About David

David Tilson was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004. Prior to entering Parliament, Mr. Tilson enjoyed a distinguished career in law and provincial politics.

Mr. Tilson practiced law from 1970 to 1990 in Orangeville, Ontario. In 1982, he received the designation, Queen’s Council. Mr. Tilson served as a trustee on the Dufferin Board of Education and as Chair of the board’s Management Committee. He was also elected councilor for the Town of Orangeville and became Director of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.

In 1990, the people of Dufferin-Caledon elected Mr. Tilson to the Ontario Legislature. As a member of Ontario’s Provincial Parliament, Mr. Tilson served as Government Caucus Chair, Parliamentary Assistant to the Attorney General, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health, Special Commissioner to study rural health care, and Co-Chair of the Ontario Crime Control Commission.

After leaving provincial politics in 2002, Mr. Tilson served as Vice-Chair of the Ontario Municipal Board, a body that regulates development and planning.

Mr. Tilson returned to politics in the 2004 federal election, as a member of the newly formed Conservative Party of Canada team, where he was elected as a Member of Parliament in the 38th Parliament. During this time, Mr. Tilson served as the Acting Chair of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics.

Mr. Tilson was re-elected as Member of Parliament following the 2006 federal election. During this time, he was appointed Chair of the Legislative Committee on Bill C-2 (The Federal Accountability Act). The Act received Royal Assent on December 12, 2006. Mr. Tilson also served as the Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics and was a member of the Greater Toronto Area Caucus, the Ontario Caucus, and the newly formed Space Caucus. On March 11, 2008, Mr. Tilson was also elected, for the first time, the President of the all-party Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association.

On October 14, 2008, the people of Dufferin-Caledon re-elected Mr. Tilson to the 40th Parliament. Mr. Tilson served as the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration. He continued to be President of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, following his re-election on February 24, 2009. Mr. Tilson also remained a member of the Greater Toronto Area Caucus, the Ontario Caucus, and the Auto Caucus.

On May 2, 2011, Mr. Tilson was again returned to the House of Commons by the citizens of DufferinCaledon. Mr. Tilson was re-elected Chair of the Standing Committee on Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism, and continued to serve as President of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association.

On October 19, 2015, Mr. Tilson was once again elected to the House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for Dufferin-Caledon. He currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration and remains a member of the Ontario Caucus. He has also continued to be an active member of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, the Canada-United States Parliamentary Association, and has become a member of a number of parliamentary friendship groups.

Community involvement has always been important for Mr. Tilson and he remains a committed charter and life member and Past President of the Optimist Club of Orangeville. He was also one of the original founders of the 3rd Orangeville Boy Scouts, Big Brothers of Orangeville and District, as well as the Blue Box Program in Orangeville.

Mr. Tilson is the proud father of three children: Janet, Greg, and Riley. His wife, Judith Birchall, practices law in the Town of Orangeville.