Doug Downey

The Honourable Doug Downey MPP KC
Attorney General of Ontario
Incumbent
Assumed office June 20, 2019
Premier	Doug Ford
Preceded by	Caroline Mulroney
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament for Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte
Incumbent
Assumed office June 7, 2018
Preceded by	Riding established
Orillia City Councillor
In office 2000–2006
Personal details
Born	(1970-02-02) February 2, 1970
Political party	Progressive Conservative
Residence	Barrie, Ontario
Occupation	Lawyer

Douglas Richard Downey, KC is a Canadian politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario during the 2018 general election. He represents the riding of Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, and is a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. Downey was named Parliamentary Assistant to Finance Minister Vic Fedeli shortly after the government was sworn in. He was appointed to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on July 26, 2018, vice-chair of the Select Committee on Financial Transparency on October 3, 2018; deputy government whip on November 5, 2018 and Attorney General on June 20, 2019.

Background

Raised in Bond Head, Ontario, Downey received a bachelor's degree in political science from Wilfrid Laurier University, an M.A. specializing in judicial administration from Brock University, a law degree from Dalhousie University and a master of laws in municipal and development law through Osgoode Hall Law School. Downey practiced law as a certified specialist in real estate at nearby Orillia and served two terms on Orillia City Council. In 2007, he was appointed chair of the independent panel on the future of the Trent–Severn Waterway.

Law-related background

In 1994 Downey was a court registrar with the Ontario Court General Division, now the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Before that, he worked in family court administrations during the summers of 1992 and 1993. After attending law school at Dalhousie University, he articled with Crawford, McKenzie, McLean & Wilford at Orillia and was called to the bar in February 1999. He started his own law firm in 2001: Lewis, Downey, Tornosky & Lassaline, now Downey, Tornosky, Lassaline & Timpano Professional Corporation.

Downey has been very active in the Ontario Bar Association. He was elected secretary 2009-2010 and treasurer 2010-2014. He served on several committees and remained active up until his election as MPP in 2018. He was chair of communications for the Canadian Bar Association from 2013 to 2015. He attended the Uniform Law Conference of Canada and was part of a working group on commercial leasing until his election as an MPP in 2018.

He was a member of the Law Society of Ontario Certified Specialist Board and was active as a mentor and sat on several committees.

He was appointed by the provincial minister of government and consumer services as member of the panel on the regulation of home inspectors (2013); the provincial panel on business law reform (2015); and the Business Law Advisory Council (2016).

Downey also taught the law of contracts; property; torts; constitutional and Charter law for Laurentian University at Georgian College from 2005 to 2009.

Municipal background

Downey was elected to the Orillia City Council in 2000. He was re-elected in 2003 and served until 2006. He was elected to the Ontario Small Urban Municipalities Board from 2003 to 2006. He served on several boards and commissions, including finance, Downtown Orillia Management Board, Stephen Leacock Museum and the Orillia Opera House.

He was a member of a joint municipal election compliance committee for New Tecumseth, Essa, Adjala–Tosorontio, Innisfil, and Bradford West Gwillimbury from 2010 to 2018.

Electoral history

2022 Ontario general election: Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Doug Downey	16,631	42.10	−2.64
	Liberal	Jeff Lehman	16,335	41.35	+27.76
	New Democratic	Beverley Patchell	3,093	7.83	−20.38
	Green	Elyse Robinson	1,699	4.30	−7.42
	New Blue	Hayden Hughes	1,104	2.79
	Ontario Party	Gerry Auger	638	1.62
Total valid votes			39,500	100.0
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots			210
Turnout			39,710	46.75
Eligible voters			84,642
	Progressive Conservative hold		Swing		−15.20
Source(s) "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. Archived from the original on 2023-05-18. "Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. Archived from the original on 2023-05-21.