View source for Lloyd Axworthy

{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[The Honourable]]
| name                = Lloyd Axworthy
| honorific-suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|CC|OM|size=100%}}
| image               = Lloyd Axworthy 1980 (cropped).jpg
| alt                 = 
| caption             = Axworthy, {{circa|1980}}
| office              = [[University president|President]] and [[Vice-Chancellor (education)|Vice-Chancellor]] of the [[University of Winnipeg]]
| term_start          = June 6, 2004
| term_end            = June 27, 2014
| chancellor          = [[Sanford Riley]]<br/>Bob Silver
| predecessor         = [[Patrick Deane (professor)|Patrick Deane]] (acting)
| successor           = [[Annette Trimbee]]
| office1             = [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]
| term_start1         = January 25, 1996
| term_end1           = October 16, 2000
| primeminister1      = [[Jean Chrétien]]
| predecessor1        = [[André Ouellet]]
| successor1          = [[John Manley]]
| office3             = [[Minister of Employment and Immigration (Canada)|Minister of Employment and Immigration]]
| term_start3         = November 4, 1993
| term_end3           = January 24, 1996
| primeminister3      = [[Jean Chrétien]]
| predecessor3        = [[Bernard Valcourt]]
| successor3          = [[Doug Young (politician)|Doug Young]]
| term_start4         = March 3, 1980
| term_end4           = August 11, 1983
| primeminister4      = [[Pierre Trudeau]]
| predecessor4        = [[Ron Atkey]]
| successor4          = [[John Roberts (Canadian politician)|John Roberts]]
| office5             = [[Minister of Labour (Canada)|Minister of Labour]]
| term_start5         = November 4, 1993
| term_end5           = February 21, 1995
| primeminister5      = [[Jean Chrétien]]
| predecessor5        = [[Bernard Valcourt]]
| successor5          = [[Lucienne Robillard]]
| office6             = [[Minister of Transport (Canada)|Minister of Transport]]
| term_start6         = August 12, 1983
| term_end6           = September 16, 1984
| primeminister6      = [[Pierre Trudeau]]<br />[[John Turner]]
| predecessor6        = [[Jean-Luc Pépin]]
| successor6          = [[Don Mazankowski]]
| riding7             = [[Winnipeg South Centre]]<br />{{small|([[Winnipeg—Fort Garry]]; 1979–1988)}}
| parliament7         = Canadian
| term_start7         = May 22, 1979
| term_end7           = November 27, 2000
| predecessor7        = ''Riding established''
| successor7          = [[Anita Neville]]
| office9             = Member of the [[Legislative Assembly of Manitoba]] for [[Fort Rouge (electoral district)|Fort Rouge]]
| term_start9         = June 28, 1973
| term_end9           = April 6, 1979
| predecessor9        = [[Inez Trueman]]
| successor9          = [[June Westbury]]
| birth_name          = Lloyd Norman Axworthy
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1939|12|21}}
| birth_place         = [[North Battleford]], [[Saskatchewan]], Canada
| death_date          = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Death-date and age|Month DD, YYYY|Month DD, YYYY}} (death date then birth date) -->
| death_place         = 
| nationality         = 
| party               = [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
| otherparty          = [[New Democratic Party|New Democratic]]
| spouse              = 
| children            = 
| parents             = 
| residence           = 
| alma_mater          = [[University of Winnipeg]] (BA)<br/>[[Princeton University]] (Ph.D.)
| occupation          = Academic, author
| profession          = 
| cabinet             = 
| committees          = 
| portfolio           = 
| signature           = 
| signature_alt       = 
| website             = 
}}

'''Lloyd Norman Axworthy''' (born December 21, 1939) is a Canadian politician, [[wikt:elder statesman|elder statesman]] and academic. He served as [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] in the [[Cabinet of Canada|Cabinet]] chaired by [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]] [[Jean Chrétien]]. Following his retirement from parliament, he served as president and vice-chancellor of the [[University of Winnipeg]] from 2004 to 2014 and as chancellor of [[St. Paul's University College]] (a constituent institution of the [[University of Waterloo]]). He is currently the Chair of the World Refugee & Migration Council.

