Beyond Politics
Bev Oda
Conservative MP and cabinet minister Bev Oda was born in Thunder Bay and moved to Toronto at the age of five. Her parents, both of whom were Japanese, were subject to the degradation and humiliation of Canada's internment and evacuation policies. In spite of the taunts, Bev did well in school and was accepted into med school at McGill but opted instead to pursue an art and archaeology degree at the University of Toronto. After teaching in an elementary school for six years, Bev began a career in broadcasting working for TVO, Rogers, and eventually CTV. After retirement, Bev kept busy by becoming active in her community and caught the eye of local Conservatives who urged her to run as a candidate. In 2004, Bev Oda became the MP for Durham and is now the minister for international cooperation in Stephen Harper's cabinet. Bev Oda talks to Catherine Clark about her life Beyond Politics.
