The Honourable Beverley J. Oda

The Honourable Beverley J. Oda was appointed the Minister of International Cooperation on August 14, 2007. The Member of Parliament for Durham (Ontario), she is responsible for Canada’s overseas development assistance through CIDA.

Ms. Oda was first elected to Parliament in 2004, and was re-elected in 2006. On February 6, 2006, she was appointed Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women. Previous to this, she served in Opposition as the Critic for Canadian Heritage and as a member of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.

Prior to her election, Ms. Oda spent more than two decades in the fields of public and private broadcasting. In 1999, Ms. Oda was appointed senior Vice-President, Industry Affairs, at CTV. From 1987 to 1993, she served as a commissioner with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

Ms. Oda began her broadcasting career at TV Ontario in 1973. In 1976, she moved to the field of commercial broadcasting. She has also worked as a consultant in the areas of multiculturalism, diversity and broadcasting.

Ms. Oda was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, in 1944. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Arts. She served as chair of the Lakeridge Health Hospital Network and is a recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal.