Andrew Mitchell, (born April 21, 1953) is a Canadian politician. He served in the House of Commons of Canada from 1993 to 2006, representing Parry Sound-Muskoka as a member of the Liberal Party. He was a secretary of state in the government of Jean Chrétien and a cabinet minister in the government of Paul Martin.
Early life and career
Mitchell was born in Montreal, Quebec, and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Carleton University (1972). Before running for public office, he worked for the Bank of Nova Scotia in Ottawa, Toronto, Cornwall, Elliot Lake, and Gravenhurst.Neville Nankivell, "Reform phenomenon heads north in Ontario," Financial Post, 12 October 1993, p. 15; Sue Bailey, "New Indian Affairs minister an unknown entity as native file gets focus," Canadian Press, 17 December 2003, 17:58. He was also active with several local Chamber of Commerce organizations. Mitchell joined the Liberal Party in 1991., Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, accessed 16 January 2011.
Parliamentarian
Government backbencher Mitchell was first elected in the 1993 federal election, winning a seat that had been held by the Progressive Conservatives since 1957. At the time, he did not have a strong public profile outside of his riding."Popular ex-soldier wants to be an MP," Kitchener-Waterloo Record, 22 January 1997, A8. The Liberals won a majority government, and Mitchell entered parliament as a backbench supporter of Jean Chrétien's government.
He chaired a parliamentary task force that examined banking and small business policy in 1994.Steve Cannon, "Small business lost in red tape, Liberal says," Kitchener-Waterloo Record, 18 June 1994, B6. Its recommendations included a code of conduct for banks regarding small business loans, an ombudsman to oversee this code of conduct, and a provision allowing entrepreneurs to borrow up to twenty per cent from their registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs). The proposed code of conduct was intended to facilitate more bank loans to small businesses."Liberals back RRSP use for small business," Hamilton Spectator, 11 August 1994, D3; "Use of RRSPs to aid business urged," Kitchener-Waterloo Record, 11 August 1994, D5.
In 1996, Mitchell was appointed to another task force that examined the role of the federal government in relation to Canada's disability community."Ministers Young, Martin And Stewart Announce Task Force On Disability Issues," Canada NewsWire, 5 June 1996, 19:04. It recommended that the government cancel its plans to wind down assistance programs for disabled people and instead introduce new programs and tax credits. Mitchell argued this investment was necessary to ensure disabled Canadians could enjoy the full rights of citizenship.Scott Feschuk, "Ottawa should boost support for disabled, task force says," Globe and Mail, 29 October 1996, A6.
In the same period, he chaired a standing committee on natural resources with a focus on economic development in rural Canada.Patricia Mills, "Forestry a thriving industry in Parry Sound-Muskoka," Northern Ontario Business, 1 September 1996, p. 26. He supported construction of Fenbrook Institution, a medium security prison in Gravenhurst, as a benefit to the local economy.Tracey Tyler, "New medium-security prison confirmed for Muskoka area," Toronto Star, 16 February 1994, A12.
Minister Secretary of State for Parks Mitchell was re-elected in the 1997 federal election against a strong challenge from former general Lewis MacKenzie, who was running for the Progressive Conservative Party. The Liberals were re-elected with a second majority government nationally, and Mitchell was appointed as secretary of state for parks in Chrétien's government. This was a ministerial position but not a full cabinet portfolio.Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation: Secretaries of State , Parliament of Canada, accessed 13 January 2011.
Shortly after his appointment, Mitchell announced that Canada's national parks would not be privatized or commercialized apart from a small number of projects that had already been approved in the previous parliament."Ottawa won't turn parks commercial," Winnipeg Free Press, 16 July 1997, A9; Kathryn May, "We won't 'Disneyize' parks, Ottawa vows," Hamilton Spectator, 16 July 1997, D14. He following year, he introduced legislation to create a permanent agency for Parks Canada. The oversight of national parks had previously shifted among various ministries, and Mitchell argued that the new agency would allow for more and better-managed parks.Anne McIlroy, "Parks to get legal guardian in new Canadian agency," Globe and Mail, 6 February 1998, A4; "New Parks Canada agency," Toronto Star, 7 February 1998, A12.
In April 1998, Mitchell said the Canadian government would block a salvage company's plans to dynamite the wreckage of the Empress of Ireland ocean liner to recover an estimated one million dollars' worth of nickel ingots. Over one thousand people were killed when ship sank in the Saint Lawrence River in 1914, and Mitchell argued the detonation would violate Canada's laws against interference with human remains. Many of the deceased were members of the Salvation Army, which strongly opposed the detonation plans."Canadian government will block plan to blow up sunken ocean liner," Associated Press Newswires, 23 April 1998, 19:03.
