Warner, Mark Robert, 1954-, U.S. politician, b. Indianapolis, grad George Washington Univ. (B.A., 1977), Harvard Law School (J.D., 1980). After settling in Virginia and working as a congressional staff member, Warner founded (1989) a successful venture capital fund that invested in technology companies, serving as its managing director until 2002. A moderate Democrat, Warner managed L. Douglas Wilder's successful 1989 Virginia gubernatorial campaign and served (1993-95) as Virginia Democratic party chairman from 1993 to 1995. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 1996, but in 2001 he was elected governor of Virginia, becoming a popular leader who worked the Republican legislature to avert a fiscal crisis and enact tax reforms. Retiring as governor in 2006, Warner won a U.S. Senate seat in 2008.

Mark Robert Drouin, PC (October 24, 1903 - October 12 1963) was Speaker of the Canadian Senate from 1957 until 1962.

Drouin was born in Quebec City and educated at the Séminaire de Québec and Université Laval. He trained as a lawyer and was called to the Quebec bar in 1926 ultimately becoming senior partner in the firm of Drouin, Drouin, Bernier and Vaillancourt. He became secretary of the Quebec bar in 1934.

He was also a hockey enthusiast and served as vice-president of Quebec's senior amateur hockey league for more than two decades. He was also director of the National School of Theatre and helped gain the 1967 World's Fair for Montreal (which became known as Expo 67).

Drouin ran as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the 1949 federal election against Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent in the riding of Quebec East but was defeated by St. Laurent by 18,000 votes. He also served as chairman of the Quebec Conservative Association in 1949, 1953 and 1957 and as first vice-president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 1955 and was the only French Canadian to support John Diefenbaker's candidacy to lead the Progressive Conservatives at their 1956 leadership convention.

The Conservatives took power following the 1957 federal election and Diefenbaker, as prime minister, had Drouin appointed to the Canadian Senate on October 4, 1957 and named him Speaker of the Senate despite his lack of parliamentary experience.

During his tenure he served as joint-president of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, chairman of the Canada-NATO Parliamentary Association and the chairman of the Canada-United States Interparliamentary Association.

Drouin retired as Speaker in 1962 and was appointed to the Privy Council. He died a year later.

References

Senate Biography