Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley KCMG CB PC (May 8, 1818 – June 25, 1896) was a Canadian politician and one of the Fathers of Confederation.

As a result of the 1848 recession, caused in part by Britain's economic policies, he became an advocate for responsible government.

[4] He attended each of the Charlottetown, London, and Quebec City Conferences as a supporter of Canadian Confederation.

A common tale states that Tilley was the originator of the word "Dominion" in Canada's name.

During morning devotions, in St Andrew's in the backyard of his cousin, Dr Samuel Tilley GOVE, (the editor's great-great-grandfather, who also has the Psalter used by Tilley), before the two of them headed down the street to Church, Tilley read Psalm 72:8, which states "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth", and presented this inspiration to the others, being as their ambition was to stretch the new nation to the Pacific Ocean and from the St Lawrence River to the North Pole.

"Dominion" had been used before, but Tilley pushed hard for it to be adopted in reference to Canada, despite Macdonald's preference.

When Macdonald's Tories returned to power in 1878, Tilley was elected member for Saint John and again became minister of finance; while in that office he introduced protective tariffs which became the basis of Canadian financial policy.

On May 6, 1843, Tilley married Julia Ann Hanford in Saint John, New Brunswick; they had eight children.