Donald J. Johnston

Donald J. Johnston became Secretary-General of the OECD on 1st June 1996, after a career that included serving as Minister in several senior portfolios during 10 years in the Canadian Parliament as well as many years as a practicing lawyer.

Mr. Johnston was an elected Member of Parliament from 1978 to 1988. He served in the Cabinet as President of the Treasury Board (the equivalent of Minister for management of the federal public service and control of the national budget). He was also, at various times, Minister of State for Economic and Regional Development, Minister of Science and Technology, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. After the defeat of the Liberal government in 1984, Mr. Johnston served in the official opposition of Parliament as critic (or shadow minister) for finance and then for foreign affairs. He chose to leave elected politics after a policy disagreement with his party over his support of the North America Free Trade Agreement.

In 1990, Mr. Johnston became President of the Liberal Party of Canada, and served a second term from 1992. In that capacity he helped secure the Liberal victory in the federal election of 1993. From 1988, Mr. Johnston resumed his legal practice with Heenan Blaikie, which he had co-founded in 1972 and which grew to become one of Canada's most prominent law firms.

Mr. Johnston taught fiscal law at McGill University in Montreal from 1963 to 1976 and has written many articles on taxation, law and public affairs, as well as several books including a best-selling political memoir.
He studied Arts and Law at McGill University, graduating in Law as Gold Medallist in 1958, and then at the University of Grenoble.

Mr. Johnston is married to Heather Bell Maclaren. They have four daughters, Kristina, Allison, Rachel and Sara.