Don Davies

Life and career

Davies was born in Edmonton, Alberta. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Law Degree (LL.B.) at the University of Alberta. After gaining admission to the Alberta Bar, Davies was employed as a researcher at the Alberta Legislature and then Executive Assistant for policy and communications to the Hon. Ray Martin, Leader of the Official Opposition of Alberta from 1989 to 1991.

Davies and his family moved to Vancouver in 1991. In 1992 he became the Director of Legal Services for Teamsters Canada (Local 31), a position he held until his election to the House of Commons in 2008. In this capacity, Davies represented workers and the union at arbitration panels and before both provincial and federal labour tribunals.

Davies also served on numerous public bodies to improve occupational health and safety and deliver more efficient regulatory systems in the transportation sector. He was chair of the Mount Pleasant Parent Advisory Council and serves as secretary-treasurer of the Meridian Cultural Society, providing public space for childcare, church and cultural events.

Davies has been active with many community organizations including Tools for Peace, Vancouver Co-op Radio, Lawyers for Social Responsibility, La Quena Cooperative and the Dickens Community Group. He has also been a local hockey coach, and enjoys playing the violin.

Long-time residents in the Vancouver Kensington neighbourhood of Vancouver Kingsway, Davies has been married for 32 years to Sheryl Palm, a speech language pathologist at Vancouver Children's Hospital. They have three children and a granddaughter.

Federal politics

Davies was first elected during the 2008 federal election. He received 15,933 votes, winning the riding by almost 3000 votes over his nearest competitor. Davies was re-elected in the 2011 election, receiving over 50% of the votes cast and winning by 10,300 votes over his nearest competitor. In 2015, he was re-elected for his third term, receiving 46% of the vote and leading his nearest competitor by over 8000 votes.

In the 40th Parliament, Davies served as NDP Critic for Public Safety and National Security, Vice-Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security and Deputy Critic for Western Diversification. In the 41st Parliament, Davies served as Official Opposition Critic for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, and Vice-Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, and then as Official Opposition Critic for International Trade, Deputy Critic for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, and Vice-Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade. A member of a number of parliamentary groups, he serves on the Executives of the Canada-China, Canada-Philippines and Canada-Europe Parliamentary Associations, and is a Canadian Parliamentary Delegate to the Council of Europe.

After the 2015 election, Davies was appointed the NDP critic for Health in the 42nd Canadian Parliament.

He consistently ranks in the top five in terms of private members legislation and debate participation. His legislative priorities include affordable housing, universal childcare, Canadian economic development, environmental protection and policies to address poverty.