Don Davies

Early life and career

Davies was born in Edmonton, Alberta. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Alberta. He later worked as a researcher at the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. From 1989 to 1991, he was executive assistant for policy and communications to Ray Martin, leader of the official opposition of Alberta.

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.

Political career

Davies was first elected during the 2008 federal election. He received 15,933 votes, winning the riding by almost 3,000 votes over his nearest competitor. Davies was re-elected in the 2011 election, receiving over 50 percent 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 percent of the vote and leading his nearest competitor by over 8,000 votes. Davies was re-elected in the 2019 federal election, obtaining 49 percent of the vote, and leading his nearest competitor by over 11,000 votes. This makes him the longest-serving member of Parliament (MP) in the history of the Vancouver Kingsway riding and the first MP to ever win the riding four times.

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.

In the 42nd Parliament, Davies introduced more private member's legislation than any other MP in Canada. This legislation included bills to establish universal pharmacare, a national school nutrition program, and free tuition for students with diverse needs. In the 43rd Parliament, Davies was re-appointed to the Health portfolio. He serves on the Standing Committee on Health and was appointed to the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians. Davies maintained a stance against the extradition of Meng Wanzhou after her arrest in Vancouver in 2018, claiming political interference in the case by US president Donald Trump.

Davies considered running for mayor of Vancouver in the 2018 Vancouver municipal election but ultimately decided not to.

He was appointed the NDP critic for finance on April 5, 2024.

Davies was one of seven NDP MPs elected in the 2025 federal election, narrowly winning by 310 votes. After leader Jagmeet Singh stepped down, Davies was chosen by the party's federal council as interim leader of the New Democratic Party until the next leadership election. MPs Leah Gazan, Lori Idlout, and Jenny Kwan wrote a letter to the party's executive and council saying they were not properly consulted in the selection of Davies as interim leader. They said that the party executive and other MPs did not hold caucus discussions or provide a timeline. In May 2025, NDP national director Lucy Watson said that the federal council had sole responsibility for choosing an interim leader under the constitution. In November 2025, Davies voted against passing the 2025 federal budget, while two members of his caucus abstained and the rest voted against it.

Personal life

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

A long-time resident of the Kensington neighbourhood in Vancouver Kingsway, Davies is married to Sheryl Palm, a speech language pathologist at Vancouver Children's Hospital. They have three children and a granddaughter.

Electoral record

References

References

1. "Don Davies (@DonDavies) on X".
2. "About Don".
3. Kurucz, John. (October 21, 2019). "NDP's Don Davies makes history as longest-serving MP for Vancouver-Kingsway". Vancouver Courier.
4. Aiello, Rachel. "Meet NDP MP Don Davies, the MP with the most private members' bills introduced in the House and zero chance of passing one".
5. (December 21, 2018). "Jagmeet Singh rejects his own MP's call to halt extradition of Huawei executive to U.S.". [[CBC News]].
6. Nuttall, Jeremy. (January 20, 2020). "Meng Wanzhou extradition case tainted by U.S. political interests, says NDP MP at Chinese consulate event". [[Toronto Star]].
7. Boynton, Sean. (2018-03-13). "NDP MP Don Davies passes on Vancouver mayoral race to focus on federal politics". [[Global News]].
8. "NDP announces new critic portfolios ahead of next election".
9. Little, Simon. (May 5, 2025). "NDP choose Vancouver MP Don Davies as interim leader". [[Global News]].
10. Bailey, Ian. (May 16, 2025). "NDP caucus members dispute appointment of interim leader Don Davies". [[The Globe and Mail]].
11. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-liberal-government-survives-confidence-vote-on-federal-budget/
12. "Voter Information Service - Find your electoral district".
13. "Final Election Expenses Limits for Candidates – Elections Canada".