Mitchell Sharp facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Mitchell Sharp PC CC
Sharp, c. 1962
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
In office 8 August 1974 – 13 September 1976
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Allan MacEachen
Succeeded by	Allan MacEachen
President of the Privy Council
In office 8 August 1974 – 13 September 1976
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Allan MacEachen
Succeeded by	Allan MacEachen
Secretary of State for External Affairs
In office 20 April 1968 – 7 August 1974
Prime Minister	Pierre Trudeau
Preceded by	Paul Martin Sr.
Succeeded by	Allan MacEachen
Minister of Finance
In office 18 December 1965 – 19 April 1968 Acting: 11 November 1965 – 17 December 1965
Prime Minister	Lester B. Pearson
Preceded by	Walter L. Gordon
Succeeded by	Edgar Benson
Minister of Trade and Commerce
In office 22 April 1963 – 3 January 1966
Prime Minister	Lester B. Pearson
Preceded by	Malcolm Wallace McCutcheon
Succeeded by	Robert Winters
Member of Parliament for Eglinton
In office 8 April 1963 – 1 May 1978
Preceded by	Donald Fleming
Succeeded by	Rob Parker
Personal details
Born	Mitchell William Sharp (1911-05-11)11 May 1911 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Died	19 March 2004(2004-03-19) (aged 92) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Political party	Liberal
Spouses	Daisy Boyd ​ ​ (m. 1938; died 1975)​ Jeannette Dugal ​ ​ (m. 1976; died 1998)​ Jeanne d'Arc Labrecque ​ (m. 2001)​
Alma mater	University of Manitoba London School of Economics
Profession	Economist Businessman

Mitchell William Sharp (May 11, 1911 – March 19, 2004) was an important Canadian politician. He was known for being a Liberal Cabinet minister. He worked in both government and private business during his long career.

Early Life and Education

Mitchell Sharp was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He studied at the University of Manitoba, earning his first degree in 1934. He continued his studies there and later at the London School of Economics in England. During this time, he wrote about the grain trade, which is about buying and selling crops like wheat.

Sharp began working for the government in 1942. He joined the Department of Finance, which manages Canada's money. By 1947, he was in charge of the department's Economic Policy Division. From 1951 to 1957, he helped lead the Department of Trade and Commerce. Here, he was responsible for how Canada traded with other countries. He also briefly served as the top official in that department.

Political Career

In 1963, Mitchell Sharp was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP). He represented the area of Eglinton. Soon after, he became the Minister of Trade and Commerce. This role involved looking after Canada's business and trade.

From 1965 to 1968, Sharp served as the Minister of Finance. This is a very important job, as the Minister of Finance manages the country's budget and economy. He also held other key government positions:

• Secretary of State for External Affairs (1968–1974): This role is like being the foreign minister, dealing with Canada's relationships with other countries.
• President of the Privy Council (1974–1978): This position involves advising the Governor General and overseeing government operations.
• Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (1974–1978): This person helps manage the government's business in Parliament.

Sharp decided to leave Parliament in 1978.

Views on Canada's Head of State

Mitchell Sharp believed that Canada should have its own head of state. He felt that having the same head of state as other countries made it seem like Canada was not fully independent. Because of these views, he chose not to accept an offer to become the Governor General. The Governor General is the King's representative in Canada.

The signing ceremony for the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. From left to right: Secretary of State William P. Rogers, President Richard M. Nixon, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Mitchell Sharp.

Sharp also played a big part in making sure the Canadian Pavilion at Expo 67 was large and impressive. Expo 67 was a huge world's fair held in Montreal during Canada's 100th birthday. The Canadian Pavilion was originally planned to be much smaller.

Life After Politics

After leaving elected politics, Mitchell Sharp continued to serve the public. From 1978 to 1988, he was the commissioner of the Northern Pipeline Agency. This agency was created to help build a natural gas pipeline between the U.S. and Canada.

He also worked on a special group that looked at conflict of interest rules. This group published a report in 1984 about how public officials should act ethically. Sharp was also involved with the Trilateral Commission, a group that discusses global issues. From 1993 to 2003, he was a personal advisor to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. He took only one dollar a year for this important job.

Mitchell Sharp passed away on March 19, 2004, at the age of 92. He is buried in Ottawa.

Honours and Awards

Mitchell Sharp received many honours for his service to Canada.

• He became a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada in 1963. This gave him the title "The Honourable."
• He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1984, and later a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1999. The Order of Canada is one of the highest honours a Canadian can receive.
• He also received medals like the Canadian Centennial Medal (1967), the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977), the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal (1992), and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002).

Honorary Degrees

Mitchell Sharp was also given several honorary degrees from universities. These degrees recognized his important contributions to Canada.

• In 1965, he received a Doctor of Laws (LL.D) from the University of Manitoba.
• In 1977, he received a Doctor of Laws (LL.D) from the University of Western Ontario.
• In 1994, he received a Doctor of Laws (LL.D) from Carleton University.
• In 1995, he received a Doctor of Laws (LL.D) from McMaster University.