Senator Catherine Callbeck - Provincial Patron

Catherine Callbeck received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Mt. Allison University and a Bachelor of Education degree from Dalhousie University in 1960 and 1963 respectively. She also completed post-graduate courses in business administration at Syracuse University.

After a period of teaching business in New Brunswick & Ontario, Ms. Callbeck returned to Prince Edward Island where she became involved with the family business, Callbeck’s Limited of Central Bedeque.

She was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island in 1974 and until 1978 she served as Minister of Health & Social Services, Minister Responsible for the Disabled and Minister Responsible for Native Affairs. In 1978, she left provincial politics and returned to the family business.

Ms. Callbeck was elected as the Member of Parliament for Malpeque in 1988. During her time in the House of Commons she served as the official opposition critic for Consumer and Corporate Affairs; Energy, Mines & Resources; Financial Institutions as well as Associate Critic for Privatization and Regulatory Affairs. She was also vice-chair for the Caucus Committee on Sustainable Development.

She was elected Leader of the Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island on January 23, 1993 and was sworn in as Premier and President of the Executive Council on January 25, 1993. In October 1996 she retired from provincial political life and returned to the family business.

On September 23, 1997, Ms. Callbeck was called to the Senate of Canada. She has served as a Member of the Senate Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration; Agriculture and Forestry; Banking, Trade and Commerce; and Transport and Communications. She is presently a Member of the National Finance Committee and the Social Affairs, Science and Technology Committee, as well as the Population Health Subcommittee. In November 2002, she was appointed by the Prime Minister as Vice-chair of the Task Force on Women Entrepreneurs. On June 28, 2005, Ms. Callbeck was elected as Vice-chair of the National Liberal Caucus, a position she held until October 2007.