Mario Silva is a former Member of Parliament and Toronto city councilor who holds a PhD in International Law with expertise in human rights, privacy, and security. He has published four books and over 10 articles in international legal journals. His career as an elected official began in 1994 as Toronto city councilor, and in 2004 Silva was elected a member of parliament. For his dedication and contributions, Silva has been awarded the Order of Merit of Portugal, the Order of Rio Branco from Brazil and Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur from France. In 2013, the Government of Canada appointed him as the 2013 Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, and inter-governmental organization comprised of 31 member states.