Grant Mitchell (born July 19 1951) is a Canadian politician and businessman. After working in the financial sector as an executive with the Principal Financial Group, Mitchell was first elected to the Alberta legislature as the Liberal MLA for Edmonton Meadowlark in 1986. Following his re-election in 1989, he was re-elected in 1993 and 1997 in the new riding of Edmonton McClung.
After placing second in the 1988 Liberal leadership contest to Edmonton mayor Laurence Decore, he became leader of the party and Leader of the Official Opposition in Alberta in 1994 and served until 1998 when he left provincial politics. He was succeeded as Liberal leader by Nancy MacBeth.
Following his leave from politics, Mitchell joined CIBC Wood Gundy as an investment advisor. He has also served on the boards of the Canadian Commercial Corporation,the Edmonton ITU World Cup Triathlon and the Edmonton Police Foundation.
On March 24 2005, he was appointed to the Canadian Senate by Paul Martin where he represents Edmonton for the Liberal Party of Canada.
Senator Mitchell has served on three Senate committees: National Finance; Legal and Constitutional Affairs; and Agriculture and Forestry.
Grant Mitchell is married to Teresa Mitchell, an Edmonton lawyer. They have three sons: Lucas, Liam and Grady.
Grant Mitchell is a UK-based musician and record producer. He studied piano and composition at the Royal Academy of Music, and was awarded the prestigious Piano prize. As a soloist, he has performed with symphony orchestras in London and Glasgow and is an experienced arranger, producer, and an accomplished jazz pianist. He produced and arranged the debut album for singer-songwriter Julia Fordham, and further produced and arranged two gold albums for Fordham, including Porcelain. With award winning songwriter and producer Simon Climie, he played, arranged, and programmed five Top 20 records for Louise, and Eternal, and tracks for Eric Clapton, Lamont Dozier, MN8, Jennifer Rush, and Michelle Gayle.
He has collaborated with producer Trevor Horn on co-production projects, and has subsequently worked with Seal, Lulu, Gary Barlow, Diane Warren, Wet Wet Wet, Elton John, Caron Wheeler (Soul 2 Soul), Joan Armatrading, Mark Owen (Take That), Enrique Inglesias, Robin Gibb, K.D. Lang, Curtis Stigers, Beverley Knight, Sonique, Nu Colour, Peter André, Jack Radics, Jon Secada, and Judith Owen.
He also produced and arranged the gold debut album Earthbound for UK singer-songwriter Conner Reeves, which included the radio hits "My Father's Son", and "Earthbound". In 2000, became the musical alter-ego of Bob the Builder, producing the UK's biggest selling single and another No. 1 with his production and arrangement of the anthem "Can We Fix It?" and a further number one single with "Mambo No. 5" in 2001. Signed to EMI Music in 2001, he has since co-written and produced songs for Sonique (million selling debut album), Robin Gibb (Bee Gees), Conner Reeves, and ex-East 17 singer Brian Harvey, among others. In 2007 he completed the Wet Wet Wet album Timeless, mixed by Bob Clearmountain, the 2007 Rugby World Cup anthem "Swing Low" for opera boy-band Blake, arranging and playing on the gold Teatro album and new album China Blue for singer/songwriter Julia Fordham. He produced and co-arranged the classical chart number 1 debut album Tenor at the Movies for Jonathan Ansell (ex- G4). He has performed internationally on The Tonight Show (U.S.), at the World Music Awards, for HRH Queen Elizabeth II, on Top of the Pops, Good Morning America, and on numerous national TV and radio broadcasts.
