I’m honoured to rise today to pay tribute to the late Mr. Andrew S. Brandt, who served as the Conservative MPP for the former riding of Sarnia, which later became the riding of Sarnia–Lambton, from 1981 to 1990. He was appointed the Minister of the Environment in 1983 and the Minister of Industry and Trade in 1985.

I’d also like to welcome Mr. Brandt’s family and friends who are here with us today and watching from home. I know the Speaker has mentioned your names, but it’s an honour to mention your names as well. We’re joined by his friends David Brown and Taylor Brown and former MPPs David Warner, Judy Marsales, Steve Gilchrist and Phil Gillies. Thank you all for being here.

Andrew S. Brandt, affectionately known by many as Andy, served in many elected roles over the decades of politics in the city of Sarnia. He was known as a leader, a negotiator, and was well-respected by his constituents and colleagues.

Before entering the stage of politics, Mr. Brandt owned a music shop, the Academy of Musical Arts, which gave him the opportunity to share his love of music and his own talents in playing many musical instruments.

Prior to his service in the Ontario Legislature, Mr. Brandt had already garnered a rich career in politics and public service. In 1971, he won his first campaign and was elected to the city of Sarnia council, where he served until 1975. He then went on to be elected as the mayor of Sarnia from 1975 until 1980, MPP for Sarnia from 1981 until 1990, interim leader of the Ontario PC Party from 1987 until 1990, and then head of the LCBO from 1991 until 2006.

Mr. Brandt was truly focused on building relationships, strengthening voices at all levels of government and staying true to one’s own morals and values. He rallied, during his years in municipal government, to raise issues that were important to his residents, who he always took time to connect with. He amplified their voices at many tables, including city council chambers, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, where he was the former vice-president, and as a member of the chamber of commerce.

His accomplishments made lasting impacts in Sarnia, including the approval of Highway 402, downtown rejuvenation and the establishment of the Sarnia Bay Marina, which was later renamed in his honour.

As a former MPP, Mr. Brandt pushed back against the federal government’s energy program, despite his party being largely in favour of it. He served as the Ontario PC Party interim leader during a difficult period and was credited with breathing new life into the party during his leadership.

Despite a tireless career in politics and community service, Mr. Brandt always approached absolutely everyone with a deep respect, no matter their challenges or their circumstances. He was admired for his calm nature, laid-back attitude and his jovial approach, including the many jokes he made to break the ice. Mr. Brandt was truly a dedicated representative, a man of community service and a dear friend to many.

He held several other prestigious roles, including head of the LCBO, as was mentioned, former president of the Kiwanis Club, former chairman of the United Appeal, over 20 years chairing the Lambton College Foundation and honorary member of Canada’s three armed forces. Every role was fulfilled with dedication, determination and the highest level of engagement.

I’m honoured to pay tribute to Mr. Andrew S. Brandt and all that he has done for Sarnia and the province of Ontario. I would like to thank Mr. Brandt’s wife, Patricia; his two daughters, Sheree and Lori; his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren all for sharing him with Sarnia and the province of Ontario. We all know that we’re not able to do this job without the loving support of our families, so a big thank you to them.

Mr. Brandt lives on in his immortalized words in Hansard and in the many results of the accomplishments and achievements he made throughout his political career. Most of all, he lives on in the lives and memories of his loving and proud family and all who had the pleasure of knowing him and sharing his vision, laughter and leadership.

It’s an honour today to pay tribute to Andrew S. Brandt—or Andy, as he preferred to be called—who served the people of Sarnia in these chambers from 1981 to 1990 in various roles.

Although I didn’t know Mr. Brandt personally, I’ve been told that he lived a life of service and leadership. He always strived to make a positive difference and left a lasting legacy.

Born in London, Ontario, in 1938, Mr. Brandt discovered his passion for music at an early age. He spent lots of time on the music scene and went on to become a professional accordion player. He was a man of many talents and his renowned band, Andy Brandt and the El Dorados, gained wide recognition in the community. He always wanted to promote the importance of music to our youth, so later he founded the Academy of Musical Arts, where he taught and inspired many aspiring musicians.

Mr. Brandt had a calling for public service, and prior to being elected as an MPP, he first served as an alderman and then as mayor from 1971 to 1980. Shortly after taking office as alderman, he said he wanted to be remembered as the man responsible for changing Sarnia’s direction. Accomplishments during this tenure included the approval for Highway 402 and working with private developers to rejuvenate the downtown core.

In 1981, he was elected as the MPP for Sarnia and joined the Progressive Conservative government of Bill Davis. During this time, he held various positions, including Minister of the Environment, industry and trade, and consumer and commercial relations. He was a strong advocate for his constituents and a respected voice in this Legislature.

