The Honourable Lloyd Axworthy grew up in Winnipeg and graduated in 1961 from United College (now the University of Winnipeg). He went on to earn M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Political Science from Princeton University.

Lloyd Axworthy served six years in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly and twenty-one years in the House of Commons at Ottawa. During the latter years he served with distinction in numerous cabinet positions, including Minister of Employment and Immigration, Minister of Transport, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, Minister of Human Resources and Development and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Acting as the senior government minister for Manitoba, Lloyd contributed a great deal in those years to helping bring federal projects to Manitoba.

In his time as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lloyd was instrumental in promoting the Ottawa Treaty, banning the use of landmines, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his initiatives. He also received the North-South Institute's Peace Award for his efforts in helping establish the International Criminal Court and the Protocol on child soldiers.

Since leaving public life in the fall of 2000, Lloyd has been made Director and CEO of the Liu Centre for the Study of Global Issues at the University of British Columbia. He led the Canadian delegation to the Hague Conference on Climate Change and is Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS). He is a Special Representative for UNICEF Canada. In May 2002 he led the Commonwealth Election Observer team to Sierra Leone. In addition, he is a frequent lecturer and columnist throughout Canada, the U.S. and abroad.

Mr. Axworthy is the recipient of five Honourary Degrees, from the Universities of Victoria, Denver, Niagara, Dalhousie, and his home university, University of Winnipeg. He is married to Denise Ommanney and they have three children: John, Louise and Srephen. He now makes his home on Vancouver Island.