He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 2014, representing the riding of Durham for the Progressive Conservative Party.

[citation needed] He was born in Peterborough, Ontario, and has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto.

With his English-born late wife, Molly (Hall),[2][3] his son is politician Erin O'Toole, former leader of the Conservative Party, who was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in a by-election on November 26, 2012, to represent the federal riding of Durham.

[6] He was appointed as parliamentary assistant to several ministers including Consumer and Commercial Relations, Finance, and Health and Long-Term Care.

[10] On May 12, 2003, O'Toole was caught on camera in the Ontario Legislature making a middle-finger gesture at NDP House Leader Peter Kormos.

He initially denied what he did to media, only to apologize minutes later after he learned it was caught on the legislature video broadcast feed.