View source for Frank McKenna

{{short description|Premier of New Brunswick from 1987 to 1997}}
{{other people}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{BLP sources|date = December 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[The Honourable]]
| name                = Frank McKenna
| image               = Frank McKenna 2018.jpg
| caption             = McKenna in 2018
| birth_name          = Francis Joseph McKenna
| honorific-suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|OC|ONB|KC|size=100%}}
| nationality         = 
| ambassador_from     = Canadian
| country             = the United States
| monarch             = [[Elizabeth II]]
| predecessor         = [[Michael Kergin]]
| successor           = [[Michael Wilson (Canadian politician)|Michael Wilson]]
| term_start          = March 8, 2005
| term_end            = March 13, 2006
| order2              = 27th [[Premier of New Brunswick]]
| term_start2         = October 27, 1987
| term_end2           = October 14, 1997
| monarch2            = [[Elizabeth II]]
| lieutenant_governor2 = [[Gilbert Finn]]<br />[[Margaret McCain]]<br />[[Marilyn Trenholme Counsell|Marilyn T. Counsell]]
| predecessor2        = [[Richard Hatfield]]
| successor2          = [[Ray Frenette]]
| office3             = [[Leader of the Opposition (New Brunswick)|New Brunswick Leader of the Opposition]]
| term_start3         = May 4, 1985
| term_end3           = October 27, 1987
| predecessor3        = [[Shirley Dysart]]
| successor3          = [[Camille Thériault]]
| office4             = Leader of the [[New Brunswick Liberal Association]]
| term_start4         = May 4, 1985
| term_end4           = October 13, 1997
| predecessor4        = [[Shirley Dysart]]
| successor4          = {{plainlist|
* [[Ray Frenette]] (interim)
* [[Camille Thériault]]}}
| office5             = [[Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick|MLA]] for [[Chatham (electoral district)|Chatham]]
| term_start5         = October 12, 1982
| term_end5           = September 11, 1995
| predecessor5        = [[Frank E. Kane]]
| successor5          = ''District abolished''
| office6             = [[Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick|MLA]] for [[Miramichi-Bay du Vin]]
| term_start6         = September 11, 1995
| term_end6           = October 13, 1997
| predecessor6        = ''District created''
| successor6          = [[James Doyle (New Brunswick politician)|James Doyle]]
| party               = [[New Brunswick Liberal Association|Liberal]]
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|df=y|1948|01|19}}
| birth_place         = [[Apohaqui, New Brunswick]], Canada
| spouse              = Julie Friel (1972-present); 3 children
| alma_mater          = [[St. Francis Xavier University]]<br />[[University of New Brunswick]]
}}
'''Francis Joseph McKenna''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|OC|ONB|KC}} (born January 19, 1948) is a Canadian businessman and former politician and diplomat.  He is currently Chair of [[Brookfield Corporation]] and Deputy Chairman of the [[Toronto-Dominion Bank]]. He served as [[List of Canadian ambassadors to the United States|Canadian Ambassador to the United States]] from 2005 to 2006.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060125/mckenna_quits_060125/20060125?hub=Canada |title=CTV.ca &#124; Frank McKenna resigns as ambassador to U.S. |access-date=2006-01-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427064756/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060125/mckenna_quits_060125/20060125?hub=Canada |archive-date=2006-04-27 }}</ref> He served as the 27th [[premier of New Brunswick]] from 1987 to 1997, winning every seat in the province in [[1987 New Brunswick general election|his first election]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Calgary Sun|website=Calgary Sun}}</ref>

==Early life==
Frank McKenna was born on January 19, 1948, in [[Apohaqui, New Brunswick]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Monchuk |first1=Judy |title=N.B. Political Party Leaders - Liberal: Frank McKenna |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-gleaner/154451189/ |access-date=September 1, 2024 |work=[[The Daily Gleaner]] |agency=[[The Canadian Press]] |date=August 15, 1995 |page=5}}</ref> one of eight children of Olive and Joseph McKenna. McKenna was raised in his grandparents' home. They lived adjacent to his parents as his large family could not be wholly housed in his parents' home.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

Raised Catholic, after completing Sussex High School (in [[Sussex, New Brunswick]]), he completed a [[bachelor's degree]] in Political Science and Economics at [[St. Francis Xavier University]] in [[Antigonish, Nova Scotia]]. He began [[Master's degree|graduate studies]] at [[Queen's University at Kingston|Queen's University]] in [[Kingston, Ontario|Kingston]], [[Ontario]], but after working for a stint with [[Allan MacEachen]], he took MacEachen's advice that most politicians are lawyers and enrolled in law school at the [[University of New Brunswick]] (Fredericton).{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

