Mitchell Sharp
Encyclopedia
Mitchell William Sharp, PC
, CC
(May 11, 1911 – March 19, 2004) was a Canadian
politician and a Companion of the Order of Canada
, was most noted for his service as a Liberal
Cabinet
minister. He had, however, served in both private and public sectors during his long career.
. He earned his BA
from the University of Manitoba
in 1934 and completed post-graduate work at that university and then at the London School of Economics
. During this time, he worked as a writer focusing on the grain trade.
Sharp started his long career in public service in 1947 when he was offered the job as the director of the Department of Finance's Economic Policy Division. From 1951 to 1957, Sharp served as the Associate Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce. During his tenure, he was responsible for international trade relations. Soon after, Sharp served a short term as the Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce. He also proposed the Third Option
.
representing Eglinton
. Shortly thereafter, he was assigned the portfolio of Minister of Trade and Commerce. From 1965 through 1968, Sharp was the Minister of Finance
. Other ministerial positions held include Secretary of State for External Affairs
(1968-1974), President of the Privy Council
(1974-1978) and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
(1974-1978). Sharp resigned as a parliamentarian in 1978.
Sharp also had a strong belief in republicanism
, revealing in his 1994 memoirs that because of his negative views on the monarchy, he refused to accept Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau
's offer to recommend him for appointment as Governor General
. In his memoirs, he also stated that "Canada should have its own head of state who isn't shared by others" and that the status quo gave the impression that "Canada had not yet achieved full independence from Britain."
He was the first finance minister to wear new shoes on budget day
, when presenting the 1966 Canadian federal budget on March 29 of that year.
and published a report on ethical conduct in the public service in 1984. Other posts included head of the Canadian group and deputy chairman of the Trilateral Commission
(1976-1986). From 1988 through 1993, he served as a policy associate with Strategion. He was a personal adviser to Prime Minister
Jean Chrétien
from 1993 to 2003, a job for which he was paid $
1 a year.
On February 22, 2004, Sharp fell and broke his collarbone in his home
. He was taken to Elizabeth Bruyere Health Centre (hospital), in Ottawa
, where he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer
; that disease claimed his life on March 19 of that year. He was 92. He is buried in Ottawa.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, CC
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(May 11, 1911 – March 19, 2004) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician and a Companion of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, was most noted for his service as a Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
Cabinet
Cabinet of Canada
The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...
minister. He had, however, served in both private and public sectors during his long career.
Background
Sharp was born in Winnipeg, ManitobaManitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
. He earned his BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
in 1934 and completed post-graduate work at that university and then at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
. During this time, he worked as a writer focusing on the grain trade.
Sharp started his long career in public service in 1947 when he was offered the job as the director of the Department of Finance's Economic Policy Division. From 1951 to 1957, Sharp served as the Associate Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce. During his tenure, he was responsible for international trade relations. Soon after, Sharp served a short term as the Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce. He also proposed the Third Option
Third Option
The Third Option was a proposal from Canadian Secretary of State for External Affairs Minister Mitchell Sharp in 1972 which would have reduced trade and cultural relations between Canada and the United States and allowed for more diversification of bilateral agreements.Sharp's proposal was a clear...
.
Politics
In 1963, Mitchell Sharp was elected as a member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
representing Eglinton
Eglinton (electoral district)
Eglinton was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1935 to 1979. This riding was created in 1933 from parts of Toronto Northeast riding....
. Shortly thereafter, he was assigned the portfolio of Minister of Trade and Commerce. From 1965 through 1968, Sharp was the Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (Canada)
The Minister of Finance is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible each year for presenting the federal government's budget...
. Other ministerial positions held include Secretary of State for External Affairs
Secretary of State for External Affairs (Canada)
Canada's Secretary of State for External Affairs was, from 1909 to 1993, the member of the Cabinet of Canada responsible for overseeing the federal government's international relations and the former Department of External Affairs...
(1968-1974), President of the Privy Council
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(1974-1978) and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (Canada)
The Leader of the government in the House of Commons , more commonly known as the Government House Leader, is the Cabinet minister responsible for planning and managing the government's legislative program in the Canadian House of Commons...
(1974-1978). Sharp resigned as a parliamentarian in 1978.
Sharp also had a strong belief in republicanism
Republicanism in Canada
Canadian republicanism is the appreciation amongst Canadians for the replacement of the Canadian system of constitutional monarchy with a republican form of government in the sense of the state headed by a president. These beliefs are expressed either individually generally in academic circles or...
, revealing in his 1994 memoirs that because of his negative views on the monarchy, he refused to accept Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
's offer to recommend him for appointment as Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
. In his memoirs, he also stated that "Canada should have its own head of state who isn't shared by others" and that the status quo gave the impression that "Canada had not yet achieved full independence from Britain."
He was the first finance minister to wear new shoes on budget day
New shoes on budget day
New shoes on budget day is an unusual tradition among Canadian Ministers of Finance. The tradition holds that the Minister of Finance should purchase or wear new shoes when the budget is delivered.The exact origins of this tradition are not known...
, when presenting the 1966 Canadian federal budget on March 29 of that year.
After politics
Sharp re-entered the public sector as the commissioner of the Northern Pipeline Agency, an agency formed under the Northern Pipeline Act (1978) to give effect to the U.S.-Canada Agreement on Principles Applicable to a Northern Natural Gas Pipeline (1977), from 1978 until 1988. His public service continued as he served as a co-chairman of a task force on conflict of interestConflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
and published a report on ethical conduct in the public service in 1984. Other posts included head of the Canadian group and deputy chairman of the Trilateral Commission
Trilateral Commission
The Trilateral Commission is a non-governmental, non-partisan discussion group founded by David Rockefeller in July 1973 to foster closer cooperation among the United States, Europe and Japan.-History:...
(1976-1986). From 1988 through 1993, he served as a policy associate with Strategion. He was a personal adviser to Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
from 1993 to 2003, a job for which he was paid $
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
1 a year.
On February 22, 2004, Sharp fell and broke his collarbone in his home
Home
A home is a place of residence or refuge. When it refers to a building, it is usually a place in which an individual or a family can rest and store personal property. Most modern-day households contain sanitary facilities and a means of preparing food. Animals have their own homes as well, either...
. He was taken to Elizabeth Bruyere Health Centre (hospital), in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, where he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
; that disease claimed his life on March 19 of that year. He was 92. He is buried in Ottawa.