Don Davies is the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Kingsway. He was first elected in 2008 and is the longest-serving MP in the history of the riding.
He recently served as the interim Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada. Currently, he is the NDP's Parliamentary Leader and Whip. He also serves as the Critic for Finance, Industry and Jobs, Defence, Natural Resources, and Northern and Atlantic Economic Development.
Over the years, Don has held several key critic roles, including Deputy Critic for Foreign Affairs and International Development, and previously as Critic for Health, International Trade, Citizenship and Immigration, Multiculturalism, and Public Safety and National Security.
Don has been a very active parliamentarian and a hard-working local representative.
He has introduced more legislation in the House of Commons than any MP in the country. These include detailed plans for a national school nutrition program, free post-secondary tuition for students with special needs, and legislation requiring floor-crossers to obtain approval from the voters who elected them.
His constituency office has helped over 20,000 Kingsway residents solve their federal issues—reuniting families, securing EI, CPP, and OAS benefits, and resolving tax and Phoenix pay system problems.
A strong believer in transparency and accountability, Don has held hundreds of public meetings to ensure that constituents’ voices are heard both in Kingsway and on the national stage.
Don is active in several parliamentary caucuses and groups. He is Co-Chair of the Global Health Caucus and the Parliamentary Friends of the UN, an Executive Member of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association and the Canada-China Parliamentary Association, and a Canadian Delegate to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. He is also a member of the Canada-Philippines Inter-Parliamentary Group, the Canada-Vietnam Parliamentary Group, and the Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group.
Before entering Parliament, Don worked as a lawyer, labour representative, and policy advisor. He worked with private sector businesses to improve human resources practices and served on public bodies addressing health and safety, employment standards, and transportation policy.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Degree in Law.
Don is a long-time resident of the Kensington area of Vancouver Kingsway. He has been active in many community initiatives, including the Dickens Community Group, Mount Pleasant Parent Advisory Council, Fraser Street Neighbourhood Coalition, Tools for Peace, Co-op Radio, and Lawyers for Social Responsibility. He has taken particular interest in improving the lives of people with special needs.
He has been married for 41 years to Sheryl Palm, a Speech Pathologist at BC Children’s Hospital. They have three children and two granddaughters and have lived in Vancouver Kingsway for over 30 years.