Tom McMillan

Here is a detailed profile of Tom McMillan (Thomas Michael McMillan), the Canadian politician:

Tom McMillan – Life, Career, and Legacy

Thomas Michael “Tom” McMillan, PC (born October 15, 1945) is a Canadian political scientist and former politician who served as a Member of Parliament and as Canada’s Minister of the Environment.

Early Life & Education

• McMillan was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

• He studied at St. Dunstan’s University (now part of the University of Prince Edward Island) and later earned a Master’s in political studies from Queen’s University.

• Before entering electoral politics, he worked in roles such as policy secretary to Robert Stanfield (Leader of the Opposition), as an executive officer in the Ontario Human Rights Commission, and as a senior research associate with the Commission on Canadian Studies.

Political Career

Member of Parliament

• McMillan was first elected to the House of Commons in the 1979 federal election, representing the Hillsborough riding in Prince Edward Island as a Progressive Conservative.

• He was re-elected in the 1980 and 1984 elections.

• Between 1983 and 1984, he served as Deputy House Leader under then Leader of the Opposition, Brian Mulroney.

Cabinet & Minister of the Environment

• After the Progressive Conservatives’ victory in 1984, McMillan was appointed to Cabinet, initially as Minister of State for Tourism.

• In 1985, he became Minister of the Environment, replacing Suzanne Blais-Grenier.

• As Environment Minister, McMillan led several significant initiatives and legislative changes:
  • Spearheading the passage of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). • Overhauling the National Parks Act to modernize protection. • Launching programs to combat acid rain, tightening vehicle emissions standards (such as reducing nitrogen oxide emissions), and banning leaded gasoline. • Playing a central role in the Montreal Protocol negotiations on ozone-depleting substances. • Hosting the 1988 World Climate Change Conference in Toronto.

Defeat and Later Career

• In the 1988 election, McMillan lost his seat, in part due to opposition in his riding to the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement.

• In 1989, he was appointed Consul General of Canada in Boston.

• McMillan made attempts to return to elected office:
  • In 1993, he ran again in his old riding but was unsuccessful. • In 1997, he ran in the riding of Peterborough, Ontario, but came in third.

Publications & Later Contributions

• McMillan is author of Not My Party: The Rise and Fall of Canadian Tories from Robert Stanfield to Stephen Harper (2016), a partly memoir, partly political analysis.

• He also was active in heritage preservation in his home province, for instance leading public efforts to preserve historical structures in Charlottetown (e.g. the pre-Confederation brick powder magazine in Brighton Compound).

Legacy & Recognition

• McMillan is often credited with significant advances in Canadian environmental policy during the 1980s.

• His environmental leadership was recognized by multiple honors:
  • Outdoor Canada magazine named him among those who “did the most to protect Canada’s natural environment” in the decade. • The U.S. Sierra Club awarded him the Edgar Wayburn Award in 1988. • He received the Governor General’s Conservation Award in 1988 and the Governor General’s Canada Medal (1992) for distinguished service. • He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Bridgewater State University in 1993 for contributions to Canada-U.S. cooperation.