Mr. Brandt then took on the tough task of being the interim leader of the Progressive Conservatives in 1987 after the party suffered a devastating defeat, something I can relate to. Andrew led the PCs through some of the toughest times in their party’s history and he brought new life to the Tories. What that tells me is, he was able to bring people together at a time when everything was there to drive them apart, that he had that special kind of talent to be able to do that. Now, it’s said he wasn’t shy when he got to the mike, and that’s what I’ve heard. But no matter what the crowd, he was always cheerful and got a laugh. It’s funny, I was talking to Sean Conway, another long-serving member in this Legislature here, and what Sean said is, he really could have been a stand-up comedian. Whenever a hospital was saying, “We want to do a fundraiser,” he said, “Get Andy Brandt.” So it says something.

After he served here at Queen’s Park—everybody loved him here—he became the chair of the LCBO. He was appointed under my colleagues here on my right-hand side, who are actually on the left, and then reappointed under Dalton McGuinty. That says something about the kind of person that he was, that he could bring people together, that he knew what he wanted to get done. He revitalized the LCBO. I mean, all of us remember writing down those numbers and getting the brown paper bags. Things changed. That’s a good thing.

He was a musician, a businessman, a mayor, a minister and a leader. And he brought integrity, compassion and vision to this Legislature. He’s left a lasting legacy here in Ontario and beyond. I know that he will be dearly missed by his family, his friends and colleagues, who will always remember his kindness, his humour and his wisdom.

To all of his family who are here today, thank you for sharing him with us. We all know this: Our families give a lot to this place. We appreciate that, and I’m sure that Andy appreciated that as well.

Thank you very much, Speaker.

I’ll now recognize the member for Ottawa South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If you seek it, you’ll find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance for the late Mr. Andrew S. Brandt, with five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group, five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s loyal opposition, and five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s government.

I recognize the member for Chatham-Kent–Leamington.

Today we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. Andrew S. Brandt, who was the MPP for Sarnia during the 32nd, 33rd and 34th Parliaments.

Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery are Mr. Brandt’s friends David Brown and Taylor Brown. Also in the Speaker’s gallery are David Warner, Speaker during the 35th Parliament; Steve Gilchrist, MPP for Scarborough East during the 36th and 37th Parliaments; Phil Gillies, MPP for Brantford during the 32nd and 33rd Parliaments; and Judy Marsales, MPP for Hamilton West during the 38th Parliament and chair of the Ontario Association of Former Parliamentarians. Welcome.

We’ll begin by recognizing the member for Hamilton Mountain.

It’s a great privilege to be able to stand here today. I only attended the visitation, the wake, in the last two or three weeks for Andrew S. Brandt. I never knew until his obituary what the S stood for: Steven. I asked many, many people, “What’s the S in Andrew S. Brant?” And no one could tell me. I always thought it was for “success,” but I found out it was Steven.

I’d like to welcome—he’s already been introduced, but I will be introducing a special guest from Sarnia–Lambton today in the Speaker’s gallery, Mr. Dave Brown, or “Brownie” as he’s known back in Sarnia; and his son, Taylor, from Toronto. Dave is a long-time friend of the former member that we’re honouring today. From time to time, each of us as members have the opportunity to stand in this place and speak about our former predecessors, colleagues and friends, and Andy was all three of those to me. It’s a chance to recognize our former members for carrying out the responsibility that we’re all sent here to do, and that is to best serve the people of our communities and the province based on our abilities and our talents and whatever else we can bring to this place in our own unique way.

Andy was known by many names back home: Action Andy, the Chairman—I think Brownie hung that on him—the Happy Warrior. Mayor Bradley referred to him as a Happy Warrior. I always think of Al Smith, mayor of New York, back in the 1930s. That was the way they referred to Al Smith, and Andy Brandt certainly was a happy warrior. He had many other endearing terms as well.

Andy was the perfect example of someone who did things his own way, in a unique way, and was deeply respected and liked by everyone who had the chance to work with him. I wanted to mention that the member from Ottawa South talked about playing the accordion. He certainly did. He came here from London. He always told me he was born on the other side of the tracks. I don’t know, but he came to Sarnia and was successful.

He started the Academy of Musical Arts. He sold all kinds of accordions, gave lessons to people. Later, when he was on council, he was up in the council chamber one day and he was going to do some accordion lessons later, and he remembered he hadn’t locked the car. He ran downstairs and he said, “I better go lock the car. I left an accordion in the backseat.” And much to his surprise, when he got down there, someone had placed two more accordions in the back seat of the car. So I don’t know whether that was a reflection on Andy’s musical ability or what people felt about accordions, but we’ll leave that to others to decide. I always laughed when he told me that joke—it might have been a story; you never knew with Andy.

