Senator Downe was appointed to the Senate of Canada on June 26, 2003 and lives in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. He is the first graduate of the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) to serve in the Parliament of Canada.

Present Member of:

• Vice-Chair of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association
• Vice-Chair on the Board of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and IMF
• Chair of the Canada-United Arab Emirates Parliamentary Friendship Group
• Liaison of the Canadian Senators Group

Formerly a Member of:

• Inaugural National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians
• Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Vice Chair)
• Standing Senate Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
• Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament (Joint Chair)
• Standing Committee on National Finance
• Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
• Standing Committee on Rules, Rights and Procedures of Parliament

Previous Career:

• Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Canada
• Director of Appointments, Office of the Prime Minister
• Executive Assistant to the Minister of Labour
• Executive Assistant to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
• Executive Assistant to the Secretary of State, Veterans Affairs and ACOA
• Executive Assistant to the Premier of Prince Edward Island