Last Update: October 21, 2009

About Barry

Barry Devolin, Member of Parliament

Barry Devolin was elected as the Conservative MP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock in June 2004 and re-elected in January 2006 and October 2008.

For the 40^th Parliament, Devolin has been appointed as the Assistant Deputy Chair of the Committees of the Whole.

During the 39th Parliament, Devolin chaired the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. He also sat on the Standing Committee for Immigration and Citizenship, and the Standing Committee for Agriculture and Agri-food. He also served as the Government Liaison with the Korean community in Canada, and Co-chair of the Canada Korean Inter-parliamentary Association.

During the 38th Parliament, Devolin served as Critic for the Minister of State for Human Resources and Skills Development. He also sat on the Standing Committee for Human Resources, Skills Development, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

From 2000 to 2004, Devolin ran a consulting business in Toronto specializing in strategic planning and communications. During the 1990’s, he served in a variety of senior political staff roles on Parliament Hill and at Queen’s Park.

From 1996-98, Devolin and his wife Ursula lived in South Korea where he taught English as a Second Language at the Busan University of Foreign Studies.

As a student, Devolin pursued an education in political science at Carleton University. In 1984, Devolin was selected as an undergraduate exchange student from Carleton University and spent a year at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Carleton University in 1986.

Devolin then stayed in New York, where he received a master’s degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1987. During this time, he taught undergraduate classes in American Government and the Legislative Process.

While in high school, Devolin was twice elected President of his Student’s Council, and was selected as a Rotary International Exchange Student and spent a year in the Netherlands in 1979-80.