After earning a law degree, he moved to [[Chatham, New Brunswick|Chatham]] and began practicing law. He garnered a place in contemporary [[Acadians|Acadian]] folklore as the defence lawyer in the high-profile widely publicized murder case of famous New Brunswick boxing champion, [[Yvon Durelle]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.gnb.ca/legis/publications/tradition/premiers/mckennaf-f.asp|title=Assemblée législative du Nouveau-Brunswick - Premiers ministres depuis la confédération|website=www.gnb.ca}}</ref>

==New Brunswick politics==
{{BLP sources section|date=November 2021}}
A few years later, he entered provincial politics and won a seat in the [[Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick]] in the [[1982 New Brunswick general election|1982 election]] to represent [[Chatham (electoral district)|Chatham]], New Brunswick. He became leader of the provincial [[New Brunswick Liberal Association|Liberals]] in 1985, and won one of the largest electoral victories in [[History of Canada|Canadian history]] in the [[1987 New Brunswick general election|1987 election]] when his party won every seat in the [[New Brunswick Legislative Assembly|legislature]].

McKenna's term in office was viewed mostly as a success. His key priority throughout his term was job creation and he was known to say that the "best [[Welfare state|social program]] we have is a job." He encouraged small business growth and tried to entice large companies to invest in the province with tax incentives, often directly calling individual professionals to urge them to bring their talents to New Brunswick. Another of his strategies was to raise the collective [[Self-esteem|self-confidence]] of New Brunswickers, which he believed would increase productivity. He introduced a sophisticated [[public relations]] operation which included the use of controversial [[video news release]]s.

McKenna's time as premier, however, also saw some controversy. In his first move as premier, McKenna dismissed several senior public servants in an effort to gain greater control over the province's public service, which some observers perceived as a drastic step away from the integrity of the province's impartial and professional public service.<ref>Cooper, Christopher. A. (2018). Bureaucratic Identity and the Resistance of Politicization. Administration & Society, 50(1), 30–52. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095399715581046</ref>

McKenna was also criticized for increasing the number of communications personnel on the government payroll but countered this complaint by pointing out that the primary government communications agency, Communications New Brunswick, had been depoliticized.

He was also criticized for creating a [[toll free]] telephone number to the [[Premier of New Brunswick|premier's office]] which had the number 1-800-MCKENNA, the number was functional throughout [[North America]] and was used for both New Brunswick constituents and business interests that were considering moving to the province.

Believing ten years was long enough for a premier to hold office, and having pledged to serve such a term when first elected, McKenna resigned in 1997 – 10 years to the day of the [[1987 New Brunswick general election|1987 election]].<ref name="auto"/>

==Business career==
After leaving office, McKenna moved to [[Cap-Pélé, New Brunswick]], near [[Moncton]], and returned to the practice of law and sat on numerous corporate boards. He also purchased (with his son, James McKenna), Glenwood Kitchen Ltd., a manufacturer of high-end custom cabinetry in [[Shediac, New Brunswick]]. His membership on the Canadian advisory board of the [[Carlyle Group]] drew adverse media attention; the media ceased pursuing the issue when McKenna explained that the board was established to advise on a Canadian investment fund that the group never created and that the board had never become active.

Following the announcement of his appointment as Canadian ambassador to Washington, he resigned his position as counsel at law firms including [[McInnes Cooper]] and [[Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt]], as well as all positions on corporate boards including his role as interim [[chairman of the board]] of [[CanWest Global Communications]], a post he assumed upon the death of its founder and chairman [[Israel Asper]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsb.com/speakers/frank-mckenna/|title=Frank McKenna &#124; Economics & Politics Speaker &#124; Deputy Chair - TD Bank Financial Group|website=National Speakers Bureau}}</ref>

==Ambassador==
[[File:Frank McKenna2.jpg|thumb|McKenna in 2005]]
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=November 2021}}
McKenna was mentioned as a possible [[List of Canadian ambassadors to the United States|Ambassador to the US]] to succeed [[Michael Kergin]] after [[Paul Martin]] took power. Speculation increased after [[John Manley]] turned down Prime Minister Martin's offer. Many in the press commented on McKenna's business connections being an asset, notably as a member of the [[Carlyle Group]] and his friendship with former president [[George H. W. Bush]].

On January 5, 2005, Prime Minister Paul Martin's office confirmed that McKenna would be the 21st Ambassador to the United States. On January 14, the posting was formally announced and would be effective on March 1. McKenna became the Ambassador on March 8 when [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[George W. Bush]] accepted his credentials.

