The Honourable David Collenette, PC

The Honourable David Collenette served as a Toronto Member of Parliament for 21 years and 11 years as Minister under three Prime Ministers, Pierre Trudeau, John Turner, and Jean Chretien.  His portfolios included Multiculturalism, National Defence, Veterans’ Affairs, Crown Corporations, Minister for the GTA and almost seven years as Minister of Transport.  Mr. Collenette is a graduate of York University, Toronto, with a BA (Honours), MA and LL.D. He is a member of the Kings Privy Council for Canada (PC), a member of the Order of Ontario (O.Ont) and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics (FCILT).

During his career, Mr. Collenette was involved with the patriation of the Canadian Constitution with its entrenched Charter of Rights and Freedoms; the reorganizing, restructuring, and reengineering of the Department of National Defence; the merger of Canadian Airlines International and Air Canada; and overseeing Canada’s response to the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, together with subsequent issues related to transportation security. 

After retirement from Parliament in 2004, Mr. Collenette has worked an advisor to defence and transportation companies in Canada and the United States as well as Senior Counsel at Hill+Knowlton. He was the Special Advisor to the Ontario Government on High-Speed Rail and Chair of the HSR Planning Advisory Board. Mr. Collenette has served as a director of many volunteer organizations and was elected Chair of the NATO Association of Canada in October 2020; he is Vice-President and Secretary, Harbourfront Corporation and Director Emeritus, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.

Mr. Collenette has been active in the academic world, serving as advisor at the Institute of International Affairs, Stanford University, California as well as senior fellow at Glendon College, York University and TMU {formerly Ryerson University). He is currently BMO Fellow at Glendon College, York University; Senior Fellow at the Balsilli School of International Affairs, University of Waterloo; and Senior Fellow, Bill Graham School of Contemporary History, Trinity College, University of Toronto.

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