== Biography ==
Axworthy was born in [[North Battleford]], [[Saskatchewan]], to parents Norman and Gwen Axworthy, in a family with strong [[United Church of Canada|United Church]] roots. He received his BA from [[United College (Winnipeg)|United College]], a Winnipeg-based Bible school, in 1961. He is the older brother of [[Tom Axworthy]] and Robert Axworthy (former Manitoba Liberal Party leadership candidate). He received his Ph.D. in politics from [[Princeton University]] in 1972 after completing a doctoral dissertation titled "The task force on housing and urban development: a study of democratic decision making in Canada."<ref>{{Cite book|last=Axworthy|first=Lloyd|url=https://catalog.princeton.edu/catalog/1423271|title=The task force on housing and urban development : a study of democratic decision making in Canada|date=1972|language=en}}</ref> He returned to Canada to teach at the [[University of Manitoba]] and the [[University of Winnipeg]]. At the latter, he also became the director of the Institute of Urban Affairs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uwinnipeg.ca/foundation/|title=The University of Winnipeg Foundation; The University of Winnipeg|website=www.uwinnipeg.ca}}</ref>

==Early political career==
Axworthy became involved in politics during the 1950s, becoming a member of the [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]] after attending a speech by [[Lester B. Pearson]].  He briefly aligned himself with the [[New Democratic Party]] (NDP) in the 1960s when Pearson, as federal opposition leader, called for American [[Bomarc]] nuclear warheads to be allowed on Canadian soil. He soon returned to the Liberal fold, however, and worked as an executive assistant for [[John Turner]];<ref>{{Cite web |last=Government of Canada |first=Public Services and Procurement Canada |title=Information archivée dans le Web |url=https://publications.gc.ca/site/archivee-archived.html?url=https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2021/isde-ised/rg31/RG31-54-1977-eng.pdf |access-date=June 25, 2024 |website=publications.gc.ca}}</ref> he supported Turner's bid to become party leader at the [[1968 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|1968 leadership convention]].<ref>National Archives of Canada. THOMAS S. AXWORTHY R9029. https://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000000804.pdf</ref>

Axworthy ran for the party in [[Winnipeg North Centre]] in the [[1968 Canadian federal election|1968 election]], finishing second against veteran NDP Member of Parliament (MP) [[Stanley Knowles]]. He first ran for the [[Legislative Assembly of Manitoba]] in the [[1966 Manitoba general election|1966 election]], placing second to [[Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba|Progressive Conservative]] [[Douglas Stanes]] in [[St. James (provincial electoral district)|St. James]]. In the [[1973 Manitoba general election|1973 election]], he was elected as a [[Manitoba Liberal Party|Manitoba Liberal]] in [[Fort Rouge (electoral district)|Fort Rouge]], He was re-elected in the [[1977 Manitoba general election|1977 election]], and was the only Liberal in the legislature from 1977 to 1979.

==Federal government==
He resigned from the Manitoba legislature on April 6, 1979, to run for the federal [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]], and in the [[1979 Canadian federal election|1979 election]] narrowly defeated former provincial PC leader [[Sidney Spivak]] in [[Winnipeg—Fort Garry]]. He was re-elected in the [[1980 Canadian federal election|1980 election]], becoming the only Liberal MP west of [[Ontario]]. He was promoted to cabinet under Prime Minister [[Pierre Trudeau]], serving as [[Minister of Employment and Immigration (Canada)|Minister of Employment and Immigration]], and then as [[Minister of Transport (Canada)|Minister of Transport]].

In the Liberal defeat in the [[1984 Canadian federal election|1984 election]], Axworthy was one of only two Liberals west of Ontario to be elected (the other being then Liberal leader [[John Turner]]). Axworthy played a role in opposition, supporting tough on crime policies, but also supporting fiscal conservatism by critiquing the fiscal taxation policy of [[Brian Mulroney]]. He was an especially vocal critic of the [[Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement]].

When the Liberals returned to power in 1993 under [[Jean Chrétien]], Axworthy became a Cabinet minister. After the election, he was given responsibility for the [[Human Resources Development Canada]] (HRDC), and launched changes in [[Unemployment benefits#Canada|employment insurance]]. Although his main interest was urban renewal, in a 1996 cabinet shuffle, he became [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]].