On February 22, 2005, McKenna told reporters Canada was already a part of the U.S. [[National Missile Defense]] (NMD) (or Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD)) program through an amendment to the [[NORAD]] agreement made on August 5, 2004, which granted U.S. access to NORAD's missile warning systems explicitly for use in NMD. However, Martin contradicted this two days later when he announced that Canada would not formally participate in the NMD program but focus on other items of shared defence/security interest. While [[Minister of National Defence (Canada)|Canadian defence minister]] [[Bill Graham (Canadian politician)|Bill Graham]] said McKenna was simply misunderstood (as the NORAD agreement and missile defence are separate), this initial contradiction was interpreted by others as evidence of characteristic indecision by the Martin government and was seen to somewhat hamper McKenna's credibility.

As Ambassador, McKenna attracted more media attention than most of his recent predecessors on both sides of the border. In the U.S., his message was one of dispelling common [[urban legends]] and misconceptions about Canada, while in Canada he urged Canadians to be more understanding of the American people and culture, particularly following what he argued is their understandable sensitivity after the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]].

McKenna generated controversy after giving a luncheon speech on September 29, 2005, to a [[Toronto]] business club. McKenna blasted the U.S. bureaucracy and [[United States Congress|Congressional system]] of government saying, "the government of the United States is in large measure dysfunctional." He contrasted it with Canada's government, and praised Canada's strong parliamentary [[party discipline]] as being much more "efficient" though sometimes less preferable.

On January 25, 2006, McKenna offered his resignation as Ambassador, writing to Prime Minister-designate [[Stephen Harper]] that he wished to be relieved of his duties, but offering to stay on until his successor was chosen. He was succeeded as ambassador by [[Michael Wilson (Canadian politician)|Michael Wilson]] on March 13, 2006.

==Prospective career in federal politics==
Since leaving politics in 1997, McKenna served for a brief time on the [[Security Intelligence Review Committee]]. He has been touted several times as a potential [[Atlantic Canada|Atlantic Canadian]] minister in the cabinets of [[Jean Chrétien]] and [[Paul Martin]]. He expressed some interest in running in the [[2004 Canadian federal election|2004 federal election]] but announced he would not do so because of the lack of an available [[electoral district (Canada)|riding]] in the [[Moncton|Moncton, New Brunswick]], area. He did not want to push aside any incumbent Liberal member of Parliament.

After resigning the premiership of New Brunswick, McKenna was identified as a potential future leader of the [[Liberal Party of Canada]], and [[Prime Minister of Canada]]. A poll released on August 23, 2005, commissioned by the ''[[Toronto Star]]'', showed that McKenna was the top choice of the public to succeed Prime Minister Paul Martin. Among the general public, McKenna beat former [[Ontario New Democratic Party|New Democratic Party]] [[Premier of Ontario|Ontario Premier]] [[Bob Rae]] by a margin of 23 to 11 while among self-identified Liberals, McKenna beat former [[Deputy Prime Minister of Canada]] [[John Manley]] by a margin of 28 to 13.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sesresearch.com/library/polls/POLNAT-SU05-T145.pdf|date=2005-08-23|title=McKenna Tops List to Succeed Martin|publisher=SES Canada Research}}</ref> The October 2005 issue of ''[[Saturday Night (magazine)|Saturday Night]]'' magazine had pollster [[Darrell Bricker]] and Liberal strategist [[Warren Kinsella]] create [[odds]] for potential Liberal leadership candidates. They made McKenna the favourite with 7 to 2 odds beating [[Scott Brison]] (8 to 1), [[Martin Cauchon]] (10 to 1), [[Michael Ignatieff]] and [[John Manley]] (each 15 to 1) among others.

On January 30, 2006, McKenna confirmed earlier reports that he was not running for the [[2006 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|Liberal leadership]] to replace Paul Martin, who announced his resignation as party leader on the January 23, 2006 election night. McKenna acknowledged the strength of the Liberal brand stating: "You've got pretty good odds of being the prime minister if you're the leader of the Liberal party" &ndash; every leader of the Liberal party since Sir [[Wilfrid Laurier]] in 1896 had become prime minister.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://geo.international.gc.ca/can-am/washington/ambassador/060130transcript-en.asp|date=2006-01-30|title=Canada's Ambassador to the U.S., Frank McKenna, Gives a News Conference via Telephone Conference from the Canadian Embassy (transcript)|publisher=Government of Canada, Washington Embassy|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420111837/http://geo.international.gc.ca/can-am/Washington/ambassador/060130transcript-en.asp|archive-date=2008-04-20}}</ref>  However, he put an end to his involvement in the 2006 Liberal Party leadership race, explaining his decision by saying that he did not want "his life to become consumed by politics."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/mckenna-won-t-run-for-liberal-leadership-1.579556 |title=McKenna won't run for Liberal leadership |date=January 30, 2006 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]|access-date=2014-04-21}}</ref> and that: "I reminded myself of my vow upon leaving office that, having escaped the trap, I wouldn’t go back for the cheese."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1138619289955|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929151135/http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar%2FLayout%2FArticle_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1138619289955|work=[[Toronto Star]]|archive-date=2007-09-29|title=unknown|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Following [[Stéphane Dion]]'s resignation as federal Liberal leader after the [[2008 Canadian federal election|2008 election]], McKenna was once again touted as a possibility to take the helm of the federal Liberal Party. However, on October 28, 2008, McKenna said that he would not be seeking the leadership, saying "Although I have been deeply moved by expressions of support for me from across the country, I have not been persuaded to change my long-standing resolve to exit public life for good," and "My only regret is that I cannot honour the expectations of friends and supporters who have shown enormous loyalty to me."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/mckenna-rules-out-liberal-leadership-bid-1.727831 | work=CBC News | title=McKenna rules out Liberal leadership bid | date=October 28, 2008 | access-date=2014-04-21}}</ref>

