Mrs. McDougall is an advisor at Aird & Berlis, counseling clients on matters of international business development, corporate governance and government relations.

Barbara McDougall was a Member of Parliament for nine years and held several cabinet posts, including: Finance (Minister of State), Privatization, Employment and Immigration, and finally External Affairs. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto, a Chartered Financial Analyst and has an honorary doctorate from St. Lawrence University.

Mrs. McDougall is widely recognized for her expertise in international relations and is frequently invited by the media to comment on current events. Her extensive knowledge and interest in international policy have led her to sit as a Canadian representative to the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington and The International Crisis Group in Brussels. She recently completed a term as the Canadian representative on the International Advisory Board for the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. She is also a director of the Institute for Research on Public Policy in Montreal, the Canadian American Business Council, the North South Institute and International Development Research Centre. Recently she completed a five year term as President of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs.

Barbara McDougall is a director of several Canadian corporations including Bank of Nova Scotia, The Independent Order of Foresters, Imperial Tobacco Canada Limited and Unique Solutions Design Ltd. She was formerly chairperson of AT&T Canada Long Distance Services, Canadian Retailers Advancing Responsible Trade, and served on the boards of National Trust, Systemhouse Inc., Avenor Inc., Sun Media, Corel Corporation and Stelco prior to their takeovers or mergers. She served a term as a public governor of The Toronto Stock Exchange, and frequently participates in educational seminars on corporate governance.

Mrs. McDougall chaired the 2007 Lionel Gelber Prize jury. She is the Federal Representative regarding Six Nations Land Claims, is an honorary governor of York University, a director of the Canadian Opera House Corporation, and the founding Chairperson of the Patron’s Council of the Toronto Association for Community Living. She is also a columnist and television commentator.

Prior to entering politics, Mrs. McDougall worked in various sectors within the financial community, largely as a financial analyst, in Vancouver, Edmonton and Toronto.

Mrs. McDougall is an Officer of the Order of Canada and is an Honorary Patron of the Genesis Research Foundation.