The Hon. Bob Rae | The Munk School Skip to main content header-breadcrumbs Visit utoronto.ca Munk School Header Shortcuts Directory Events Login Search this site Search this site Menu Menu Subsite main menu About us About the Munk School Our Founding Donors Donate Annual Reports Current opportunities Contact us Study at Munk Master's programs Master of Global Affairs (MGA) Master of Public Policy (MPP) Dual degrees in Paris, New York, London, Berlin, and Madrid Master of European & Eurasian Studies Collaborative Master's Specialization in Contemporary East and Southeast Asian Studies Collaborative Master's and Doctoral Specialization in South Asian Studies Collaborative Graduate Specialization in Ethnic, Immigration and Pluralism Studies Undergraduate programs American Studies Contemporary Asian Studies European Affairs Munk One Peace, Conflict and Justice Public Policy South Asian Studies Certificate in Public Policy and Engineering Joint programs, specializations and exchanges Wolf Scholars Munk School offers to welcome Harvard Kennedy School International Students Centres & Labs Centres Asian Institute Centre for European and Eurasian Studies Centre for the Study of Global Japan Centre for the Study of the United States Harney Program in Ethnic, Immigration and Pluralism Studies Trudeau Centre for Peace, Conflict and Justice Labs China Governance Lab Citizen Lab Global Economic Policy Lab Global Justice Lab Global Migration Lab Innovation Policy Lab Public History Lab Social Policy Lab Urban Policy Lab Initiatives AI Competitiveness Project Belt & Road in Global Perspective CARE Program Global Ideas Institute International Institute for Indigenous Peoples' Rights and Policy Local Government Revenue Initiative (LoGRI) Reach Alliance People Faculty Leadership Fellows Staff Research & Publications News Media Events Upcoming events Past events Event series Munk School Distinguished Lecture Series The Cadario Visiting Lecture in Public Policy The David Peterson Public Leadership Program Lecture Series Munk School International Institute on Social Policy The Lionel Gelber Prize Facilities & Event Rental 'What Good is Philosophy?' benefit conference Breadcrumbs Home The Hon. Bob Rae Distinguished Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy Biography Main bio Bob Rae is the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York. Rae served as Premier of Ontario from 1990-1995, and interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 2011-2013. He was elected to federal and provincial parliaments 11 times between 1978 and 2013. Rae received his Honours B.A. in Modern History from the University of Toronto, an M.Phil in Politics as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, and graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in 1977. He was designated as Queen’s Counsel in 1984. As a lawyer in private practice, Rae led the restructuring of the Canadian Red Cross, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and chaired the board of the Royal Conservatory of Music. He also wrote “Lessons to be Learned” on the Air India bombing, and “Ontario a Leader in Learning” – a study of the Ontario higher education system. He was also named to the Security and Intelligence Review Committee by then Prime Minister Chrétien. Rae’s return to Parliament for the constituency of Toronto Centre in 2008 led to his appointment as Foreign Affairs spokesman for his party, and to his election as interim Leader in 2011. Between 2013 and 2020 he taught law and public policy at the University of Toronto, and was a partner and senior counsel to the law firm OKT LLP, specializing in indigenous law and constitutional issues. In 1997, Rae became a founding board member of the Forum of Federations. He went on to serve as Chairman and President of the Forum, and advised many governments and groups on issues of constitutional change, the rule of law, federalism and devolution. He remains a Senior Fellow of the Forum Rae is also a Senior Fellow at Massey College, and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights. He served as the Chief Negotiator for the 9 First Nations that are members of the Matawa Tribal Council in Northern Ontario between 2013 and 2018. In October 2017, Rae was appointed as Canada’s Special Envoy to Myanmar. In this role, he engaged in diplomatic efforts to address the crisis in the country’s Rakhine State and wrote the report “Tell Them We’re Human” in 2018. In March 2020, he was named by Prime Minister Trudeau to be Canada’s Special Envoy on Humanitarian and Refugee Issues. This led to his report “A Global Pandemic Requires a Global Response,” which was made public shortly before his appointment as Ambassador to the UN. Bob Rae is a Privy Councillor, a Companion of the Order of Canada, a member of the Order of Ontario, and has numerous awards and honorary degrees from institutions in Canada and around the world. In addition to several government reports, he is the author of five books. Along with music, reading, and writing, he loves tennis, golf, and fishing. He is married to Arlene Perly Rae, writer and public advocate on issues affecting women and children. They have three daughters and five grandchildren. Updated July 2023 More + News & Media Munk School In Focus: Ambassador Bob Rae September 21, 2023 CBC News Distinguished Fellow Bob Rae in CBC News: Bob Rae Says Countries Must Work Together To Shore Up Infrastructure as Disasters Multiply September 16, 2023 Policy Magazine Distinguished Fellow Bob Rae for Policy Magazine: Letter from the United Nations: Fighting the Good Fight September 15, 2023 General inquiries munkschool​@utoronto​.ca or 416-946-8900 Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Facebook Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on X Follow us on X Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Youtube Follow us on Youtube Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Toronto 315 Bloor Street West (at the Observatory) Toronto, Ontario, M5S 0A7 Canada 1 Devonshire Place (at Trinity College) Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3K7 Canada 14 Queen's Park Crescent West (at the Canadiana Gallery) Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3K9 Canada Footer Menu About the Munk School Media Footer Bottom Menu Accessibility Privacy & terms Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy © 2026. All rights reserved. Subsite mobile menu About us About the Munk School Our Founding Donors Donate Annual Reports Current opportunities Contact us Directory Events Login Study at Munk Master's programs Master of Global Affairs (MGA) Master of Public Policy (MPP) Dual degrees in Paris, New York, London, Berlin, and Madrid Master of European & Eurasian Studies Collaborative Master's Specialization in Contemporary East and Southeast Asian Studies Collaborative Master's and Doctoral Specialization in South Asian Studies Collaborative Graduate Specialization in Ethnic, Immigration and Pluralism Studies Directory Events Login Undergraduate programs American Studies Contemporary Asian Studies Mark Gayn Scholarships for Chinese Studies Directory Events Login European Affairs Munk One Peace, Conflict and Justice Public Policy South Asian Studies Certificate in Public Policy and Engineering Directory Events Login Joint programs, specializations and exchanges Wolf Scholars Munk School offers to welcome Harvard Kennedy School International Students Directory Events Login Centres & Labs Centres Asian Institute Centre for European and Eurasian Studies Centre for the Study of Global Japan Centre for the Study of the United States Events Directory Events Login Harney Program in Ethnic, Immigration and Pluralism Studies Trudeau Centre for Peace, Conflict and Justice Directory Events Login Labs China Governance Lab Citizen Lab Global Economic Policy Lab Global Justice Lab Global Migration Lab Innovation Policy Lab Public History Lab Social Policy Lab Urban Policy Lab Directory Events Login Initiatives AI Competitiveness Project Belt & Road in Global Perspective CARE Program Global Ideas Institute International Institute for Indigenous Peoples' Rights and Policy Local Government Revenue Initiative (LoGRI) Reach Alliance Directory Events Login Directory Events Login People Faculty Leadership Fellows Staff Directory Events Login Research & Publications News Media Directory Events Login Events Upcoming events Past events Event series Munk School Distinguished Lecture Series The Cadario Visiting Lecture in Public Policy The David Peterson Public Leadership Program Lecture Series Munk School International Institute on Social Policy Directory Events Login The Lionel Gelber Prize Facilities & Event Rental 'What Good is Philosophy?' benefit conference Directory Events Login Directory Events Login