Mitchell joined with environmental groups in late 1998 to oppose a bid by the government of the Northwest Territories, the Inuvialuit, and the Toronto-based company Falconbridge Ltd. to change a proposed boundary of the Tuktut Nogait National Park and permit nickel mining in the disputed area. Mitchell argued that the change would endanger the local caribou population and noted that eighty per cent of the nickel find was already located outside of the park's boundaries. A committee of the Senate of Canada decided against moving the boundary in December 1998.Heather Scoffield, "Senate committee rejects plea for adjusting border on proposed park," Globe and Mail, 2 December 1998, B7. The following year, Mitchell introduced legislation to restrict future development in all national parks and announced the creation of an aboriginal affairs secretariat to assist Parks Canada in matters relating to First Nations communities."Ottawa introduces bill to streamline national parks law," Kitchener-Waterloo Record, 17 March 1999, D12; "Parks Canada Takes Steps to Strengthen Ties With Aboriginal Peoples," Canada NewsWire, 20 April 1999, 10:23.
Mitchell supported a private member's bill introduced by Liberal backbencher Albina Guarnieri in 1998 to reduce parole opportunities for criminals convicted of multiple murders.Christine Cox, "No 'freebies' for multiple murders," Hamilton Spectator, 4 December 1998, C3. Secretary of State for Rural Development In October 1999, Mitchell was reassigned as secretary of state for rural development and secretary of state for the federal economic development initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor). In early 2000, he hosted Canada's first national rural conference in Magog, Quebec."MEDIA NOTICE - FIRST-EVER NATIONAL RURAL CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN THE EASTERN TOWNSHIPS," Canada NewsWire, 20 March 2000, 15:05; "Federal Secretary of State for Rural Development announces two initiatives for rural Canada," Canada NewsWire, 28 April 2000, 16:03; "Secretary of State for Rural Development releases first annual progress report on rural Canada," Canada NewsWire, 4 May 2000, 14:25. He also introduced thirty-seven million dollars for small and medium-sized businesses in Ontario and new money for advanced grain identification technology in Manitoba.Bill Redekop, "Research money is definitely going with the grain," Winnipeg Free Press, 8 April 2000, B14; "Ottawa funds plan to separate wheat from chaff," Hamilton Spectator, 8 April 2000, B03; "Eight fires set at Hamilton schools since February," Canadian Press, 19 July 2000, 23:00.
Re-elected in the 2000 federal election, Mitchell helped formulate a federal loan to prevent bankruptcy at Algoma Steel in 2001.Heather Scoffield, "Ottawa, Algoma reach agreement," Globe and Mail, 18 December 2001, B8; "$50 million lifeline for Algoma Steel," Toronto Star, 23 December 2001, A02. He later announced the creation of a sixteen-member advisory committee on rural issues at the second national rural conference in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island."Sixteen people named to federal advisory committee on rural issues," Canadian Press, 6 April 2002, 20:46.
In May 2002, Mitchell led a trade delegation to Atlanta, Georgia, to promote trade with Northern Ontario."Expanding trade with the southeastern U-S," Broadcast News, 5 May 2002, 14:35. Later in the same year, he promoted increased high-speed internet service for rural Canada and announced a fifteen million dollar plan to support co-operatives."Canadian Govt Launches Co-Operative Initiative," Resource News International, 2 July 2002, 10:29; "Ottawa offers $105M subsidy for hinterland high-speed Internet access," Canadian Press, 5 September 2002, 19:46. In August 2003, he joined with Chrétien and Industry Minister Allan Rock to unveil Canada's Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund, valued at one billion dollars."Government of Canada Announces New $1 Billion Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund," Canada NewsWire, 20 August 2003. Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Mitchell supported Paul Martin's bid to succeed Jean Chrétien as Liberal Party leader in 2003.Campbell Clark and Daniel Leblanc, "Cabinet out of woodwork to back Martin for leadership," Globe and Mail, 15 March 2003, A5. When Martin replaced Chrétien as prime minister, he promoted Mitchell to a full cabinet position as Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.Jane Taber, "Martin keeps earliest backer out of cabinet," Globe and Mail, 12 December 2003, A3. Mitchell also served on an expenditure review committee of cabinet. See "Martin puts Chrétien projects on ice," Hamilton Spectator, 17 December 2003, A08. Mitchell introduced new self-government legislation for Canadian indigenous communities in January 2004 and said that he would not re-introduce his predecessor's First Nations Governance Act, which had met with significant opposition from indigenous leaders."Minister Announces Collaborative Legislative Strategy for Aboriginal Affairs" [press release], Canada NewsWire, 21 January 2004, 16:34. See also Andy Mitchell, "Paul Martin's promise to natives," National Post, 6 March 2004, A19.
Mitchell attended the Martin government's one-day summit with leaders of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Métis National Council, the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, and the Native Women's Association of Canada in April 2004."MEDIA ADVISORY - Government of Canada," Canada NewsWire, 16 April 2004, 08:46. He indicated that he was willing to fund a housing secretariat that would be operated by the AFN.Mary Gordon, "Summit called first step to dismantling Indian Act," Toronto Star, 20 April 2004, A06.
In early 2004, Mitchell recognized embattled grand chief James Gabriel and the elected band council as the legitimate authority in Kanesatake, Quebec."Statement from the Federal and Provincial Ministers Responsible for Native Affairs and Public Safety," Canadian NewsWire, 19 January 2004, 16:33. The Kanesatake community was divided into rival factions, and Gabriel was forced to leave the community for his safety after his house was burned down. Minister of Agriculture