He had a long, accomplished career, as others have talked about here, in politics and public service. I won’t go into all the detail, because you’ve all said it many times—the alderman, city of Sarnia mayor, MPP, cabinet minister, then the interim leader. It was a very tough time, as the member from Ottawa South knows, leading, I think, a moribund caucus at the time—16 members, if I remember right—in 1987.

He knew the challenges, serving both in government and opposition, of balancing local needs with provincial priorities, of dealing with personalities and personal agendas, of election victory and defeat.

As Andy always said, “I’ve won, and I’ve lost. Winning is far better.”

Yet, throughout it all—all the debates and the political rancour, the partisanship and posturing—Andy understood that relationships were the key to moving things forward to a better place.

Andy, as I said, had many nicknames over the years—the Happy Warrior, Action Andy, Mr. Chair—but to most of us back home, he was simply Andy.

I remember one campaign, probably the one that reduced the Conservatives to 16 seats, where he didn’t even put a PC logo on his election signs back home—all it was in big letters was “Andy,” and everybody knew who to vote for. They voted for Andy and re-elected him, when a lot of others went to be defeated around that time.

I also had the great pleasure of knowing Andy for many decades, working for him. He was there the night I got nominated. I remember it just like yesterday—sitting right in the front row, beside me. I ran kind of a—I didn’t think it was that great a campaign. I looked around at what the other people had—they had videos, they had this and they had that. Andy reached over and he said, “Don’t worry, Bob. You’ll work out”—and so it did; it worked out for me. And in every election since then, Andy has always been there to be the first person to call, give me advice, to let me know what we were doing wrong, what we were doing right.

He was very influential as the former mayor of Sarnia, helping build the petrochemical hub, and the redevelopment of Sarnia’s downtown.

As the MPP for Sarnia, he also used his persuasive nature to secure funding for the Sarnia Bay Marina, now known as the Andrew S. Brandt marina, and the long-overdue completion of the Highway 402 between London and the Blue Water Bridge.

As the Minister of the Environment, Andy creating the drinking water advisory board, a first-of-its-kind committee of environmentalists who were tasked with commenting, criticizing and advising Andy and the Ministry of the Environment on their policy decisions. This is a quote from Andy: “Voice any and all of your concerns and my ministry will listen,” Andy told the committee members.

He was a rare politician who didn’t take things personally and never shied away from criticism, but rather saw it as a function of political responsibility.

Following the historic end of the Big Blue Machine’s dominance in Ontario politics, Andy was selected to be the steady hand on the wheel to guide, refocus and rebuild the party.

In his final days in the Legislature as the leader of the PC Party, he was lauded by three Premiers and three future Premiers for his humour, his humanness, his determination and dignity, and his commitment to both his party and the democratic process.

It has already been touched on about his career in the LCBO—15 years. He turned the once bland and outdated agency, as many remember—well, some of us in this chamber remember those days; I know there are too many younger ones who don’t. Under Andy’s leadership, the LCBO increased its annual sales by 94% and achieved 10 straight record dividends for the Ontario government. I think that’s why he was so popular with all three parties and ended up being the government.

He also chaired the Lambton College Foundation from its inception until 2018. In 24 years, he was instrumental in raising over $48 million for the college’s multi-million dollar expansion project.

Andy will always be remembered for his gregariousness and being outgoing.

But I think the one thing I’d like to close with, on Andy’s—some of his final remarks in the Legislature. He said that day, “In closing ... the unique democracy that we practise in this place is something that means a great deal to me. When we look at those things that are happening in so many parts of the world”—that could be true today—“and so many problems that have developed as a result of people not having this mechanism”—this place—“for vetting the various differences of opinion, and when you see that words are used in here as opposed to guns and violence in other areas, I believe you have got to appreciate that this is a very important ... and very critical process that just has to continue and one that we have collectively to protect to the extent that we can.”

Madam Speaker, it’s been 34 years since Andy made those remarks, but his words ring just as true today. On behalf of Andy and his family that have been mentioned before, I’d like to say that the lasting impact that Andy Brandt had on this province will be here for a long, long time and he will be long-remembered in Sarnia–Lambton.

Applause.

Thank you. I now recognize the member for Sarnia–Lambton.

If you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance for the late Mr. Albert Kolyn, with five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group, five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s loyal opposition and five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s government.

Thank you, Speaker—

Speaker, I never had the chance to know Mr. Kolyn, but as I learned about him in the preparation of this tribute, it painted a picture of the man I believed him to be. He was a fighter: someone who wouldn’t give up. He ran several times before he successfully took his seat in this chamber over a generation ago.

He was a man of faith, an Orthodox Christian, which established his beliefs and his values. And he was proud of his Ukrainian roots and actively involved in the Ukrainian National Federation. He wanted to improve the lives of the people in the community he represented, as demonstrated by his help in securing investments for the Queensway General Hospital, now named the Queensway Health Centre.

