Robert B. Oliphant[1] PC MP (born June 7, 1956) is a Canadian politician and a United Church minister.
Oliphant lives in Sherwood Park, Toronto with his husband, Marco A. Fiola, the principal of York University - Glendon Campus.
Oliphant served as the president and CEO of the Asthma Society of Canada from 2011 to 2015, before being re-elected to the House of Commons as the representative for Don Valley West in the 2015 federal election.
In anticipation of a federal election in 1978, Oliphant was part of a group of young Liberals who trained in tour operations for Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.
In December 2006, columnist Michael Valpy mentioned Oliphant's name as a possible contender for the federal Liberal nomination for Toronto Centre should Bill Graham decide not to seek re-election.
In January 2008, Oliphant sought the federal Liberal nomination of Don Valley West after John Godfrey announced his retirement.
[4] Others interested in the nomination included former Liberal MP Sarmite Bulte,[5][6] prominent constitutional expert Deborah Coyne, local imam Abdul Ingar, and Jonathan Mousley.
[7] During the nomination process, Coyne accused Oliphant and Bulte supporters of signing up members who hadn't paid a membership fee, a violation of party rules.
On September 7, 2010, in announcing the team of Opposition Critics, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff named Oliphant to the Multiculturalism post.
In May 2016, Rob rose in the House of Commons to co-sponsor Bill C-233, an Act respecting a national strategy for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, at second reading.
The Liberal government put $50 million over 10 years towards the strategy to fund awareness, research, and care and support for patients, families and caregivers all living with the challenges of dementia.
This novel PMB was not supported by the government but passed successfully during its third reading due to Liberal backbenchers voting against Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould's suggested amendments, which would have limited the scope of the bill.