- Born
- April 28, 1951 — Hudson, Quebec
- Family
- Married to Leesa, two children
- Education
- Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Bishop's University; Bachelor of Civil Law, McGill University
- Career
- Professional football player for the Montreal Alouettes; Commissioner of the Canadian Football League (CFL); President and CEO of the Montreal Alouettes; President and Publisher of the Montreal Gazette
- Political Experience
- Appointed to the Senate in 2011. Served as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 2017 to 2019.
- Notable
- Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee. Won two Grey Cups as a player with the Montreal Alouettes.
Based on publicly available information — may contain inaccuracies
Business & Financial Interests
Before his appointment to the Senate, Larry Smith had a long and prominent career in sports management and media. He is best known for his time as the President and CEO of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He also served as the Commissioner of the CFL for a period in the 1990s. Beyond sports, Smith was the president and publisher of the Montreal Gazette, a major English-language daily newspaper in Quebec. His career has given him deep roots in Montreal's business and sports communities.
Key Relationships & Connections
Larry Smith was appointed to the Senate in 2010 by then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper, making Harper a key figure in his political career. Within the Conservative Party, Smith has held leadership positions, including serving as the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 2017 to 2019. This role placed him in close contact with the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada and its parliamentary caucus.
Public Controversies
In 2011, while running as a Conservative candidate for the House of Commons, Larry Smith reportedly made comments that generated significant controversy in Quebec. He was quoted suggesting that a lack of work ethic was a problem in the province and that some people preferred collecting employment insurance to working. The remarks drew widespread criticism from political opponents and commentators in Quebec, who felt the comments unfairly stereotyped Quebecers. Smith later stated that his comments were taken out of context.