Donna Dasko

Distinguished Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy
Donna Dasko

Biography

Main bio

Donna Dasko was appointed to the Senate of Canada by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on June 6, 2018. 

Dasko is a respected national pollster, media commentator, and private sector business leader with considerable public policy experience. She holds a Ph.D. and MA from the University of Toronto. 

Senator Dasko was formerly Senior Vice-President of Environics Research Group Ltd, and built the firm from a small consultancy into one of Canada’s leading research firms.  

Dasko served in many leadership roles as Director or Chair of several organizations including the United Way of Greater Toronto, the Canadian Unity Council, GreenPac, St Stephen’s Community House and others. For three decades, she has advocated for more women in elected politics, as Co-founder and National Chair of Equal Voice, and now in the Senate where she continues her advocacy.  

Dasko is a Distinguished Fellow at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and taught in its Master’s program before her Senate appointment. She is a member of Statistics Canada’s Advisory Committee on Social Conditions. 

Senator Dasko was born and raised in Winnipeg. She resides in Toronto and represents Ontario in the Senate. 

Updated July 2023