he was elected as a progressive conservative party candidate in the riding of guelph in the 1984 federal election. he was re-elected in the 1988 election in the riding of guelph—wellington. he was the parliamentary secretary to the minister for international trade from 1988 to 1989, the minister of state (science and technology) from 1989 to 1990, and the minister for science from 1990 to 1993.