Quick Facts
Biography
Bryon J. Wilfert, PC (born July 14, 1952) is a former Canadian politician. He was Liberal member of the House of Commons of Canada from 1997 to 2011 who represented the GTA riding of Richmond Hill. He was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment until the defeat of the Martin government in the 2006 federal election.
Background
Wilfert has Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Toronto, as well as a degree in Public Administration from St. Lawrence College in Kingston. In addition, he is an Accredited Municipal Clerk. He taught History and Political Science at Havergal College in Toronto from 1977 to 1997. In June 2011, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, Japan's second highest honor, by Emperor Akihito.
Politics
Wilfert was elected as a Richmond Hill councillor in 1985. He was elected to the House of Commons in the 1997 federal election, scoring an easy victory in the Greater Toronto Area riding of Oak Ridges. He was re-elected by an increased majority in the election of 2000, and won another easy victory in his new riding in the 2004 election. In the 2011 election he was defeated by Conservative Party candidate Costas Menegakis by 4,407 votes.
He served as parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Finance in 2002–03, and was named parliamentary secretary to the Minister of the Environment after the 2004 election. After the election in 2006, Wilfert was appointed as official opposition critic of Foreign Affairs (Asia-Pacific).
Wilfert was the Caucus Liaison in the successful 2006 Liberal leadership bid by Stéphane Dion. He is believed to be one of Stéphane Dion's closest confidants, having served as Mr. Dion's parliamentary secretary during his tenure as Minister of the Environment.
During his first term in parliament, he brought forward a private member's bill that would have created "Sir John A. Macdonald Day" as a national holiday on January 11.