The Honourable David J. McGuinty

Speaker's bio

The Honourable David J. McGuinty is Canada’s former Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. He was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Ottawa South in 2004 and has been re-elected seven times, most recently in 2025.

Minister McGuinty has dedicated his life to public service. Over his two decades on the Hill, he has served in various roles, including Acting Whip, House Leader of the Official Opposition, and most recently Chair of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians. He has also been a member of numerous parliamentary committees, associations, and groups, including Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources, and of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development.

Minister McGuinty is also a highly respected member of Canada’s legal community who has practised law and worked with governments, businesses, and not-for-profit organizations worldwide to help advance progress on a wide range of issues and impact communities for the greater good. His career outside of politics includes working on behalf of UNICEF across Africa to promote children’s rights and lecturing, conducting research, and designing courses at various post-secondary institutions across the globe. For nine years, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Prime Minister’s National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, where he established himself as a leading Canadian expert in green budgeting, brownfields, and the nexus between the economy, the environment, and social issues. He has also served as a mentor to emerging leaders at LEAD Canada and as an advisor to the Rockefeller Foundation.

Minister McGuinty is the recipient of a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal for his outstanding and exemplary contributions to his community and to Canada.

Minister McGuinty holds a Diploma in Agriculture from the University of Guelph as well as a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Philosophy, both from the University of Ottawa. He also holds specialized diplomas and certificates from the Université de Sherbrooke and Harvard Law School as well as a Master of Laws from the London School of Economics and Political Science.