Former Conservative cabinet minister Lawrence Cannon will be joining Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP’s Ottawa office as a strategic adviser and chairman of its government affairs group.

Lawrence Cannon

The firm is bringing in the former minister of foreign affairs and transporation to leverage his ties with all levels of government here and abroad.

“Lawrence’s expertise in federal, provincial and municipal levels of government offers unparalleled insight to our existing Canadian and International clients and to those seeking to establish themselves in Canada,” said Gowling’s managing parnter Scott Jolliffe. “This announcement also reinforces our commitment to provide a worldwide perspective to our clients, as their business objectives become increasingly global in nature and scope.”

Cannon was first elected to the House of Commons in 2006 but was defeated in the orange wave in the spring election, losing his Western Quebec riding of Pontaic to rookie New Democrat Mathieu Ravignat.

Like many politicians — lawyers and non-lawyers alike — who have “moved on,” Cannon has found a home at one of Canada’s large law firms. At Gowlings, Cannon joins former Liberal Justice minister Martin Cauchon, who is at the firm’s Montreal office.

Others who have taken up residence at Bay Street law firms in their post-political careers, mostly to act as deal-makers and door openers around the world, include: Stockwell Day, who joined McMillan LLP in July; former Toronto mayor David Miller is now at Aird & Berlis LLP. Heenan Blaikie has quite a few former politicos on board with former prime minister Jean Chrétien topping the list that also includes Geoff Plant, former attorney general of British Columbia, and former premier of Québec, Pierre Marc Johnson. Norton Rose OR LLP can boast of having Brian Mulroney and former Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant in its pool. The chairman of Cassels Brock and Blackwell LLP is former Ontario Liberal premier David Peterson who has Ontario Tory Mike Harris working alongside. As well Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP counts former federal cabinet minister and premier of Quebec Lucien Bouchard as on of its partners.

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