted life as a university professor, journalist, authority, policy activist, publisher and former Member of Parliament (1984-1993).   Patrick Boyer was born in Bracebridge and his father was a Member of the Legislative Assembly at Queen’s Park in the late 1950s.  Mr. Boyer  earned a Master’s Degree in Canadian history, a Doctor of Laws from the University of Toronto and an honours degree in economics and political  from Carleton University.  He studied French-Canadian literature at the University of Montreal and studied law at the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands.   Before entering politics our speaker was a partner in the Fraser and Beatty law firm in Toronto where he specialized in communications law and electoral law.   He practised in the Western Arctic as a member of the Northwest Territories Bar.   Mr. Boyer was elected Member of Parliament in 1984, representing Toronto’s Etobicoke-Lakeshore Riding. As a member of Parliament for the next nine years he chaired three committees—on election law reform, equality rights and the status of disabled persons.   He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs, National Defence, Industry, Science and Technology and Consumer and Corporate Affairs.  Following his career in politics he taught law, political science and history at the University of Toronto, Wilfred Laurier University and the University of Guelph.    He has continued to be an advocate for public policy issues including proportional representation, democratic development in Asia, Central and South American and founded the Corinne Boyer Fund for Ovarian Cancer Research and Treatment.  He has authored twenty-three books on Canadian history, law, politics and governance including Foreign Voices in the House of Commons which celebrate famous world leaders who have visited Canada and spoken in the House of Commons.   Mr. Boyer resides in both Bracebridge and Toronto. 

Host: Robert O' Brien