David Tsubouchi facts for kids

David Hiroshi Tsubouchi (坪内 デビト, Tsubouchi Debito) (born August 20, 1951) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 2003. During this time, he was part of the Progressive Conservative government. He served as a cabinet minister under Premiers Mike Harris and Ernie Eves. David Tsubouchi was the first person of Japanese Canadian heritage to be elected to a provincial legislature in Canada.

Early Life and Education

David Tsubouchi was born in Toronto on August 20, 1951. He grew up in the Agincourt area of Scarborough. His parents were Japanese Canadians who had been held in special camps during World War II. After the war, they moved to Toronto.

He finished high school at Agincourt Collegiate Institute in 1968. He then went to York University, earning a degree in 1972. In 1975, he earned a law degree from Osgoode Hall. After becoming a lawyer, he became a senior partner at a law firm.

David Tsubouchi was also involved with the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. He often wrote for the Law Gazette. In 1988, he received an Air Canada Heart of Gold award. In 1993, he was granted a special coat-of-arms from the Canadian Governor-General's office.

Did David Tsubouchi Act?

Yes, David Tsubouchi had a brief career as an actor. He appeared in a small role in the 1983 movie Videodrome. He also appeared in episodes of TV shows like Bizarre and SCTV.

Political Career

Serving Markham as a City Councillor

David Tsubouchi began his political career in Markham. He was elected as a city councillor for ward 5. He served in this role from 1988 to 1994.

Becoming a Provincial Politician

In the provincial election of 1995, David Tsubouchi ran for the Progressive Conservatives. He won the election in the Markham area by a large number of votes. The Progressive Conservatives won the election and formed the government.

On June 26, 1995, he was appointed as the Minister of Community and Social Services. In this job, he was in charge of changes to the province's social support programs. He worked to find ways for people to manage their finances. For example, he suggested ways people could save money on food. He also created a sample food list to help people plan their meals.

On August 16, 1996, he became the Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations. This role was less eventful.

Re-election and New Roles

David Tsubouchi was easily re-elected in the provincial election of 1999. He won against his opponent by over 13,000 votes.

On June 17, 1999, he was appointed as the province's Solicitor-General. This role involves overseeing law enforcement and public safety. He held this position until February 8, 2001. Then, he was named Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet. This role involves managing the government's operations and budget.

In 2002, David Tsubouchi supported Ernie Eves to become the new leader of the Progressive Conservative party. When Ernie Eves became Premier, he kept David Tsubouchi as Chair of the Management Board. He also made him Minister of Culture on April 15, 2002.

In the provincial election of 2003, David Tsubouchi lost his seat. He was defeated by the Liberal candidate Tony Wong. After leaving provincial politics, he continued to be involved in his party. In 2004, he supported John Tory in his successful bid to become the party leader.

Cabinet Positions Held

Life After Politics

After his time in provincial politics, David Tsubouchi continued his career as a lawyer. He worked as an associate counsel at the law firm Miller Thomson LLP. He also founded and became chairman of Deduce International Markets Inc.

In 2007, he was honored as a Knight in The Equestrian, Secular and Chapterial Order of Saint Joachim. This is a special award.

More recently, David Tsubouchi worked as a partner at the law firm Fogler, Rubinoff LLP. On September 9, 2013, he was appointed to lead the Ontario College of Trades. In 2013, he also published a book about his career called Gambatte.