Peter MacKay is Canada’s national defence minister. He is also a member of parliament for Central Nova, Nova Scotia, a seat he has held since 1997. He is a member of the Foreign Affairs and National Security Committee and serves on the Treasury Board and Planning and Priorities Cabinet Committees. Before becoming defence minister in 2007, Minister MacKay was the country’s minister of foreign affairs. He also played a leading role in the creation of the Conservative Party, which merged the Progressive Conservative Party and Canadian Alliance Party. Prior to pursuing politics, Minister MacKay worked as a lawyer, serving as the crown attorney for the Central Region of Nova Scotia, appearing regularly in provincial, family, and Supreme Court.