Tyrone Benskin

Life and career

He was born in Bristol, England but moved to Canada in 1968 at age nine.

Artistic career

Having studied theatre at both CEGEP and university levels in Montreal, Benskin has become a significant presence in theatre, film, television and music. His theatre credits include features appearances on such celebrated stages as the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, the National Arts Centre and the Centaur Theatre in Montreal. His many acclaimed performances include Mr. M in the South African play My Children My Africa and the 71-year-old Nelson Williams Johns in the Black Theatre Workshop/Centaur productions of Wade in the Water.

In his years, Benskin has frequently made several appearances in film and television such as Naked Josh, Largo Winch, The Wool Cap, Tales from the Neverending Story, Superstorm, Blind Fear, The Wrong Woman, The Killing Machine, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, 10.5: Apocalypse, Big Wolf on Campus, The Dead Zone, Radio Active, Ready or Not, Riverdale, Christie's Revenge, Sci-fighters, The Boys of St. Vincent, Mind Over Murder, Deacons for Defense, Dark Eyes, The Killing Yard, Convict Cowboy, Charlie Jade, The Christmas Choir, Forever Knight, Due South, Earth: Final Conflict, The Kiss, Spenser: A Savage Place, 15/Love, F/X: The Series, Criminal Law, The Phone Call, Island of the Dead, Jack Paradise, 300, Night Heat, A Husband, a Wife and a Lover, Obsessed, The Amityville Curse, A Taste of Shakespeare, Sophie, Full Disclosure, Side Effects, TekWar: TekLords, Soul Survivor and Scanners II: The New Order.

He also supplied the voice of Kobalt in the 1996 animated series of Flash Gordon and Bo and Wimzie's father Rousso in the children's television series Wimzie's House.

Benskin is a published songwriter, composer, director and writer.

Before assuming elected office, Benskin served two mandates as National Vice-President of for ACTRA, Canada's national film and television actors' union, and served as artistic director of the Black Theatre Workshop, Canada's oldest black theatre company.

In politics

On 30 January 2011, Benskin was announced as the federal New Democratic Party candidate in the Montreal-area riding of Jeanne-Le Ber in the 2011 federal election. During the election, his candidacy was seen as one of the NDP's better chances for a gain in Quebec, and NDP leader Jack Layton described him as having minister potential. On 2 May 2011, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons with a substantial margin, defeating Bloc Québécois incumbent Thierry St-Cyr.

Benskin was named the Official Opposition's critic for Canadian Heritage, and later transferred to the Official Languages file as deputy critic. He was dropped from the shadow cabinet after party leader Thomas Mulcair learned that Benskin owed the Quebec revenue agency $58,000 for unpaid taxes from 2007 to 2011. Benskin apologized, attributing the non-payment to having precarious employment as an artist prior to becoming an MP. Benskin did not stand as a candidate in the 2015 federal election.