He was a forward thinker, as demonstrated by the problems he sought to fix here a generation ago. He had concerns about the impact of changing technology on people’s lives. With the growing use of computers and other similar technologies in the 1980s, he knew that proper ergonomics would be key to office workplace safety and efficiency of the rapidly changing present and future. As such, his private member’s bill aimed to improve the health and safety of those using video display terminals, a technology that had grown in use during his time here in the Legislature.

He was a man of strong opinions and he wasn’t afraid to argue them. He could dish it, but he could also take it, as well. When he won a bid to write an editorial column in the Sun, he praised the journalists of the time who pulled no punches in critiquing the government, of which Mr. Kolyn was a part. Mr. Kolyn wrote at that time, “Those of us in politics need an occasional reminder of our responsibility to serve the people.”

But above all, he was a family man, and I am sure of all the things that defined him, this was the most important. I know this because I had the pleasure to speak with his daughter Linda. She shared her sister Donna’s eulogy for him and the obituary they both wrote together, the story of a man’s life at its end, as told by his loving and devoted children.

From her words I saw a man that no newspaper clipping could capture: Sunday afternoons lying on the couch with his children, listening to classical music; patiently teaching them to ride a bike; reading to them and later encouraging them to pursue their highest education and to follow their dreams; big family dinners punctuated with good-natured arguing on the topics of the day, because being a politician is a lifelong condition and its symptoms present often years before onset of the bug; his transformation from loving father to loving grandfather, a role that he gave his all to and more; his love for his soulmate, his wife, Stephanie, together for almost 65 years, and the tender care he had for her in her last and most difficult years.

Mr. Kolyn, Al, lived a long and full life. He passed away at age 91, surrounded by his deeply loving family. We remember him here today, a man who pursued politics for the right reasons and made it because he never gave up, a man of conviction and faith, a man who raised a family and loved them dearly. May he rest in peace and may God bless his soul.

Thank you to all the presenters and also thank you to the family and friends who have joined us today, either in person or maybe watching online.

I will now recognize the member for Humber River–Black Creek.

I will start by acknowledging the people that have joined us today. We are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. Albert Kolyn, who was the MPP for Lakeshore during the 32nd Parliament. Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery are Mr. Kolyn’s daughters, Linda Helen Kolyn and Dr. Donna Marie Kolyn. Also in the Speaker’s gallery are David Warner, Speaker during the 35th Parliament; Steve Gilchrist, MPP for Scarborough East during the 36th and 37th Parliaments; Phil Gillies, MPP for Brantford during the 32nd and 33rd Parliaments; and Judy Marsales, MPP for Hamilton West during the 38th Parliament and chair of the Ontario Association of Former Parliamentarians.

I will now turn to the first speaker for the tribute and will recognize now the member for Humber River–Black Creek.

Good afternoon, everyone. Today we gather to pay tribute to a remarkable individual who left an indelible mark on the political landscape of Etobicoke–Lakeshore and Ontario: Albert Kolyn, known to most as Al. I’d like to welcome Al’s family and friends to Queen’s Park: Linda Helen Kolyn and Dr. Donna Marie Kolyn, his daughters; David Warner; Steve Gilchrist; and Phil Gillies, who are in the chamber today. My dearest condolences to all of you and thank you for being here today.

As a former member of provincial Parliament for Etobicoke–Lakeshore, serving from 1981 to 1985 and representing the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, Kolyn’s legacy is one of unwavering dedication to his principles and tireless service to his community. He passed at 91 years of age on January 17, 2024. He is remembered as a faithful son, brother, husband and devoted father, businessman, politician, adjudicator and friend.

Born and raised in Fort William, Al moved to Toronto to start his career as a businessman. He was proud of his Ukrainian heritage and served as a member of the Ukrainian national federation. He often connected with other Canadian Ukrainians at the St. Volodymyr Cultural Centre and his church. A man of quiet and deep faith, he was a guide for many of those in his life.

In his spare time he enjoyed reading, music, golfing, hockey and bowling. He was an active Freemason throughout his life, where he provided mentorship and support to others. I know a little bit about that service group from my grandfather and father, but not too much.

As an MPP, Al worked hard for his constituents. He had a keen interest in politics and policy-making. During his years as MPP, he served as the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations and the Chair of the Standing Committee on Administration of Justice.

While he was an MPP for only a few years, his passion for politics and his passion for Etobicoke was his life’s work, and it showed. I thank you, Al, for your hard work and efforts, leading to positive change for our province and for the riding of Etobicoke–Lakeshore, which you so passionately served. Today and every day, you are fondly remembered and honoured here at Queen’s Park and in the minds of all you touched. Rest in peace, Albert Kolyn.

