Biography

The Honourable Colin Deacon’s entrepreneurial background provides a unique perspective in Canada’s Upper Chamber. This Nova Scotian has spent much of his career turning ideas into products and services sold globally.

In 2009, he founded BlueLight Analytics, a company in the restorative dentistry field. The company has successfully commercialized new technologies into dozens of countries and works with most of the major dental multinationals. Until 2006, he served as CEO of SpellRead, which improved reading skills among children and adults, and was one of Atlantic Canada’s fastest-growing companies. Senator Deacon has also contributed to the charitable sector in Halifax, where he has been an active member on the board of several organizations, including those dedicated to children’s health and well-being, mentorship, and celebrating social innovators. 

His career has focused on enabling collaboration between research and business, and Senator Deacon continues to be a strong advocate for knowledge mobilization. He was appointed to the Senate in June 2018 as an Independent Senator representing Nova Scotia.