In February 1999 and April 2000, Axworthy was [[President of the United Nations Security Council]] with Canada's Ambassador to the UN [[Robert Fowler (diplomat)|Robert Fowler]]. In April 2000, Axworthy supported the highly controversial effort to reduce the sanction against Iraq, under the regime of Saddam Hussein, citing a humanitarian explanation "to avoid making ordinary citizens pay for the actions of their leaders". Axworthy clashed with the US government on this issue, particularly over the lack of alternative options to deter the regime from additional aggression.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dgp.toronto.edu/~trendall/j18/starticle.html|title=MPs urge lifting sanctions to halt Iraq 'tragedy': Toronto Star|website=www.dgp.toronto.edu|access-date=October 2, 2016}}</ref> In 2000, he initiated the [[International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty]] that led to the UN policy of [[Responsibility to Protect]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Responsibility to Protect|url=https://www.idrc.ca/sites/default/files/openebooks/960-7/index.html|website=www.idrc.ca|access-date=May 2, 2020}}</ref>
[[File:General Myers greets Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Axworthy.JPEG|thumb|Axworthy (left) as Minister of Foreign Affairs, 1999]]
He retired from politics at the [[2000 Canadian federal election|2000 federal election]],<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Geddes |first=John |title=Maclean's Lifetime Achievement Award - Lloyd Axworthy: A politician who thinks globally, and acts locally |magazine=Maclean's |url=https://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/lloyd-axworthy-a-politician-who-thinks-globally-and-acts-locally/ |date=February 23, 2016 |access-date=March 4, 2021}}</ref> and was succeeded as MP for Winnipeg South Centre by [[Anita Neville]].

==Honours and awards==
In 1997, Axworthy was nominated by United States [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[Patrick Leahy]] to receive the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] for his work on banning land mines.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dpa.org.sg/publication/dpipub/spring97/dpi24.htm |title=Global Ban on Anti-Personnel Mines: efforts deserve Nobel Peace Prize |publisher=Disability International |access-date=July 2, 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050321220421/http://www.dpa.org.sg/publication/dpipub/spring97/dpi24.htm |archive-date=March 21, 2005}}.</ref> He did not win, but was thanked by the recipients, the [[International Campaign to Ban Landmines]], as having been instrumental in their effort.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nobel.no/eng_lect_97b.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050908130227/http://www.nobel.no/eng_lect_97b.html|url-status=dead |title=The Norwegian Nobel Institute<!-- Bot generated title -->|archive-date=September 8, 2005}}</ref> Critics, however, viewed Axworthy's land mine campaign and the involvement of political NGOs as counter-productive, since many key nations, including the US, Russia and China did not join.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Davenport|first=David|date=December 1, 2002|title=The New Diplomacy|url=http://www.hoover.org/research/new-diplomacy|journal=Policy Review}}</ref>

In 1998, he was one of the two winners of the [[North–South Prize]].<ref>{{cite web
 |title=The North South Prize of Lisbon
 |work=North-South Centre
 |publisher=Council of Europe
 |url=http://www.coe.int/t/e/north%2Dsouth_centre/programmes/7_north%2Dsouth_prize/winners_PNS.asp
 |access-date=January 21, 2008
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080215230739/http://www.coe.int/t/e/north-south_centre/programmes/7_north-south_prize/winners_PNS.asp
 |archive-date=February 15, 2008
 |url-status=dead
}}</ref> In 2003, he was made an Officer of the [[Order of Canada]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Order of Canada Lloyd Axworthy |url=http://archive.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=7763 |publisher=Office of the Governor General of Canada |access-date=April 5, 2011}}</ref> and elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the [[American Academy of Arts and Sciences]].<ref name="AAAS">{{cite web|title=Book of Members, 1780–2010: Chapter A|url=http://www.amacad.org/publications/BookofMembers/ChapterA.pdf|publisher=American Academy of Arts and Sciences|access-date=April 28, 2011}}</ref>

