Contributor Biography
Born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, Senator Campbell became a steelworker in Hamilton in the 1960s. In his first career move, he joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and was transferred to Vancouver in 1969, later joining the RCMP drug squad in 1973.
With more than twelve years' experience with the RCMP, Senator Campbell transitioned into death investigation, establishing Vancouver’s first District Coroner’s Office in 1981 and becoming the Chief Coroner for British Columbia in 1996. In this capacity, he became the inspiration behind the popular CBC drama Da Vinci’s Inquest, as well as its spin-off, Da Vinci’s City Hall. He was intimately involved with the television programs, writing and collaborating on scripts for the series.
A huge proponent of the Four Pillars approach to ending drug abuse, Senator Campbell ran for Mayor when he felt this strategy was being neglected. In 2002 he was elected by the citizens of Vancouver under the banner of the Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) in what was a landslide election. Carrying on the legacy of his predecessor Philip Owen, Senator Campbell spearheaded the approval and establishment of North America’s first legal safe injection site and continued to champion the Four Pillars Drug strategy. In addition to drug and crime prevention, he was also instrumental in the successful Vancouver bid to host the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In August 2005, Senator Campbell was summoned to the Senate of Canada by Prime Minister Paul Martin. As a Senator, Campbell has continued his work on drug policy, mental health, and aboriginal issues.
He is currently a member of the Senate Standing Committees on Aboriginal Peoples and Legal and Constitutional Affairs. In addition, he is a member of the Liberal Urban Caucus and continues to work as an advocate for Canadian municipalities.
Senator Campbell holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from City University in Vancouver.