Madam Speaker, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance of the late Mr. William Darcy McKeough, with five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group, five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s loyal opposition and five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s government.

It is an honour to rise and pay tribute to the former MPP for Lakeshore, Albert “Al” Kolyn, who served his constituents from 1981 to 1985 in the Bill Davis and Frank Miller governments. I also want to give a warm welcome to his daughters, Linda Helen Kolyn and Dr. Donna Marie Kolyn, as well as some of his friends who he served with and Speaker David Warner. Thank you all for being here today.

I must admit, while preparing this tribute, I had to dive into Mr. Kolyn’s accomplishments and history. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity and privilege to meet Al, although I always hear good things about him when walking around the riding.

Al had unconditional love for his family. He liked fixing things, including classic cars. He was an avid reader and enjoyed playing hockey, bowling and golf. He loved politics. He was a force in the Ukrainian community, and he volunteered his time with the Ukrainian National Federation. And he was a respected Freemason.

I was charmed to discover that Al and I are from the same community in northern Ontario. Al was born and raised in Fort William, Ontario. For those of you who do not know, Fort William later amalgamated into the city of Thunder Bay, my hometown. In addition to Al and I both being from the same area and having had the privilege to represent Etobicoke–Lakeshore, our current federal member, James Maloney, is also from Thunder Bay, which I think is a very interesting coincidence.

Interjection.

While learning about Al Kolyn’s character, one quality stood out for me, and that quality is perseverance. Al was an extremely hard worker. His work ethic was reflected both inside and outside of his time in politics. When he was only 17, he moved to the GTA to make an income to support his father’s medical bills. He was a businessman in the hotel and bar industry. In fact, he owned and managed the Beverley Tavern situated at 240 Queen Street West. The Beverley, like Al, was a unique Toronto icon.

Al’s perseverance was reflected in his bid for political office. He ran for the federal Conservative Party twice in the late 1970s before he ran provincially under the Bill Davis and Frank Miller governments, where he finally secured his seat in Lakeshore. Al’s time as a member was brief but accomplished. He worked closely with the former Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations Gord Walker, as his parliamentary assistant. He was a deputy whip and was on various standing committees including administration of justice, public accounts and company law, among others.

When Al ran for his former seat again in 1987, due to his steadfast social beliefs, one paper described him as “the feisty former conservative MPP from Etobicoke–Lakeshore.” In my opinion, I think that’s an accomplishment.

It has been inspiring to learn about this former member’s boldness. That’s what Mr. Kolyn was: bold in his beliefs. Al valued the quality of life we have in Ontario and strived to improve it, which I believe comes from being a Conservative, a Christian and a northerner. He spoke in the Legislature particularly about the importance of propane as an alternate fuel source, and he spoke about Ontario’s world-class safety standards for nuclear energy.

I’d like to quote a stanza from Good Timber, a poem written by Douglas Malloch. Coincidentally, the stanza was also a favourite of the founder of Marriott Hotels, J. Willard Marriott, who I believe is quite fitting for Al Kolyn, considering his time in the hotel industry:

Good timber does not grow with ease:

The stronger wind, the stronger trees;

The further sky, the greater length;

The more the storm, the more the strength.

By sun and cold, by rain and snow,

In trees and men good timbers grow.

Al embodied the good timber that is only grown with resilience in the face of a challenge. On behalf of the PC caucus and the constituents of Etobicoke–Lakeshore, I’d like to give tribute to Mr. Kolyn and, of course, to his family for his service to his community. May God’s eternal light shine upon him.

I wish to thank the presenters as well as the family and friends who have joined us here in the Legislature for the tribute or if you’re watching at home.

Today we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. William Darcy McKeough, who was the MPP for Kent West during the 27th Parliament, and Chatham–Kent during the 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st Parliaments.

Mr. McKeough’s family and friends are watching from home, including his sons James and Stewart. Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery are David Warner, Speaker during the 35th Parliament; Steve Gilchrist, MPP for Scarborough East during the 36th and 37th Parliaments; Phil Gillies, MPP for Brantford during the 32nd and 33rd Parliaments; and Judy Marsales, MPP for Hamilton West during the 38th Parliament and chair of the Ontario Association of Former Parliamentarians.

I will recognize the member for Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas for the first tribute.

It is an honour to rise on behalf of the official opposition to pay tribute to William Darcy McKeough, who served as the member of provincial Parliament for Chatham–Kent for 15 years, from 1963 to 1978, for the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. Mr. McKeough passed away at the age of 90 on November 29, 2023. He is survived by his sons, Walker Stewart McKeough and James Grant McKeough; his daughter-in-law, Julia Jen; his granddaughter, Kate Reagan McKeough; and his sister-in-law, Eleanor Tow Walker.

