Fernando de Jesús Canales Clariond (born July 21, 1946, in Monterrey) is a Mexican politician and businessman affiliated with the National Action Party.

During his youth he briefly considered the Catholic priesthood [1][permanent dead link‍] but finally opted-in for a bachelor's degree in law from the Escuela Libre de Derecho.

In the private sector Canales has served as chief executive officer and vice president of IMSA and as a member of the board in several companies in the United States, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, Chile and Mexico.

He became its 1985 nominee for the Nuevo León governorship but lost against Jorge Treviño of the Revolutionary Institutional Party (PRI).

He left the post after being invited to the federal cabinet by President Vicente Fox and was appointed Secretary of Economy on January 15, 2003.