He has also held positions with Industrial Life Technical Services, John Labatt, Ltd., and Ogilvie Mills, Ltd. Smith considered running for leader of the then new Conservative Party of Canada in 2004 and was widely reported by Canadian press at the time to be on the verge of entering the race before finally declaring he would not be a candidate.

[4] On December 18, 2010, Smith was summoned to the Canadian Senate on the advice of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and sat as a Conservative.

Following his appointment to the Senate, Smith announced his intention to seek the nomination to run as a Conservative candidate in Lac-Saint-Louis in the next federal election.

[7] Smith was defeated in his attempt to enter Parliament, placing third behind the incumbent Liberal MP and the NDP candidate, and it was announced on May 18, 2011, he would be re-appointed to the Senate.

One of his sons, Bradley, is a former receiver for the Toronto Argonauts and the Edmonton Eskimos, and the first Bachelor Canada, while his daughter, Ashley, was formerly married to CFL placekicker and punter Damon Duval.