==Banking==
McKenna was appointed as Deputy Chair, [[Toronto-Dominion Bank|TD Bank Financial Group]] effective May 1, 2006.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.td.com/bios/mckenna.jsp|title=TD Bank Financial Group - Corporate Information - Executive Profiles|access-date=2008-09-14}}</ref> Effective August 2006, McKenna was appointed to the board of Brookfield Corporation (known as Brookfield Asset Management until the spinoff of the operations of the current [[Brookfield Asset Management]] in 2022), and he has been the Chair of Brookfield Corporation since August 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Board of Directors |url=https://bn.brookfield.com/corporate-governance/board-directors |access-date=2022-12-24 |website=Brookfield Corporation |language=en}}</ref>

McKenna is referenced in the book ''Clinton Cash'' by Peter Schweizer. The majority of the reference is regarding the [[Keystone Pipeline]] decision-making process. Hillary Clinton serving as secretary of State in the United States, and the monetary involvement with TD Bank in Canada is described in depth. The book describes TD Bank, with McKenna as vice chairman, as having "paid Bill more than any other financial institution for Lectures. More than [[Goldman Sachs]], UBS, JPMorgan, or anyone on Wall Street." Quoting from the book, {{blockquote|TD Bank paid Bill $1.8 million for ten speeches over a roughly two-and-half-year period from late 2008 to mid-2011. ... At several of the speeches, (Bill) Clinton was introduced or interviewed by TD Bank vice chairman Frank McKenna. Frank McKenna is described as a 'good friend of both [[Bill Clinton|Bill]] and [[Hillary Clinton]].' <ref>Schweizer, Peter. ''Clinton Cash'', pg. 108.</ref>}}

== Distinctions ==
*[[Queen's Privy Council for Canada]] (1999)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.canada.ca/fr/conseil-prive/services/reine.html|title=Conseil privé de la Reine pour le Canada|first=Bureau du Conseil|last=privé|date=December 11, 2017|website=www.canada.ca}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Philip Lee, ''Frank: The Life and Politics of Frank McKenna'', Goose Lane, 2001.

==External links==
*[http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/can-am/washington/ambassador/060124-en.asp McKenna's letter of resignation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060905211105/http://dfait-maeci.gc.ca/can-am/washington/ambassador/060124-en.asp |date=2006-09-05 }}, dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ca
* [https://www.td.com/about-tdbfg/corporate-information/executive-profiles/mckenna.jsp Frank McKenna Biography], TD.com
*[https://www.gnb.ca/legis/publications/tradition/premiers/mckennaf-f.asp Frank McKenna Biography — Legislative assembly of  New - Brunswick], gnb.ca
*[https://nbliberal.ca Liberal Party of New Brunswick website], nbliberal.ca

{{NBPremiers}}
{{CA-Ambassadors to the United States}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McKenna, Frank}}
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of Canada to the United States]]
[[Category:Canadian bankers]]
[[Category:Canadian corporate directors]]
[[Category:Canadian monarchists]]
[[Category:Canadian King's Counsel]]
[[Category:The Carlyle Group people]]
[[Category:Directors of Toronto-Dominion Bank]]
[[Category:Lawyers in New Brunswick]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of New Brunswick]]
[[Category:Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada]]
[[Category:New Brunswick Liberal Association MLAs]]
[[Category:New Brunswick Liberal Association leaders]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of Canada]]
[[Category:People from Kings County, New Brunswick]]
[[Category:People from Miramichi, New Brunswick]]
[[Category:Premiers of New Brunswick]]
[[Category:St. Francis Xavier University alumni]]
[[Category:University of New Brunswick alumni]]
[[Category:University of New Brunswick Faculty of Law alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick]]