THE HON. BOB RAE

Former Ontario Premier

Bob Rae served as Ontario’s 21st Premier, and is currently the Liberal Member of Parliament for the constituency of Toronto Centre.

Rae entered the House of Commons in 1978, as a member of the NDP, and was nominated as leader of the party in 1982. He was sworn in as the first NDP Premier of Ontario in 1990, and held that position until 1995. Rae retired from politics in 1996, becoming an outspoken critic of the NDP. In a change of heart in April of 2006, Rae applied for membership to the Liberal Party and was re-elected to the House of Commons as a Liberal in the Toronto Centre riding in March 2008.

As a partner at Goodman’s, one of Canada’s leading international law firms, Rae’s clients include major corporations, trade unions, charitable, NGOs, and government organizations. He has extensive experience in negotiation, mediation and arbitration, and speaks and consults widely on issues of public policy.

Rae has a B.A. and an LL.B. from the University of Toronto and was a Rhodes Scholar in 1969. He obtained a B.Phil. degree from Oxford University in 1971, and was named a Queen’s Counsel in 1984. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the Law Society of Upper Canada, the University of Toronto and Assumption University. Rae was appointed to Her Majesty’s Privy Council for Canada in 1998 and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2000, and appointed an Officer of the Order of Ontario 2004.

Bob Rae is the author of three books, From Protest to Power, The Three Questions, and Canada in the Balance. His intelligence, wit and broad experience make him an outstanding speaker in both English and French.

Request More Information

COMMENTS FROM AUDIENCES

"We heard nothing but the most enthusiastic praise for your exceptional talk."

Ontario Professional Planners Institute

"...the best ever of all speakers we've had in the past and this contributed much to the success of the event. "

Insurance Brokers Association of British Columbia