I’d like to as well acknowledge the friends of Mr. McKeough who are here in the Legislature today: David Warner, Speaker during the 35th Parliament; Steve Gilchrist, MPP for Scarborough East during the 36th and 37th Parliaments; Phil Gillies, MPP for Brantford during the 32nd and 33rd Parliaments; and certainly Judy Marsales, a fellow Hamiltonian, a fellow MPP for Hamilton West. Welcome to the Legislature.

Mr. McKeough was born on January 31, 1933, in Chatham, and educated at Central and Cedar Springs public schools and Ridley College in St. Catharines. After receiving a bachelor of arts from the University of Western Ontario in 1954, Mr. McKeough returned home to Chatham to learn the family business.

Madam Speaker, remarkably, the McKeough family has a tradition of holding public office which dates back to 1847. That predates Confederation. It actually is older than the carvings above your chair on the walls here today. That is a remarkable family tradition of public service. So in 1959, at the age of 26, it was understandable that Mr. McKeough followed this fine family tradition when he became the sixth member of his family to hold public office, as a member of Chatham city council. It’s really quite remarkable.

After four years serving on city council as chairman of the city’s finance committee and on the planning board, Mr. McKeough entered provincial politics as the Progressive Conservative member for Kent West in 1963. Three years later, he was included in Premier John Robarts’s cabinet as a minister without portfolio. In 1967, he became the Minister of Municipal Affairs. He was then appointed Treasurer and Minister of Economics in 1971. In 1973, he was given the additional task of Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. He was appointed the province’s first Minister of Energy.

He was known as a workaholic, and certainly Mr. McKeough was given more and more responsibility during Premier Bill Davis’s government, so much so that he was known as the “minister of everything.” In his last three years as a public servant, he served as Treasurer and Minister of Economics and Intergovernmental Affairs. Wow—that’s quite a record.

Mr. McKeough helped to establish regional governance during this time. Between 1968 and 1975, he helped pave the way for three restructured and 11 regional governments, and nearly 50 years later, many of these regional governments are still together—that’s for the time being, anyway—so good work on his part.

He had a keen ability to steer Ontario through many turbulent economic waters, and he did this through his relationship with the Liberal Party’s federal finance minister and future Prime Minister, John Turner. They collaborated across partisan lines in service of the greater good.

Mr. McKeough’s son Jamie is quoted as saying that his father loved nothing more than to battle with NDP leader Stephen Lewis in the Legislature, “then go out for drinks with him ... afterwards. It was a different time, and that love of politics never left him.”

Mr. McKeough understood the important role elected officials played in upholding the values of democracy and our collective duty to represent not only our needs but the needs of those that we are all elected to serve in this House. In April 1976, Mr. McKeough quoted British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli as saying, “I repeat ... that all power is a trust; that we are accountable for its exercise; that from the people, and for the people, all springs, and all must exist”—wise words for all of us here today.

In a time when we are facing climate change and losing precious farmlands, Mr. McKeough was ahead of his time with his recognition that, “Environmental quality must be enhanced and resources properly managed in the interests of both current and future populations.” And in regard to farmland and the loss of farmland, he said that “we should in future, as we have in the past, protect the integrity of the use of fertile land for food production.”

Mr. McKeough, after he retired from politics, was made an officer of the Order of Canada in 1994 for his successful business ventures and fundraising efforts on behalf of educational, medical, research and cultural institutions. He was known locally as “the Duke of Kent,” and he was certainly loved and respected by many. As we can see here, he certainly made his mark on our province.

So on behalf of the Ontario NDP caucus, let me again say that it has been an honour to pay tribute to William Darcy McKeough. To his family, I will say I did not have the honour of meeting Mr. McKeough but, in researching this tribute that I paid, I learned very much from him, especially his commitment to public service and the honour and the trust that we are all embodied with when we are elected in this House.

I also would like to say that I certainly hope your family keeps up that fine, fine tradition of holding public office. That would be the seventh generation, so that would be an incredible legacy to uphold, and I look forward to hearing that that is the case.

Let me say to his family and his friends, we give thanks for his life, and we offer condolences to his loved ones and his friends. Thank you so much for allowing me to speak on his behalf. May his memory be a blessing.

It’s an absolute honour and privilege to rise on behalf of His Majesty’s government to offer these words and some of my personal memories.

As a lifelong learner and student of political science and history, I’ve always found it fascinating to listen to the tributes offered by our colleagues on behalf of our former members—larger-than-life people who work in this very place, serving their communities, trusted to make decisions of consequence, commanding attention and mobilizing others with their words and with their deeds.

