David Paul Smith
Encyclopedia
David Paul Smith, PC
, QC
(born May 16, 1941) is a Canadian
lawyer, politician and Senator
.
Smith was an alderman
on Toronto
City Council
in the 1970s. He served a period as deputy mayor and president of city council. He ran for Mayor of Toronto in 1978, but was defeated by John Sewell
in a three-way split. Smith became a backroom lobbyist for developers and was instrumental in helping Art Eggleton
defeat Sewell in 1980.
After his defeat in municipal politics, Smith ran for and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1980 election
as the Liberal
Member of Parliament
(MP) for the riding
of Don Valley East
in a suburb of Toronto.
In 1982, he became Deputy Government House Leader, and joined the Canadian Cabinet in 1983 as Minister of State
for Small Businesses and Tourism. Smith was appointed to the same position when John Turner
became Prime Minister of Canada
in 1984. Smith but was defeated in the subsequent 1984 election
.
Smith returned to the legal profession and serves as Chairman Emeritus of Fraser Milner, and Fraser Milner Casgrain, one of Canada's five largest law firms. In the 1990s, he worked as a senior backroom adviser to Liberal leader Jean Chrétien
, playing a leading role in the party's election campaigns. A Chrétien loyalist, Smith was appointed to the Senate in 2002, and was outspoken in his support for Chrétien against attempts by Paul Martin
to force the Prime Minister to retire. Since Martin became Liberal leader, Smith has urged party unity.
He was a key backer of former Liberal leadership candidate Michael Ignatieff
. Subsequently, he was appointed by Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion
to serve as party's National Campaign Co-Chair with Mark Marissen
and Nancy Girard.
Smith also serves on the cabinet of the capital campaign of Tyndale University College and Seminary
in Toronto.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born May 16, 1941) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
lawyer, politician and Senator
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
.
Smith was an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
on Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
in the 1970s. He served a period as deputy mayor and president of city council. He ran for Mayor of Toronto in 1978, but was defeated by John Sewell
John Sewell
John Sewell, CM is a Canadian political activist and writer on municipal affairs; he was the mayor of Toronto, Ontario from 1978 to 1980.-Background:...
in a three-way split. Smith became a backroom lobbyist for developers and was instrumental in helping Art Eggleton
Art Eggleton
Arthur "Art" C. Eggleton, PC is a former Canadian Cabinet minister and Mayor of Toronto, and is currently a Senator representing Ontario.-City council:...
defeat Sewell in 1980.
After his defeat in municipal politics, Smith ran for and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 1980 election
Canadian federal election, 1980
The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Parliament of Canada...
as the Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for the riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Don Valley East
Don Valley East
Don Valley East is a federal electoral district in Canada that covers the northeast section of the North York part of Toronto. The federal riding was created in 1976 from parts of Willowdale, York East, York North, and York—Scarborough ridings....
in a suburb of Toronto.
In 1982, he became Deputy Government House Leader, and joined the Canadian Cabinet in 1983 as Minister of State
Minister of state (Canada)
A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
for Small Businesses and Tourism. Smith was appointed to the same position when John Turner
John Turner
John Napier Wyndham Turner, PC, CC, QC is an English Canadian lawyer and retired politician, who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Canada from June 30 to September 17, 1984....
became Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
in 1984. Smith but was defeated in the subsequent 1984 election
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
.
Smith returned to the legal profession and serves as Chairman Emeritus of Fraser Milner, and Fraser Milner Casgrain, one of Canada's five largest law firms. In the 1990s, he worked as a senior backroom adviser to Liberal leader Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
, playing a leading role in the party's election campaigns. A Chrétien loyalist, Smith was appointed to the Senate in 2002, and was outspoken in his support for Chrétien against attempts by Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
to force the Prime Minister to retire. Since Martin became Liberal leader, Smith has urged party unity.
He was a key backer of former Liberal leadership candidate Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
. Subsequently, he was appointed by Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
to serve as party's National Campaign Co-Chair with Mark Marissen
Mark Marissen
Mark Allan Marissen is a senior strategist for the Liberal Party of Canada. He is currently a VP of Vision Critical, a public opinion and market research firm headquartered in Vancouver and was chairman of the Burrard Group, a strategic communications and government relations firm he operated...
and Nancy Girard.
Smith also serves on the cabinet of the capital campaign of Tyndale University College and Seminary
Tyndale University College and Seminary
Tyndale University College and Seminary is an accredited Christian institution of higher education in the Protestant Evangelical tradition located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Tyndale students come from over 40 different Christian denominations and more than 30 different ethnic groups. Tyndale...
in Toronto.