Don Meredith (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Don Meredith
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Meredith during his unsuccessful 2008 campaign
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| Senator for Ontario | |
| In office 18 December 2010 – 10 May 2017 |
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| Nominated by | Stephen Harper |
| Appointed by | David Johnston |
| Preceded by | Peter Stollery |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 July 1964 Saint Ann, Jamaica |
| Political party | Non-affiliated |
| Other political affiliations |
Conservative (2010-2015) Non-affiliated (2015-2017) |
| Residence | Richmond Hill, Ontario |
Donald Meredith (born 13 July 1964) is a Canadian Pentecostal minister and former politician. He was appointed to the Senate of Canada on 18 December 2010. He served as a Senator for Ontario.
In 2015, he was removed from the Conservative group of senators. This happened after concerns were raised about his conduct. In 2017, the Senate ethics office found that he had broken rules about how senators should behave. The Senate Ethics Committee suggested that he should be removed from the Senate. Don Meredith announced his resignation on 9 May 2017, just before a vote could happen. His resignation became official the next day.
Meredith also ran as a candidate for the Conservative Party of Canada in a special election in Toronto Centre in 2008. He received 12.5% of the votes. He finished fourth in that election.
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Early Life and Community Work
Don Meredith was born and grew up in Jamaica. He moved to Canada in the early 1980s and became a Canadian citizen. He attended Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. While he was a student, he started a landscaping business called Donscape Landscaping Services around 1994. He still owns and runs this business.
Meredith became a minister in 2006. He is a volunteer senior pastor at the Pentecostal Praise Centre in Maple, Ontario. This is near Richmond Hill, Ontario, where he lives now. Meredith has been involved in several police advisory groups. He was a member of the Chief's Advisory Council for the Toronto Police Services. He also served on the York Regional Police Police Community Advisory Council from 2004 to 2012. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Consultative Committee starting in 2005. He was also a co-chair of the Black Community Police Consultative Committee. This group advises the police on different community issues.
Political Beginnings
In December 2007, the Conservative Party of Canada chose Don Meredith as their candidate. He ran in a special election for the Toronto Centre area in downtown Toronto. This election took place on March 17, 2008. Meredith won the Conservative nomination without anyone else running against him.
In the by-election, Meredith finished fourth. He received 12.5% of the votes. This was less than the Conservative candidate had received in the 2006 federal election. It was also less than the Conservative candidate would receive in the federal election held seven months later.
Meredith is known for his traditional views on social issues. He has spoken about the importance of marriage. He supported a bill by New Democratic Party (NDP) Member of Parliament (MP) Bill Siksay. This bill aimed to protect people from hate speech based on their gender identity. It also allowed judges to consider if crimes were motivated by hatred towards transgender or transsexual people.
Time as a Senator
Don Meredith became a Senator in Canada on 18 December 2010. He was appointed by Prime Minister Harper. He joined the Conservative group in the Senate.
In September 2012, Meredith faced criticism for attending a cultural event. This event was held at Carleton University and organized by the Iranian embassy. At that time, the Canadian government was asking people to avoid contact with Iran. Despite this, Meredith traveled to Iran in 2012. He tried to make business deals with the government there.
In 2014, he attended the National Prayer Breakfast in the United States. This event is for important religious and political leaders. Meredith paid for his first-class trip and his wife's trip using Senate funds. He also expensed their hotel costs. He was later required to pay back these expenses.
Concerns and Resignation
Concerns about Don Meredith's workplace conduct in his office first came up in 2013. In 2015, an outside company was hired to investigate these concerns. This investigation looked into allegations of inappropriate behavior from several women. These women included former staff members and other Senate employees.
Don Meredith was removed from the Conservative group of senators on 17 June 2015. This happened after allegations about his conduct with a young woman. The Senate ethics office paused its investigation while police looked into the matter. The young woman decided not to press criminal charges. The Senate ethics investigation then continued in February 2016. In March 2017, the office found him responsible for ethics violations.
Meredith apologized for his actions. He took sick leave but refused to step down from his position. He claimed he was a victim of racism in this situation. His first lawyer suggested that he was being unfairly portrayed. However, his new lawyer believed that focusing on race would not help his defense. Despite many calls for him to resign, his lawyer suggested a suspension without pay instead.
On 9 May 2017, Don Meredith announced he would resign from the Senate. This announcement came shortly after the Senate Ethics Committee made a strong statement. They found that his behavior showed he was "unfit to serve as a senator." They said he had misused his position of power and trust. The committee believed that only expulsion would fix the harm he had caused to the Senate.
The Senate had never expelled a member before. However, the Ethics Committee believed the Constitution allowed them to do so. If Meredith had not agreed to resign, it was very likely that his former colleagues would have voted to remove him. In his resignation letter, he stated that the idea of expulsion would have big effects on the Senate. He said he would not get involved in a "constitutional fight." His resignation became official on 10 May 2017. By resigning, he kept his eligibility for a parliamentary pension.
In June 2019, the Senate Ethics Officer's report was published. It concluded that Meredith's behavior was inappropriate. In June 2020, the Senate formally apologized to the people affected by Meredith's actions. In September 2020, the Senate authorized financial payments for nine of Meredith's former employees. The total amount paid was $498,000.
Qualifications and Awards
Don Meredith has claimed an honorary degree from a Christian counseling association. This association is not a recognized degree-granting school. He used to call himself "The Honourable Dr. Don Meredith." He stopped using "Dr." after his qualifications were questioned. Meredith also claimed to have earned bachelor's and master's degrees in religious studies. These were from a school that is not officially recognized or regulated.
In 2006, Meredith received an Urban Leadership Award. This was from the Canadian Urban Institute. He was recognized for speaking out against crime and for a fair society. In 2008, he received the Toronto Police Service 13 Division Community Service Award. In 2012, he received the Nelson Mandela Humanitarian Award and the BBPA Youth Advocacy Award.
Images for kids
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Meredith during his unsuccessful 2008 campaign