On October 15, 2012, Elder, Dr. Tobasonakwut Kinew and, Dr. Phil Fontaine, honoured Axworthy&nbsp;– Waapshki Pinaysee Inini, White Thunderbird Man, at a sacred Pipe Ceremony. Axworthy was recognized for his commitment to creating an inclusive learning experience that reflects Indigenous cultures and traditions at UWinnipeg. The ceremony was led by Anishinaabe Elder Fred Kelly and musician and broadcaster [[Wab Kinew]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Axworthy Honoured At Sacred Pipe Ceremony  |url=https://news.uwinnipeg.ca/691/ |date=October 15, 2012 |access-date=March 4, 2021 |publisher=University of Winnipeg}}</ref>

Axworthy was presented with an honorary doctorate from the [[University of Waterloo Faculty of Environment|Faculty of Environment]] of the [[University of Waterloo]] in October 2014.<ref name=UW>{{cite web|title=Lloyd Axworthy to be installed as first chancellor of St. Paul's today|url=https://uwaterloo.ca/stpauls/news/lloyd-axworthy-be-installed-first-chancellor-st-pauls-today|publisher=St. Paul's University College|access-date=October 24, 2014|date=October 24, 2014}}</ref>

On December 30, 2015, Axworthy was promoted to [[Companion of the Order of Canada]], the highest grade of the honour.<ref>{{cite web|title=Order of Canada Appointments|url=http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=16283&lan=eng|website=The Governor General of Canada His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston|publisher=[[Governor General of Canada]]|access-date=December 31, 2015}}</ref>

==After politics==

In September 2000, Axworthy returned to academia, joining the [[Liu Institute for Global Issues]] at the [[University of British Columbia]]. He has published ''Navigating A New World'', a book on the uses of "[[soft power]]".

In May 2004, he was appointed as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Winnipeg. He retired in June 2014.

Axworthy is Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Americas Division of [[Human Rights Watch]], a highly controversial position resulting from this organisation's record of political bias, fundraising in Saudi Arabia, and lack of credibility.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/opinion/20bernstein.html|title=Opinion: Rights Watchdog, Lost in the Mideast|first=Robert L.|last=Bernstein|date=October 20, 2009|newspaper=New York Times}}</ref> He also serves on the advisory council of [[USC Center on Public Diplomacy]] and of [[Fair Vote Canada]], and is an endorser of the [[Genocide Intervention Network]] and [[International Student Exchange, Ontario]].

In 2006, Axworthy was elected to the Board of Directors of [[Hudbay]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hudbayminerals.com/news-media/default.aspx|title=Hudbay Minerals Inc. - News/Media|website=hudbayminerals.com}}</ref>

He currently serves as the President of the [[World Federalist Movement/Institute for Global Policy|World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wfm-igp.org/content/president |title=President {{!}} WFM-IGP |website=www.wfm-igp.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629012311/http://www.wfm-igp.org/content/president |archive-date=June 29, 2014}}</ref>

Axworthy was installed as Chancellor of [[St. Paul's University College]], a constituent institution of the [[University of Waterloo]], in October 2014.<ref name=UW /> He retired from that position in 2017.

Axworthy is the first Chair of the World Refugee & Migration Council, formed in 2017 by the [[Centre for International Governance Innovation]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wrmcouncil.org/about|title=About the World Refugee & Migration Council|website=World Refugee & Migration Council|language=en|access-date=April 8, 2021}}</ref>

In 2025, he criticized Liberal prime minister [[Mark Carney]]'s handling of the [[Tariffs in the second Trump administration|Trump tariffs]], saying he is bending to [[Donald Trump]]'s will by removing the digital services tax.<ref>{{cite web | title=Lloyd Axworthy accuses Carney of taking 'bootlicking' approach to Trump | date=July 3, 2025 | url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/lloyd-axworthy-accuses-carney-of-taking-bootlicking-approach-to-trump/ }}</ref>

