Harvie Andre

Who was Harvie Andre?

Harvie Andre, PC was a Canadian engineer, businessman, politician and federal Cabinet minister.

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, on July 27, 1940, Andre was educated at the University of Alberta and pursued part of his postgraduate studies at the California Institute of Technology before becoming a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Calgary from 1966 to 1972. In the 1972 general election he won a seat in the Canadian House of Commons, where he served as the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre for twenty-one years.

In opposition, Andre was a vocal opponent of Petro-Canada and the National Energy Program. He also served as the defence critic.

He was appointed to the Cabinet after the 1984 election brought the Tories to power under Brian Mulroney. Andre served as Minister of Supply and Services until 1985 when he became Associate Minister of National Defence. From 1986 to 1989, he was Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs and then Minister of Regional Industrial Expansion until 1990. In addition, in 1987 Mulroney gave Andre responsibility for Canada Post Corporation.