Barbara McDougall is an advisor at Aird & Berlis, one of Canada’s leading law firms, counseling clients on matters of international business development, corporate governance and government relations.

Barbara was a Member of Canada’s federal Parliament for nine years and held several Cabinet posts, including Finance (Minister of State), Privatization, Employment and Immigration, and External Affairs. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto, a Chartered Financial Analyst and was a Public Governor of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Barbara is widely recognized for her expertise in international relations and is frequently invited by the media to comment on current events. She has represented Canada at the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington, the International Crisis Group in Brussels, and the International Advisory Board for the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. Recently, she completed a five-year term as President of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs.

An Officer of the Order of Canada, Barbara is a Director of several Canadian corporations, including The Bank of Nova Scotia, Stelco Inc. and Unique Solutions Design Ltd., and is Chair of Canadian Retailers Advancing Responsible Trade. In addition, she is also an honourary Governor of York University, a Director of the Canadian Opera Company and the Canadian Opera House Corporation, and the founding Chairperson of the Patron’s Council of the Toronto Association for Community Living.

Barbara has been a member of Foresters^TM Board of Directors since 1998, and serves on the Investment and Inspection & Audit Committees.

Barbara lives in Toronto.