Born in Yokohama, Japan, Fraser was first won a seat in parliament in the 1972 general election as a Progressive Conservative from Vancouver. He stood as a candidate at the1976 Progressive Conservative leadership convention to replace Robert Stanfield, but did poorly. He was re-elected in 1974, 1979, 1980, 1984 and 1988.
In 1979, Fraser became Minister of the Environment in the short-lived government of Joe Clark, returning to the Opposition benches in 1980. He returned to the Cabinet in the wake of Brian Mulroney's landslide victory in the 1984 federal election, and became Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. He was forced to resign in 1985 as a result of the "Tainted Tuna" affair.
Frasers feud with the powerful Greenfield Macdonells lasted for several years and culminated in the winter of 182526 with a petition to the House of Assembly drawn up by Duncans brother, sheriff Donald Macdonell*, accusing Fraser of Unconstitutional and Unofficer like conduct. The outcome of the petition is not known, but Fraser clearly emerged unscathed.
During the rebellion of 183738 Fraser was commended by Sir John Colborne* for his role in dispersing the rebels in Lower Canada.
To show his displeasure with the reformers Fraser ran for election to one of the five seats on the newly established Charlottenburgh township council in 1850, despite attempts by Sandfield Macdonald to dissuade him.
Tunagate was a 1985 Canadian political scandal involving large quantities of possibly tainted tuna that were sold to the public under order of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, JohnFraser.
Fraser at first stated that he had informed the Prime Minister’s Office.
Fraser’s career recovered and eventually he became Speaker of the House of Commons.
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