Gerry St. Germain facts for kids

Gerry St. Germain, born on November 6, 1937, is a Canadian politician who used to work in the government. He was a Senator for British Columbia and also a Member of Parliament. He was a member of the Conservative Party of Canada.

Early Life and Diverse Career

Gerry St. Germain was born in Manitoba and is of Métis heritage. He later moved to British Columbia. Before becoming a politician, he had many different jobs. He was a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force, a police officer in Winnipeg and Vancouver, a builder, a businessman, and even a poultry farmer.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

St. Germain was a strong supporter of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. In 1983, he was chosen to run in a special election called a by-election for the Mission—Port Moody area. He won this election and became a Member of Parliament (MP). He was elected on the same day that Brian Mulroney became the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party.

Serving in the House of Commons

Gerry St. Germain served as an MP for the Mission—Port Moody area from 1983 until 1988. During this time, he joined the Canadian Cabinet, which is a group of important government ministers. In March 1988, he became the Minister of Transport (Canada). Later that year, he was appointed as the Minister of Forestry. He also served as the main political representative for British Columbia.

After his riding's (election area's) boundaries changed, St. Germain ran for re-election in the 1988 Canadian federal election. However, he was not re-elected and lost to Joy Langan. From 1989 to 1995, he was the President of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.

His Time as a Senator

In June 1993, Gerry St. Germain was appointed to the Senate of Canada. This happened just before Brian Mulroney retired as Prime Minister of Canada. As a Senator, he represented the area of Langley-Pemberton-Whistler. These Senate divisions are mostly symbolic, except in Quebec.

Working to Unite Political Parties

In 1998, while still a Progressive Conservative, St. Germain looked into an idea called the "United Alternative." This was an effort led by Reform Party of Canada leader Preston Manning to bring together different right-leaning political parties in Canada.

In June 2000, he became an Independent Conservative Senator. This meant he was still conservative but not officially part of a specific party. By October 2000, he joined the Canadian Alliance party, becoming their only Senator. Since the Canadian Alliance was the Official Opposition in the House of Commons of Canada, St. Germain believed he should be the leader of the Official Opposition in the Senate. However, the Speaker of the Senate did not agree.

At the request of Canadian Alliance Leader Stephen Harper, St. Germain played a key role in talks to merge the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party. When these two parties officially joined together in December 2003, St. Germain became a member of the new Conservative Party of Canada.

Retirement from the Senate

Gerry St. Germain served as a Senator until November 6, 2012. On this date, he reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 for Senators.