Turner, John Napier

Turner, John Napier (1929- ), Canadian political leader. Born in England, he was brought to Canada by his mother in 1931. He was educated at the universities of British Columbia, and Oxford, where he was a Rhodes scholar, and in Paris.

Elected to the Canadian parliament in 1962, Turner became a protégé of Liberal party leader Lester Bowles Pearson. He served in the Cabinet of Pierre Elliott Trudeau as justice minister and Attorney-General (1968-1972) and as minister of finance (1972-1975), but resigned over a disagreement about economic policy. Thereafter, he was a corporate lawyer. After Trudeau announced his impending resignation in February 1984, Turner campaigned vigorously for the party leadership. Successful, he served as Canada's 17th prime minister from June 30 until September 17. He stepped down as leader of the Liberal party in 1990.