Alastair Gillespie

Who is Alastair Gillespie?

Alastair William Gillespie, PC OC is a former Canadian politician.

Born in Victoria, British Columbia, Gillespie attended Brentwood College School, McGill University and then Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. After receiving a business degree from the University of Toronto, he went on to senior role in the educational publisher W.J. Gage and company.

Gillespie was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament for the Toronto riding of Etobicoke in the 1968 election. He was re-elected in the 1972 and 1974 elections. He lost to Michael Wilson in the 1979 election.

He held various ministerial positions including: Industry, Trade and Commerce; Energy, Mines and Resources; State for Science and Technology; and Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board.

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

He was married to Diana Gillespie and has two children, Ian Gillespie and Cynthia Webb. He has five grandchildren: Vanessa Webb who attended Duke University, Katie Webb who attended Mount Allison University, Meredith Gillespie who attended McGill University, David Webb who attended Dartmouth College, and Ian Gillespie who attended Queen's University.