Rob Nicholson
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| Born | April 29th, 1953 Niagara Falls, Ontario<tr><th>Residence</th><td>Niagara Falls</td></tr><tr><th>Political party</th> <td> Conservative </td></tr><tr><th>Profession(s)</th><td>Lawyer</td></tr><tr><th>Religion</th><td>Roman Catholic</td></tr><tr><th>Spouse</th><td>Arlene Nicholson</td></tr><tr><th style="border-bottom:none; text-align:center;" colspan="2">In office</th></tr><tr><td style="border-top:none; text-align: center;" colspan="2">1984 Fed. Election – 1993 Fed. Election</td></tr><tr><th>Preceded by</th><td>Al MacBain</td></tr><tr><th>Succeeded by</th><td>Gary Pillitteri</td></tr><tr><th>Portfolio(s)</th><td>Minister of Science, Minister Responsible for Small Business</td></tr> |
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- For the musician, better known as Blasko, see Rob Nicholson (musician).
Robert Douglas (Rob) Nicholson, PC, QC, BA, LL.B, MP (born April 29, 1952 in Niagara Falls, Ontario) is a Canadian politician. He is the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister responsible for Democratic Reform. He is a current member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Niagara Falls for the Conservative Party.
Nicholson has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen's University and a law degree from the University of Windsor. He practiced law before entering politics, and is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada.
He was first elected to parliament in the federal election of 1984 as a Progressive Conservative, easily defeating New Democrat Richard Harrington and incumbent Liberal Al MacBain. He was re-elected by a narrower margin in the 1988 election, defeating Liberal Gary Pillitteri by fewer than 2,000 votes.
Nicholson served as parliamentary secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons from 1989 to 1990, and as parliamentary secretary to the Attorney General from 1989 to 1993. On June 25, 1993, he was appointed Minister for Science and Minister responsible for Small Business in the short-lived government of Kim Campbell.
He was defeated in the 1993 election, finishing third against Pillitteri and Reformer Mel Grunstein. He ran again in the 1997 election, but again finished third.
Nicholson was elected as a trustee for the Niagara Catholic District School Board in 1994. He was elected to the Niagara Regional Council later in 1997, and was re-elected in 2000 and 2003. He ran for Chairman of the Regional Municipality of Niagara in late 2003, but lost to St. Catharines Regional Councillor Peter Partington.
The Progressive Conservatives merged with the Canadian Alliance as the Conservative Party of Canada in early 2004, and Nicholson joined the new party. He was narrowly returned to parliament in the 2004 election, defeating Liberal Victor Pietrangelo by fewer than 1,000 votes.
Nicholson served as Shadow Transportation Critic from July 2004 to January 2005. He was appointed Chief Opposition Whip on January 28, 2005. He had the unique distinction of being the only member of the Conservative Party Caucus during the 38th Parliament who previously served as a cabinet minister at the federal level, and together with Garth Turner and David Emerson still remains as one of only three Conservative MPs during the 39th Parliament who have previously done so. He was re-elected in the 2006 election.
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| 28th Ministry - Government of Stephen Harper | ||
| Cabinet Post | ||
|---|---|---|
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| Minister of State (2006–) styled as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons | ||
| Special Cabinet Responsibilities | ||
| Predecessor | Title | Successor |
| Mauril Bélanger | Minister responsible for Democratic Reform (2006–) | incumbent |
| Special Parliamentary Responsibilities | ||
| Predecessor | Title | Successor |
| Tony Valeri | Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (2006–) | incumbent |
| 25th Ministry - Government of Kim Campbell | ||
| Cabinet Post | ||
|---|---|---|
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| Minister of Science (1993) {{{post1note}}} | ||
| Special Cabinet Responsibilities | ||
| Predecessor | Title | Successor |
| Minister responsible for Small Business (1993) | ||
| Preceded by: Al MacBain, Liberal | Member of Parliament for Niagara Falls 1984–1993 | Succeeded by: Gary Pillitteri, Liberal |
| Preceded by: Gary Pillitteri, Liberal | Member of Parliament for Niagara Falls 2004–present | Succeeded by: incumbent |
| Members of the current Canadian Cabinet | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | |
|---|---|---|
| Ambrose | Baird | Bernier | Blackburn | Cannon | Clement | Day | Emerson | Finley | Flaherty | Fortier | Harper | Hearn | LeBreton | Lunn | MacKay | Nicholson | O'Connor | Oda | Prentice | Skelton | Solberg | Strahl | Thompson | Toews | Van Loan | Verner | ||
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Categories: Members of the 28th Ministry in Canada | Members of the 25th Ministry in Canada | 1952 births | Current Members of the Canadian House of Commons | Members of the Canadian House of Commons from Ontario | Canadian Roman Catholics | Conservative Party of Canada MPs | Canadian lawyers | Members of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada | Queen's University alumni | Living people
