Donald Oliver facts for kids

Donald H. Oliver is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He was born on November 16, 1938. He served in the Senate of Canada from 1990 to 2013. A Senator is like a lawmaker who helps review and improve bills before they become laws. Mr. Oliver was the first Black man to be a Senator in Canada. He was also the second Black Canadian ever appointed to the Senate.

Donald Oliver is part of the Black Nova Scotian community. His family has roots from African-American people who came to Canada after the War of 1812. His grandfather, William A. White, moved to Canada from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1900. Donald Oliver has famous relatives, including opera singer Portia White and politicians Bill White and Jack White.

Early Life and Learning

Donald Oliver was born in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. His parents were Helena Isabella (White) and Clifford Harlock Oliver. He grew up with four brothers and sisters. His grandfather, William A. White, became a Baptist minister. His grandmother, Izie Dora White, was born in Nova Scotia. Her family came from Black refugees who settled in Canada.

Donald Oliver went to local schools. Then he studied philosophy at Acadia University. He graduated in 1960. After that, he went to law school at Dalhousie University. He became a lawyer in 1965.

His Career Before Politics

Before becoming a Senator, Donald Oliver worked as a lawyer. He practiced law in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for 36 years. He mainly worked on civil litigation cases. This means he helped people solve legal problems that were not about crimes.

He also taught law at Dalhousie University Law School for 14 years. He taught law at other universities too. These included the Technical University of Nova Scotia and Saint Mary's University. He holds the title of King's Counsel, which is a special honour for experienced lawyers.

Getting Involved in Politics

Donald Oliver was very active in the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. This is a political party in Canada. He helped the party with legal matters during six federal elections. This was from 1972 to 1988. He also served as a vice-president for the party. He helped with fundraising for the party as well.

He was also involved with the Progressive Conservative Party in Nova Scotia. He helped with their constitution and finances.

Serving in the Senate

Donald Oliver became a Senator on September 7, 1990. He was chosen by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. As a Senator, he worked on many important issues.

He was part of several Senate committees. These committees study different topics and make recommendations.

• He was on the committee for Banking, Trade and Commerce.
• He chaired the committees for Transport and Communications.
• He also chaired the committee for Agriculture and Forestry.

Senator Oliver also helped create a special code of conduct for politicians. He worked on new laws to help people. For example, he worked on a law to deal with spam emails. He also worked on a law to change rules about stalking.

On March 4, 2010, he became the Speaker pro tempore of the Senate. This means he could lead Senate meetings when the main Speaker was not there. Donald Oliver retired from the Senate on November 16, 2013. This was when he turned 75 years old.

Donald Oliver also helped his community a lot.

• He was the President of the Halifax Children's Aid Society.
• He led the Neptune Theatre Foundation.
• He was a founding director of the Black United Front.
• He helped start the Society for the Protection and Preservation of Black Culture in Nova Scotia.

Special Awards and Honours

Donald Oliver has received special awards for his work.

• On December 28, 2019, he was made a member of the Order of Canada. This is one of Canada's highest honours.
• In 2020, he was appointed to the Order of Nova Scotia. This is the highest honour given by the province of Nova Scotia.

Life Outside of Work

Donald Oliver is married and has one daughter. When he is not in Ottawa, he lives on his farm in Queens County, Nova Scotia. He is also an honorary patron for Crossroads International. This group helps people in other countries. In 1962, he volunteered with Crossroads International in Ethiopia. He has said this experience changed his life.