John Fraser has had a long and illustrious career in Canadian public life. Any attempt to list his many accomplishments soon becomes a long recitation.

First elected to the House of Commons representing Vancouver South in 1972, he was returned to Ottawa five times. Recognition from his peers in the House of Commons followed when he became the first Speaker to be elected by secret ballot in 1986 and again in 1988.

As Environment Minister and Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and throughout his personal life, John Fraser has made a measurable contribution to the environmental quality of North America. His efforts have produced an international Canada-U.S. treaty to prevent the flooding of parts of B.C. by the proposed Skagit River dam in Washington; the establishment of a U.S.-Canada agreement on acid rain abatement; the rehabilitation and conservation of Pacific salmon stocks and habitat through the Pacific Salmon Treaty; and the preservation of the South Moresby archipelago as a national park reserve.

Recognition for his many contributions have come in the form of numerous honours ranging from Beijing University to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

John Fraser is honorary chairman or patron of several environmental organizations, including the Worldsphere Foundation, the B.C. Forests in Israel project, and Canada’s Environmental Law Centre.