Ken Keyes (politician)
Encyclopedia
Kenneth A. Keyes is a former politician in Ontario, Canada
. He was a Liberal
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1985 to 1990, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson
.
Keyes was educated at Toronto Teacher's College, Queen's University and the University of Ottawa
, receiving a Master's Degree
in Education. He was a teacher and principal in Frontenac County
for thirty-seven years. Keyes served as an alderman in Kingston
for twelve years, was deputy mayor for five years, and served two terms as the mayor of Kingston.
He first ran for the Ontario legislature in the 1971 provincial election
, but lost to Progressive Conservative
W.J. Nuttall by fewer than 2,000 votes in the constituency of Frontenac—Addington
. He contested Kingston
in the 1975 election
, but lost to Progressive Conservative Keith Norton
by 203 votes.
He was first elected to the legislature in the 1985 election
, defeating Norton by 2,287 votes in the renamed riding of Kingston and the Islands
. The Liberals formed a minority government
under David Peterson after this election, and Keyes was appointed to cabinet as Minister of Correctional Services and Solicitor General on June 26, 1985.
In late 1986, Keyes became involved in a political controversy after being caught sharing an alcoholic drink with police officers on a police boat in the Kingston area. He stepped down as Solicitor General on December 3, 1986 while the matter was investigated by Toronto police, and was re-instated on January 9, 1987. On another occasion, he provoked controversy by suggesting that some police services in Ontario were using hollow-tipped bullets, contrary to provincial law.
Keyes was easily re-elected over NDP challenger Gary Wilson
in the 1987 provincial election
, but was dropped from cabinet after the election and served as a backbencher in the parliament that followed.
The Liberals were unexpectedly defeated by the NDP in the 1990 provincial election
, and Keyes lost his seat to Wilson by 2,092 votes. He has not sought a return to the legislature since this time.
Keyes supported fellow Kingstonian John Gerretsen
's bid to lead the Ontario Liberal Party in 1996, and moved to Joseph Cordiano
's camp when Gerretsen was eliminated after the second ballot. When Cordiano was also eliminated, Keyes supported the victorious candidate, Dalton McGuinty
(Kingston Whig-Standard, 2 December 1996).
Keyes remains active in the Kingston area. In 1998, he chaired the International Plowing Match and Farm Machinery Show in the neighbouring riding of Hastings—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was a Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
from 1985 to 1990, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson
David Peterson
David Robert Peterson, PC, O.Ont was the 20th Premier of the Province of Ontario, Canada, from June 26, 1985 to October 1, 1990. He was the first Liberal premier of Ontario in 42 years....
.
Keyes was educated at Toronto Teacher's College, Queen's University and the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
, receiving a Master's Degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Education. He was a teacher and principal in Frontenac County
Frontenac County, Ontario
Frontenac County, as defined by Statistics Canada, is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario. The City of Kingston is included in the census division, but is politically separated from the County of Frontenac. It has a land...
for thirty-seven years. Keyes served as an alderman in Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
for twelve years, was deputy mayor for five years, and served two terms as the mayor of Kingston.
He first ran for the Ontario legislature in the 1971 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1971
The Ontario general election of 1971 was held on October 21, 1971, to elect the 117 members of the 29th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, but lost to Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
W.J. Nuttall by fewer than 2,000 votes in the constituency of Frontenac—Addington
Frontenac—Addington
Frontenac—Addington was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1953. It was located in the province of Ontario...
. He contested Kingston
Kingston (electoral district)
Kingston was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1925 and from 1953 to 1968. It was located in the province of Ontario. It was created by the British North America Act of 1867, and initially consisted of the city of Kingston, Ontario...
in the 1975 election
Ontario general election, 1975
The Ontario general election of 1975 was held on September 18, 1975, to elect the 125 members of the 30th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, but lost to Progressive Conservative Keith Norton
Keith Norton
Keith Calder Norton was a Canadian politician and public servant. He served as a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1975 to 1985, and was until 2005 the chief commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission.-Education and early career:Norton was...
by 203 votes.
He was first elected to the legislature in the 1985 election
Ontario general election, 1985
The Ontario general election of 1985 was held on May 2, 1985, to elect members of the 33rd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada...
, defeating Norton by 2,287 votes in the renamed riding of Kingston and the Islands
Kingston and the Islands
Kingston and the Islands is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968....
. The Liberals formed a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
under David Peterson after this election, and Keyes was appointed to cabinet as Minister of Correctional Services and Solicitor General on June 26, 1985.
In late 1986, Keyes became involved in a political controversy after being caught sharing an alcoholic drink with police officers on a police boat in the Kingston area. He stepped down as Solicitor General on December 3, 1986 while the matter was investigated by Toronto police, and was re-instated on January 9, 1987. On another occasion, he provoked controversy by suggesting that some police services in Ontario were using hollow-tipped bullets, contrary to provincial law.
Keyes was easily re-elected over NDP challenger Gary Wilson
Gary Wilson (politician)
Gary Wilson is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1995.-Background:Wilson received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Laurentian University in 1969...
in the 1987 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1987
The Ontario general election of 1987 was held on September 10, 1987, to elect members of the 34th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.The governing Ontario Liberal Party, led by David Peterson, was returned to power with a large majority...
, but was dropped from cabinet after the election and served as a backbencher in the parliament that followed.
The Liberals were unexpectedly defeated by the NDP in the 1990 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1990
The Ontario general election of 1990 was held on September 6, 1990, to elect members of the 35th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada....
, and Keyes lost his seat to Wilson by 2,092 votes. He has not sought a return to the legislature since this time.
Keyes supported fellow Kingstonian John Gerretsen
John Gerretsen
John Philip Gerretsen is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and a Minister in the Cabinet of Premier Dalton McGuinty.-Early life:...
's bid to lead the Ontario Liberal Party in 1996, and moved to Joseph Cordiano
Joseph Cordiano
Joseph Cordiano is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was formerly a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and a cabinet minister in the government of Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty.-Early life:...
's camp when Gerretsen was eliminated after the second ballot. When Cordiano was also eliminated, Keyes supported the victorious candidate, Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
(Kingston Whig-Standard, 2 December 1996).
Keyes remains active in the Kingston area. In 1998, he chaired the International Plowing Match and Farm Machinery Show in the neighbouring riding of Hastings—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington
Hastings—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington
Hastings—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington was a federal and provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1984 to 2003, and in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1999 to 2007.-Description:...
.