Few members have served this province as well and as nobly as the Honourable Darcy McKeough. It’s in this spirit I want to offer my sincere gratitude to one of our most esteemed past colleagues—a legend who contributed and shared his unique experiences with me and with countless others well into his 90th year. If you were sincere and interested in both listening and sharing your ideas and perspective and were prepared to debate and defend your position, Darcy would be more than pleased to offer you direct, sage advice on a wide variety of relevant topics and policy initiatives.

I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to listen to, share with and learn from Darcy during our many personal conversations and particularly over our lunches and dinners, each appointment meticulously and diligently scheduled through the coordination of both our calendars—and Darcy’s calendar was busier and more ambitious than my own.

Born in Chatham on January 31, 1933, Darcy remained active in his community and closely followed politics and current events from his home, Bally McKeough, on the beautiful shores of Lake Erie in Chatham-Kent.

Elected MPP five times between 1963 and 1977, McKeough was mockingly dubbed “the Duke of Kent” by MPP Elmer Sopha, the Liberal member from Sudbury who served from 1959 to 1971. Darcy found the first published reference to his nickname in the Toronto Star on November 23, 1967. Although the nomenclature was clearly meant to mock him, McKeough came to like the name. He recounted in his memoir, “After all, I know my roots, am proud of where I come from, and have a desire to help others that is becoming rare in an era in which the relentless search for materialism often substitutes for what really matters.”

As Treasurer of Ontario, Minister of Economics, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Energy during his time in office, McKeough coordinated the creation of regional governments to bring more efficient services to Ontario’s citizens and fought to achieve budget surpluses well before it was fashionable.

Although I knew of him from his work in our communities and through friends and contacts we had in common, I first met Darcy personally when I was a candidate in the provincial election of 2022. By then, I had already read his memoir, a gift to me by one of our friends in common.

On a sunny, cold winter afternoon, I knocked on the front door of Bally McKeough and was met immediately by the legendary lawmaker, confidante to Premiers, Ontario’s minister of everything and the star character from the very pages of the books I had studied and enjoyed.

With a kind and disarming smile and, of course, the faint smell of sweet pipe tobacco in the background, he placed his hand on my shoulder and said, “Trevor Jones, my friend, you have a good name and a good reputation. I’ve asked around about you. I’m so happy you’ve come out here to see me. Now, let’s get some refreshments.” With that, Darcy pointed with his cane to his study down the hall and said, “Take a seat—not there, that’s my seat, anywhere else—and make yourself at home, Trev.” Our first conversation, like many more that followed, lasted for several hours.

Darcy listened attentively to my story and generously shared of his own from, his early life in Chatham, to his time at Ridley College, Western University and graduating to learn business in a family business, to his time in elected office and his time after politics. At the centrepiece of each journey was his duty to public service and his love for his family.

He spoke often of the strong bond he had with his wife, Joyce. He beamed with pride when he spoke of his sons, Stewart and Jamie, and his granddaughter, Kate. I feel so fortunate for the friendship I shared with my honourable predecessor and privileged to glean some insights from the lived experiences of a gentleman who is delightful company in any social setting and who selflessly offered highly relevant solutions to contemporary matters with a level of competence, kindness, humility and charm that I hope to one day aspire to.

At our last lunch meeting in the fall of 2023, we met at one of our favourite restaurants in Chatham on the Thames River. Darcy was happy, energized and in a very spirited mood. He spoke with clarity and conviction on several timely and relevant local and provincial matters of concern—concern to him and concern to the people elected in this House. As I walked him to his car, he stopped momentarily, looked me in the eye and reminded me, “Opportunities come to those who are ready.” Darcy, you were always ready.

Thank you, Darcy. On behalf of the government of Ontario, thank you for your service to the people of Ontario, for your integrity, your energy, your ideas and for caring to make meaningful contributions to all our communities.

Applause.

It’s a great honour to rise today on behalf of the Ontario Liberal caucus to pay tribute to a former member for Chatham–Kent, nicknamed “the minister of everything,” Darcy McKeough.

Born in Chatham in 1933, Darcy came from a successful family in the Chatham community, with his great-grandfather and grandfather both serving terms as Chatham’s mayor and running a business. He attended Ridley College in St. Catharines. He served three years as a city councillor in Chatham before his election to Queen’s Park.

Darcy “the Duke of Kent” McKeough served Chatham-Kent for 15 years, from 1963 to 1978. There’s a reason why Mr. McKeough was called “the minister of everything:” He served as the Treasurer, Minister of Economics and Intergovernmental Affairs, Energy, and Municipal Affairs, even at one point handling much of these portfolios at the same time under Premier Bill Davis. While Minister of Municipal Affairs, he implemented the regional governance system, a defining attribute of Ontario’s municipal service delivery. He tabled budgets during times of troubled fiscal waters and made sure Ontario’s economy remained afloat.

