Thomas A. Hockin, (born March 5, 1938) is a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

, businessman and former politician. Hockin was born and went to public school in

London, Ontario London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River, approximate ...

. He graduated from the

University of Western Ontario The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a public research university in London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by residential neighbourhoods and the Thames R ...

with a degree in business, and later attended

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

, where he graduated with a master's degree in public administration and Ph.D. in political science. Hockin subsequently joined the political science faculty at fledgling

York University York University (french: Université York), also known as YorkU or simply YU, is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's fourth-largest university, and it has approximately 55,700 students, 7,0 ...

, where he rose to full professor teaching Canadian politics. In later years, prior to 1981, he was also head master at St. Andrew's College in

Aurora, Ontario Aurora ( 2021 population: 62,057) is a town in central York Region in the Greater Toronto Area, within the Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario, Canada. It is located north of the City of Richmond Hill and is partially situated on the Oak Ridg ...

. and had a business affiliation with Sotheby's auction house. In addition, he was a member of the

Ontario Police Commission The Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC; French: ''Commission civile de l’Ontario sur la police''), previously known as the Ontario Police Commission and the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services, is an independent quasi-judicial ...

. Hockin, who has authored over 30 books, chapters and articles, produced two leading textbooks on Canadian politics in the 1970s: two editions of ''Apex of Power'', first published in 1971, describing the position of the Prime Minister and central agencies in Canadian government, and ''Government in Canada'', published in 1976, an historical overview and political analysis of national political institutions in Canada. Hockin was also a specialist in Canadian parliamentary organization and Canadian foreign policy. Hockin was the unsuccessful Progressive Conservative candidate in the 1981

by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...

held in

London West London West (french: London-Ouest) is a federal electoral district in London, Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 1968. Geography The district includes the northwest part of the City of London. I ...

, coming in 900 votes behind the Liberal Party of Canada, Liberal candidate. Thereafter, he taught in the business school at the University of Western Ontario and moved his residence to London. He won the Riding (division), riding in the 1984 Canadian federal election, 1984 general election that brought the Tories to power under Brian Mulroney. He was a government backbencher for two years before being appointed to Canadian Cabinet, Cabinet as Minister of State (Canada), Minister of State for Finance. He served in that position until 1989 when he became Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism. In January 1993, Hockin became a full minister as Minister for Science, although he retained his other portfolio. When Kim Campbell succeeded Mulroney as PC leader and Prime Minister of Canada, prime minister in June 1993, she promoted Hockin to Minister of International Trade (Canada), Minister of International Trade. The promotion was short-lived as both he and the Campbell government were defeated in the 1993 Canadian federal election, fall general election. Hockin was defeated by Liberal Sue Barnes. After leaving politics, Hockin was active as a lobbyist for the mutual fund industry as president and Chief Executive Officer of the Investment Funds Institute of Canada. On November 30, 2009, federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty nominated Hockin to become the Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) representing Canada, Ireland and the Caribbean. Hockin succeeded Michael Horgan who became the Deputy Minister of Finance.

External links

Profile of Tom Hockin in his role as the public face of the mutual fund industry
''The Globe and Mail'', June 22, 2004
Inventory of the Thomas A. Hockin fonds
at

St Andrews College, Hockin Trophy
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hockin, Tom 1938 births Living people Businesspeople from London, Ontario Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada Politicians from London, Ontario Progressive Conservative Party of Canada MPs University of Western Ontario alumni Academic staff of the University of Western Ontario Academic staff of York University Members of the 24th Canadian Ministry Members of the 25th Canadian Ministry Harvard Kennedy School alumni