KELLEY OUT, KELLEY IN
Son wants to replace retiring MNA
QUEBEC Greg Kelley, son of Native Affairs Minister Geoffrey Kelley, says he wants to follow in his dad’s footsteps and become the MNA for the West Island riding of JacquesCartier.
On the same day as his father announced he will not seek another mandate after a quarter century of public life, Greg Kelley made his intentions known to the Montreal Gazette.
“Yes, I would like to run in Jacques-Cartier for the Liberal Party,” he said in an email. “It would be an honour and a privilege to represent the citizens of the riding in the National Assembly.”
Gregory Kelley, 32, is one of Geoffrey Kelley’s five children. No stranger to the Quebec political scene, he works in the legislature for Kathleen Weil, minister for Democratic Institutions and relations with the English-speaking community.
The Kelley family is well known in the West Island and in Liberal circles. Fred Kelley, Greg Kelley’s grandfather, was a party stalwart and legendary fundraiser for many years in the West Island.
Former Liberal leader Jean Charest attended Fred Kelley ’s funeral out of respect.
“I grew up in the riding and there is such a great community spirit,” Greg Kelley said. “Everyone helps a neighbour in times of need and we pull together to help each other out.”
Greg said he intends to speak to the party in the coming days about becoming a candidate. Jacques- Cartier is one of the safest Liberal seats in Quebec.
Greg Kelley has a BA in history and political science from McGill and a master’s degree in public administration from Queen’s University.
His father, Geoff Kelley, made his retirement from provincial politics official on Monday.
“It’s a very emotional day, but you come to a point in your life when you say, ‘I think I’ve made a significant contribution, I think it takes some new energy,’ ” he told a gathering at Centennial Hall in Beaconsfield.
“I’ve loved every moment. It’s been a great honour to represent the citizens of Jacques-Cartier riding,” the 63-year-old said.
Geoff was first elected in 1994 and has been re-elected six times.
“It’s not that I’m going to abandon things that are dear to my heart, and I’ll continue to be involved in my community and I’ll continue to work with Indigenous peoples and advance things that are important to them, but after 24 years as an MNA and four years before that as a political staffer, I think the commuting to Quebec City is over.”
Kelley said he is proud of the “team work” he has done for his West Island constituents and the Indigenous peoples of Quebec.
Although the Liberals are trailing the Coalition Avenir Québec in the polls as the province moves toward an Oct. 1 election, Geoff Kelley noted the sovereignty question is no longer on the front burner of Quebec politics.
“I’m confident moving forward. As I say, (separatism will) never go away, so I never want to say that it’s dead because I think that’s a dangerous kind of conclusion. But I think people understand it’s a much more complex world, with the internet, with free trade, and all sorts of things — and being part of a larger body is the way of the future for Quebec society,” he said.
“One of the things that motivated me from the get-go is I’m a proud federalist and a proud Canadian. I see no contradiction between being a proud Quebecer and a proud Canadian. There will always be nationalist fibre in Quebec, so we have to be very respectful of that. But, yes, I think people see the advantages of the Canadian federation.”
Geoff, accompanied by his wife, Judy Harper, and five children, praised his family for their unconditional love and support. Choking back tears, he called his wife “the best soulmate one could ever find for the journey of a lifetime.”
He also reflected on the increasingly partisan and disrespectful tone of modern politics.
“For our system to work ... we need a civil tone to our debates. There’s no place for name-calling and excessive partisanship. You can disagree with me and that is fine. But I think there is a basic respect we need for our democracy to work.
“Secondly, we need to respect opinions that are different from our own. Too often we adopt a ‘my way or the highway’ approach to debates.”
Geoff Kelley, who doesn’t drive, said he won’t miss travelling to Quebec City 40 times a year.
He plans to spend more time with his grandchildren.