William Winegard

Who is William Winegard?

William Charles Winegard, PC OC is a Canadian educator, engineer, scientist and former Member of Parliament.

Born in Hamilton, Ontario, he served during World War II in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1942–1945, becoming the youngest officer in the history of the Canadian Navy. His father William Winegard was a veteran of both world wars, the first mayor of Caledonia, Ontario and the founder of Winegard Motors. In 1952, William received his doctorate in metallurgical engineering from the University of Toronto and he taught there until 1967. From 1967 to 1975, he was President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guelph. In 1980, he was made a Fellow of the American Society for Metals.

He was elected as a Progressive Conservative Party candidate in the riding of Guelph in the 1984 federal election. He was re-elected in the 1988 election in the riding of Guelph—Wellington. He was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade from 1988 to 1989, the Minister of State from 1989 to 1990, and the Minister for Science from 1990 to 1993.

In 1998, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.