Walter Baker (Canadian politician)

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Walter David Baker, PC (August 22, 1930 – November 13, 1983) was a Canadian parliamentarian and lawyer.

Walter David Baker
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Nepean—Carleton
Grenville—Carleton (1972-1979)
In office
October 30, 1972 – November 13, 1983
Preceded byGordon Blair
Succeeded byWilliam Tupper
Personal details
Born(1930-08-22)August 22, 1930
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
DiedNovember 13, 1983(1983-11-13) (aged 53)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative
Alma materCarleton University
University of Toronto (Law)
OccupationLawyer

Baker is best known for having been Government House Leader during the short-lived minority government of Joe Clark. He received much of the popular blame for the defeat of the government in a Motion of no confidence on December 13, 1979 with the claim that the government fell because "Walter Baker couldn't count". However, observers pointed out that targeting Baker as the scapegoat was unfair as he was House Leader, not Party Whip. The defeat was the result of the Clark government's decision to alienate the six Social Credit Members of Parliament by refusing to accord them official party status as well as Clark's view that he could "govern as if" he had a majority government.[1]

Baker was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1972 election as the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Grenville—Carleton (later renamed Nepean—Carleton) and was re-elected in the 1974, 1979 and 1980 elections. He served as both Government House Leader and Minister of National Revenue during the Clark government. He served as Opposition House Leader from 1976 to 1979 and again from 1980 to 1981.

In government, Baker introduced the first ever Access to Information Bill which died on the order paper with the Tory government. However, much of Baker's bill became part of the eventual Access to Information Act that was introduced by Liberal Solicitor-General Francis Fox in 1983 and passed by parliament into law. [2]

He was one of the founding partners of the law firm Bell Baker LLP located in Ottawa, Ontario.

Baker died at the age of 53. A week after his death, a recreational center in Barrhaven, Ottawa, Ontario was named after him, the South Nepean Centre became the Walter Baker Sports Centre.

Electoral record

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1980 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Walter Baker 31,498 53.5 -6.0
Liberal Gord Hunter 19,482 33.1 +5.4
New Democratic Alan White 7,187 12.2 -0.5
Rhinoceros Alan Cockerell 658 1.1
Total valid votes 58,825 100.0
1979 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressive Conservative Walter Baker 36,717 59.6
Liberal Bluma Appel 17,108 27.8
New Democratic Marnie Girvan 7,810 12.7
Total valid votes 61,635 100.0

References

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^ There goes another one by Pat MacAdam, Ottawa Sun, May 22, 2005

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Parliament of Canada
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Grenville—Carleton
1972–1979
Succeeded by
The electoral district was abolished in 1976.
Preceded by
The electoral district was created in 1976.
Member of Parliament for Nepean—Carleton
1979–1983
Succeeded by