Born in Forchheim, Germany, Frank Oberle survived the turmoil of Hitlerís Germany and post-war chaos before immigrating to Canada in 1951. During his career he tried his hand at many jobs, including logger, gold miner, rancher and town mayor, before serving six consecutive terms as a member of Parliament. In 1985 Frank became Canadaís first German-born federal Cabinet member when then prime minister Brian Mulroney made him minister of state for science and technology. Four years later, as minister of forestry, his determination led him to confront the industryís clear-cutting practices and demand sustainable forest management. He received the Canadian Forestry Achievement Award in 1992 and was a founding member of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.

Frank lives near Nanoose, BC, with his wife, Joan. They have four children and seven grandchildren.