James Russell Keays was a Progressive Conservative party

Progressive Conservative Party of Canada

The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....

 member of the Canadian House of Commons

Canadian House of Commons

The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...

. Born in Newport, Quebec

Newport, Quebec

Newport is a township of 700 people in Le Haut-Saint-François Regional County Municipality, in Quebec, Canada. Newport is also called "Island Brook"....

, he was an industrialist and manufacturer by career.

Commonly known as Russell Keays, he attained a Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

 at Saint Joseph's University

Saint Joseph's University

Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...

. In 1949, he became mayor of Gaspé, Quebec

Gaspé, Quebec

Gaspé is a city at the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula in the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine region of eastern Quebec, Canada. As of the 2006 census, the city had a total population of 14,819....

 and held that post until at least 1960. He also founded La Cie de Bois de Baie Sud (South Bay Lumber) in the Gaspé region which today is known as KEGA.

He was first elected at the Îles-de-la-Madeleine

Îles-de-la-Madeleine (electoral district)

Îles-de-la-Madeleine was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1949 to 1968.This riding was created in 1947] from Gaspé riding. It consisted of the county of Iles-de-la-Madeleine...

 riding in the 1958 general election

Canadian federal election, 1958

The Canadian federal election of 1958 was the 24th general election in Canada's history. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 24th Parliament of Canada on March 31, 1958, just nine months after the 23rd election...

. After a term in Parliament, Keays was defeated in the 1962 federal election

Canadian federal election, 1962

The Canadian federal election of 1962 was held on June 18, 1962 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 25th Parliament of Canada...

 at Îles-de-la-Madeleine by Maurice Sauvé

Maurice Sauvé

The Honourable Maurice Sauvé, PC, CC was a Canadian economist, politician, cabinet minister, businessman, and husband of Jeanne Sauvé, 23rd Governor General of Canada....

 of the Liberal party

Liberal Party of Canada

The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...

. In the 1965 election

Canadian federal election, 1965

The Canadian federal election of 1965 was held on November 8 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 27th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson was re-elected with a larger number of seats in the House...

, Keays won the Gaspé riding

Gaspé (electoral district)

Gaspé was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1997.It was created by the British North America Act of 1867...

 and returned to Parliament, but was again defeated in the following election in 1968

Canadian federal election, 1968

The Canadian federal election of 1968 was held on June 25, 1968, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 28th Parliament of Canada...

 by Alexandre Cyr

Alexandre Cyr

Alexandre Cyr was a Liberal party member of the Canadian House of Commons. He was born in Chandler, Quebec and his career included several positions including businessman, executive, accountant, public servant, secretary and secretary-treasurer.Cyr was first elected at the Gaspé electoral district...

 of the Liberal party

Liberal Party of Canada

The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...

.

Keays did not seek any further re-election after that, but remained active within the Progressive Conservative party. He was part of a campaign team for Charles-Eugène Marin

Charles-Eugène Marin

Charles-Eugène Marin was a member of the Canadian House of Commons. He was a physician and psychiatrist by career....

 for the 1984 federal election

Canadian federal election, 1984

The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...

. However, he and three other campaigners were fined for Canada Elections Act

Canada Elections Act

Canada Elections Act is an Act of the Parliament of Canada respecting the election of members of parliament to the Canadian House of Commons, repealing other Acts relating to elections and making consequential amendments to other Acts....

infractions in April 1986 for hiring scrutineers outside the purview of Marin's official agent.

External links