Don Bell

Who is Don Bell?

Donald H. Bell, MP is a Canadian politician. He represented the riding of North Vancouver in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2008 as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. Before being elected, he was the mayor of the District of North Vancouver.

He was first elected as an alderman in North Vancouver in 1970, and again, topping the polls, in 1972 and 1974. He was elected mayor in 1976, 1978, and 1980. He then voluntarily returned to the private sector for 13 years. In the 1986 he revived his political career and was elected for three terms as a school trustee in 1986, 1988 and 1990, serving twice as school board chairman. He then returned to district council, being elected as a municipal councillor in 1993. In 1996 he returned full-time to the mayor's chair by acclamation, and was re-elected as mayor in 1999 and 2002.

During the 2004 federal election, and against most pundits' predictions, he federally won the North Vancouver riding for the Liberals in what had been a strong Conservative seat for 30 years. Bell defeated incumbent MP Ted White who had held the seat for the Reform, Alliance and Conservative parties since 1993. Bell was re-elected to office in the 2006 federal election.