David Pratt (politician)

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David Pratt is a Canadian politician and public affairs consultant who was active at both the municipal and federal levels, and later worked in humanitarian and government relations roles.

Early life and municipal career
Born on January 3, 1955, in Ottawa, Pratt entered public life on the Nepean City Council in 1988. He was reelected in 1991 and became a member of the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Municipality Council. In 1994 he was acclaimed in the municipal election. On Nepean Council he served as Deputy Mayor and led Public Works and Parks and Recreation. On Regional Council he focused on transportation and the environment and served on the Police Services Board and the OC Transpo Commission. He also contributed to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, working on community safety, crime prevention, district energy, and Africa development programs.

Federal politics and defence ministry
Pratt was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament for Nepean–Carleton in 1997 and served until 2004. He became Minister of National Defence in December 2003 and served until July 2004. In that role he supported several major procurement projects, including the Maritime Helicopter Program to replace the Sea King fleet, the M1128 Mobile Gun System (which was later canceled), and a new fixed-wing search-and-rescue aircraft. He also secured approval for the Joint Support Ship program to provide new navy supply vessels. As a local Ottawa cabinet minister in 2004, he helped push about $600 million for a planned light rail transit system, a project that faced delays and was ultimately opened in segments many years later.

During his time as chair of the Commons Defence Committee, Pratt advocated for higher military spending and called for regular reviews of Canada’s foreign and defence policy. He helped promote a bipartisan approach to defence issues and declared a Canadian Forces Day in Parliament. He authored policy papers on security and defense matters and sponsored discussions on Canada’s defense readiness.

International and security work
Pratt served as a Special Envoy to Sierra Leone in 1999, advising Foreign Affairs ministers and visiting the country during its conflict. He produced reports urging more Canadian aid and involvement to support peace and stability in the region and raised questions about accountability for war crimes.

Other achievements
He introduced early legislation to certify diamonds under the Kimberley Process to prevent blood diamonds from entering the market and to protect Canada's diamond industry. Pratt also completed a demanding four-day, 160-kilometre march with the Canadian Forces in 2003, highlighting his interest in fitness and support for the military.

Later career and public service
In the 2004 federal election Pratt lost his seat to Pierre Poilievre, which ended his term as Defence Minister. He then joined the Canadian Red Cross as a Special Advisor, focusing on conflict prevention, small arms control, and humanitarian law. He contributed to Red Cross relief efforts after the 2004 Southeast Asia tsunami and helped lead reforms to strengthen cooperation between the Red Cross and government authorities.

In 2008 Pratt ran for the Ottawa West–Nepean riding but was defeated by John Baird. From 2009 to 2010 he worked in Baghdad for USAID’s Iraq Legislative Strengthening Program, helping train newly elected Iraqi MPs and providing guidance on parliamentary committees and ethics.

Since 2011 Pratt has worked in public affairs and government relations. He held the position of Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at GCI Canada before starting his own firm, David Pratt & Associates, in 2012. His clients have included defense and security companies, and he has been involved with the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute as a Senior Fellow. He is an honorary member of the Royal Military College of Canada and has served on the board of Serenity House, a substance abuse treatment center.

Honors and current roles
Pratt was inducted into the Order of St George in 2014. He has served as the Honorary Consul in Ottawa for the Government of Sierra Leone since 2014. He has written and spoken on defense and security topics, including appearances at the Oxford Union in 2018 and various papers on strategic issues. He has continued to publish on topics related to international security and Canada's role in global affairs.