==Publications==
* ''Navigating a New World'', Knopf Canada Publishing, 2004
* ''Liberals at the Border'', University of Toronto Press, 2004
* ''The Axworthy Legacy'', Edited by O. Hampson, N. Hillmer, M. Appel Molot, Oxford University Press, 2001
* ''Boulevard of Broken Dreams: A 40 Year Journey through Portage Avenue - Displacement, Dislocation, and How Osmosis Can Resolve Community Blight', Rattray Canada Publishing, 2014 (In Press)

== Electoral history ==
{{1997 Canadian federal election/Winnipeg South Centre}}
{{1993 Canadian federal election/Winnipeg South Centre}}
{{1988 Canadian federal election/Winnipeg South Centre}}
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==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130501004937/http://www.sandiego.edu/peacestudies/institutes/ipj/programs/distinguished_lecture_series/biographies/lloyd_axworthy.php Lecture transcript and video of Axworthy's speech at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice at the University of San Diego, February 2005 ]
*{{Canadian Parliament links|ID=9704}}
*[http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=7763&t=12&ln=Axworthy Order of Canada Citation]

{{s-start}}
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| post4years    = 1996–2000
| post4note     =
| post4preceded = [[André Ouellet]]
| post4followed = [[John Manley]]

| post3         = [[Minister of Western Economic Diversification (Canada)|Minister of Western Economic Diversification]]
| post3years    = 1993–1996
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| post3preceded = [[Larry Schneider (politician)|Larry Schneider]]
| post3followed = [[John Manley]]

| post2         = [[Minister of Employment and Immigration (Canada)|Minister of Employment and Immigration]]
| post2note     = styled as<br />[[Minister of Human Resources Development (Canada)|Minister of Human Resources Development]]
| post2years    = 1993–1996
| post2preceded = [[Bernard Valcourt]]
| post2followed = [[Doug Young (politician)|Doug Young]]

| post1         = [[Minister of Labour (Canada)|Minister of Labour]]
| post1note     = styled as<br />[[Minister of Human Resources Development (Canada)|Minister of Human Resources Development]]
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| post1preceded = [[Bernard Valcourt]]
| post1followed = [[Lucienne Robillard]]
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{{Canadian federal ministry navigational box header |ministry=23}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post1         = [[Minister of Transport (Canada)|Minister of Transport]]
| post1years    = 1984
| post1note     =
| post1preceded = ''cont'd from 22nd Min.''
| post1followed = [[Don Mazankowski]]
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{{Canadian federal ministry navigational box header |ministry=22}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post2         = [[Minister of Transport (Canada)|Minister of Transport]]
| post2years    = 1983–1984
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| post2preceded = [[Jean-Luc Pépin]]
| post2followed = ''cont'd into 23rd Min.''

| post1         = [[Minister of Employment and Immigration (Canada)|Minister of Employment and Immigration]]
| post1years    = 1980–1983
| post1note     =
| post1preceded = [[Ron Atkey]]
| post1followed = [[John Roberts (Canadian politician)|John Roberts]]
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| post1preceded = [[David MacDonald (Canadian politician)|David MacDonald]]
| post1         = [[Minister responsible for the Status of Women (Canada)|Minister responsible for the Status of Women]]
| post1years    = 1980–1981
| post1note     =
| post1followed = [[Judy Erola]]
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{{succession box|title=[[Legislative Assembly of Manitoba|Member of the Legislative Assembly]] for [[Fort Rouge (electoral district)|Fort Rouge]]
| before = [[Inez Trueman]]
| after  = [[June Westbury]]
| years  = 1973–1979}}
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{{succession box|title=[[House of Commons of Canada|Member of Parliament]] for [[Winnipeg—Fort Garry]]
| before = [[Sidney Spivak]]
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{{succession box|title=[[House of Commons of Canada|Member of Parliament]] for [[Winnipeg South Centre]]
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{{s-ttl|title=[[Chancellor (education)|Chancellor]] of [[St. Paul's University College]]|years=October 24, 2014}}
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{{CA-Ministers of Foreign Affairs}}
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{{CA-Ministers of Western Economic Diversification}}
{{CA-Ministers of Labour}}
{{CA-Ministers of Employment and Immigration}}

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[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:Ministers of transport of Canada]]
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[[Category:Princeton University alumni]]
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[[Category:20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada]]
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