David McKenzie Staines, CM OOnt (born August 8, 1946) is a Canadian literary critic, university professor, writer, and editor.
In his studies of medieval literature Staines has examined the evolution of romance traditions, which resulted in a landmark new translation of the classic tales of Chrétien de Troyes: The Complete Romances of Chrétien de Troyes (1990).
He has published a number of major essay collections, including The Canadian Imagination (1977), a book that introduced Canadian literature and literary criticism to an American audience, as well as studies on Morley Callaghan and Stephen Leacock.
[1] Staines was awarded the Royal Society of Canada's Lorne Pierce Medal in 1998.
In 2011, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada "for his contributions as a champion of Canadian literature and mentor to young writers.