Caroline Mulroney Lapham

Caroline Mulroney Lapham
Born	1974 (age 49–50)
Nationality	Canada
Other names	Caroline Mulroney
Known for	lawyer, venture capitalist, philanthropist

Caroline Mulroney Lapham is a Canadian lawyer, venture fund manager and philanthropist.

Family

She is the eldest of four children of former Prime Minister of Canada Brian Mulroney and his wife, Mila.

Lapham and her husband, Andrew Lapham married on September 16, 2000, and had the first of their four children on October 30, 2004. Brian Mulroney hired Michael Bublé to sing at Caroline's wedding. Performing at Caroline's wedding is credited with marking the real start to Bublé's career, as it was there that he met influential music producer David Foster.

Education

Mulroney Lapham has an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and a law degree from New York University.

Activities

On July 30, 2014, Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt appointed Lapham and three other individuals to the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority, a body to oversee a second bridge across the Detroit River that separates Windsor, Ontario from Detroit, Michigan. The authority will oversee the new bridge's $4 billion construction, and the management of the bridge, once it has been completed, including setting the bridge tolls. Tom Mulcair, leader of the, New Democratic Party of Canada, mocked her appointment, as an instance of the kind of corruption her father was suspected of. The Business News Network noted: "The Harper government hasn’t explained yet what Mulroney Lapham’s qualifications are to serve as a director of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority."

In 2011, Lapham and her three sisters-in-law, Jessica Mulroney, Vanessa Mulroney and Katy Mulroney, co-founded The Shoebox Project, a non-profit that provides toiletries to women living in shelters.

Public life

Caroline Mulroney came to prominence in 1991, during his father's tenure as prime minister, when Frank Magazine ran a satirical advertisement for a contest inviting young Tories to "Deflower Caroline Mulroney." Mulroney's father was incensed and threatened physical harm toward those responsible before joining several women's groups in denouncing the ad as an incitement to rape—the magazine maintained, however, that it was commenting on Prime Minister Mulroney's perceived habit of using his daughter as a political prop.

Speculation about political career

On December 12, 2015, the Toronto Sun published a profile of Mulroney Lapham, in which journalist Christina Blizzard speculated as to whether her father's party would choose her as their new leader, to go head to head with Justin Trudeau, the current Prime Minister, the son of her father's old rival, Pierre Trudeau. Blizzard quoted an unnamed "Tory insider", on Mulroney Lapham's performance, when she was the surprise keynote speaker at a 2009 event celebrating the 25th anniversary of her father's administration. That unnamed source said: “She certainly has the smarts and the glamour to offset the current prime minister in any future election.” Blizzard described her lack of political experience as a benefit, since she "...won’t wear any of the mistakes of the Stephen Harper government." Blizzard noted that Mulroney had not expressed any interest in the party's leadership.

Two days later, columnist Kelly McPharland commented on Blizzard's speculation, in the National Post. McPharland briefly paraphrased Blizzard's praise of her beauty, poise and education, but asked: "Sure, but will she play kissy-face with her husband in public, do Vogue covers and be incurably cute? THAT’S what’s important."

Mulroney Lapham responded to Blizzard with an email informing her that politics is not currently her priority telling her in an email: “While I am committed to public service and I am flattered by the suggestion, I am focused on my four young children and my work”.