Robert Oliphant

The Honorable Robert Oliphant is the Member of Parliament for Don Valley West and currently serves as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. First elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2015 and 2019, he has become a leading voice in Canada’s international and domestic policy landscapes. In this role, he has worked closely with several Foreign Affairs Ministers to promote Canada’s values and priorities abroad, from multilateral diplomacy to human rights and international development.

In Parliament, Robert has also served in key leadership roles, including Chair of the Standing Committees on Public Safety and National Security, and Citizenship and Immigration. He was Co-Chair of the Special Joint Committee on Physician-Assisted Dying, and has championed major legislative initiatives such as outlawing genetic discrimination and co-sponsoring Canada’s national dementia strategy.

Robert’s career is marked by a rare blend of public service, faith leadership, and community engagement. An ordained minister in the United Church of Canada, he has served congregations across the country—in Newfoundland, Quebec, Yukon, and Toronto—where he was Senior Minister at Eglinton St. George’s United Church. From 2011 to 2015, he served as President and CEO of the Asthma Society of Canada, bringing his passion for health equity and public advocacy to a national stage.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto, a Master of Divinity from the Vancouver School of Theology, and a Doctorate from the Chicago Theological Seminary at the University of Chicago. As Vice-Chair of both the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association and the Canada-Pakistan Friendship Group, Robert remains committed to building bridges within Canada and around the world. He and his family have long called Toronto’s Sherwood Park home.