Biography

Senator Leo Housakos was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2008. In 2014 he was elected Speaker pro tempore before being named Speaker of the Senate by Prime Minister Harper on May 4, 2015 with unanimous support from both the Government and Opposition Leaders in the Senate.

As Speaker, Senator Housakos met with several foreign heads of state, diplomats and dignitaries at home and abroad and he had the pleasure of speaking at the United Nations in New York City.

As Chair of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration, Senator Housakos was at the forefront of the Senate’s modernization in recent years. He is currently a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Chair of the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament.

One of his proudest achievements in the Senate, was the passing of a bill, of which he was the sponsor, calling for a national framework for post-traumatic stress disorder amongst first responders.

Over the years, Senator Housakos has and continues to spearhead efforts to raise funds and awareness for the Greek schools of Socrates and Demosthenes of Greater Montreal and for Giant Steps School and Resource Centre, which provides education and services for autistic children and their families.

Prior to his appointment to the Senate of Canada, Senator Housakos, a graduate of McGill University, enjoyed a successful career in business while engaging in public service through various functions including serving two terms as Vice-President of the Hellenic Congress of Quebec and as a founding member of the Hellenic Board of Trade of Metropolitain Montreal.

The senator’s passion for public policy and service was evident early in life when he became involved with the youth wing of the Progressive Conservative Party at the age of sixteen.  Following university he went on to work as a staffer in the Ministry of Multiculturalism with the Honourable Gerry Weiner before running as a candidate for the Canadian Alliance in the riding of Laval West in 2000. He then served as an advisor to the Mayor of Montreal between 2001 and 2002, demonstrating a well-balanced resume at all levels of public service in Canada.  

In 2018, Senator Housakos was invested as an Archon of the Greek Orthodox Church in recognition of his unwavering support of the church, his leadership within the Hellenic community and his work on behalf of all Canadians as a parliamentarian.

Senator Housakos’s greatest sources of pride and joy remain his wife Demi and their two sons, Peter and Tasso.