MPP McKeough was a man of principle and always made sure to pay respect to ones he cared for. Premier Davis’s predecessor, John Robarts, was a close personal friend, so much so that Mr. Robarts was godfather to one of Darcy’s children. Darcy would, paying tribute to his close friend, organize annual luncheons with his old colleagues and friends in the name of Premier John Robarts. Some of you may have even attended one or two of them.

Darcy was a keen and committed public servant who enjoyed problem-solving for the greater good of Ontario and was never afraid to do what he thought ought to have been done. He never backed down from a challenge and loved the vibrance of political life.

He was also a great colleague to many others across the aisle. He would spar with opposition members like the then-leader of the NDP and then go out for drinks after. The camaraderie was something that I think MPP McKeough missed after leaving Queen’s Park. Even though we may not all agree on policy, one thing I think we can agree on is that this place is truly special.

After stepping away from the Legislature in 1978, Darcy became successful in the private sector, being the CEO and president of Union Gas and serving on the board of directors for Hydro One. In 1994, he was made an officer of the Order of Canada for his business success and philanthropic efforts. Darcy always tried to put the well-being of Canadians first regardless of where life took him.

In November 2023, Darcy passed away after battling pneumonia at the age of 90. I want to extend my sympathies to his family members. May he rest in peace. Thank you.

I will recognize the member for Kingston and the Islands.

It is an absolute honour to stand before you today to share tribute—and I’m much like Bob, our friend from Sarnia–Lambton. I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I have some amazing stories to tell. So bear with me.

It’s a tribute to stand up in front of you today to talk about Jack—John, if you will, official name—Keith Riddell.

I want to welcome his family to Queen’s Park. For those of you who are visiting for the first time, welcome to your House. Take time to soak it all in. And to Debbie, Wayne, Brenda, Heather and Donna, welcome back.

In preparation for today, I thought I could review important facts that are shared on the Internet and will forever immortalize Jack Riddell as a champion for rural Ontario. But I thought I’d take a different tack, Madam Speaker, and do something a little bit different, and I hope it will be appreciated by all who know Jack. It’s based on some amazing stories, some amazing memories that I’ve been lucky to receive from Jack’s five children.

You may have heard that Jack was a beloved auctioneer. So it’s in that spirit, and knowing and loving the fact that while growing up, even though Brenda said they were not the von Trapp family of Huron county—Jack would regularly call upon them to sing at events when he was called upon, especially to sing the Auctioneer song. So it’s in that spirit, as I mentioned, that I would like to focus in on a couple of lines—three in particular—from the Auctioneer song. And why is it important? Well, Jack prided himself on being an auctioneer and serving people. I think it’s important to recognize that even at his celebration of life in January, one of Jack’s last requests of his family was to get up and sing the Auctioneer song.

The first line I would like to reference is “Gonna make my mark and be an auctioneer!” Not only did Jack achieve that position and the esteem of a beloved auctioneer, but he graduated from OAC with a bachelor of science—Ontario Agricultural College at the University of Guelph—and he went on to serve as assistant agricultural representative in the counties of Essex and Hastings. I believe Hastings came before Essex. I absolutely connected with Jack, because extension work matters, and I really valued everything that he would put into that position as an assistant ag rep. He also gleaned great experience as assistant manager for the Ontario Stockyards. He served as an agricultural specialist in the province of Saskatchewan before coming home, before coming back to Huron county, where, together with his family, they raised beef cattle and sheep prior to him winning the honour and making his mark as MPP for Huron–Middlesex from the years 1973 through to 1990. And he served as the 30th Minister of Agriculture and Food in Ontario, from 1985 to 1989.

Wayne noted, and I think it’s important to share, that Jack’s father, William Keith Riddell, was also a well-respected agricultural representative for the county of Middlesex, and he feels that his father had a profound impact not only on a career that was absolutely dedicated to agriculture, but he had a really important position to fill—shoes to fill, if you will—given what he learned from his father as an ag rep in Middlesex county. It really had a profound impact on the trajectory of Jack’s career.

Growing up in the Riddell family meant helping in the barn, taking music lessons—and when they practised, according to Donna, Jack would join in and sing along. They also supported their dad and travelled with him, whether it was to Saskatchewan or to Toronto, when he served as the MPP and Minister of Agriculture. Heather noted that when they did make the trek to Toronto, they were sometimes treated to movies like The Sound of Music or a Maple Leafs game, when they joined him in Toronto.

As kids, Donna also shared that they became office support by cutting out birthday and anniversary notices from local papers that ultimately became the genesis, if you will, of a birthday card or a scroll recognizing a special anniversary. It’s important to know that Jack took that role very seriously. He would be in Toronto all week, come home on Friday night and get at it. He would start attending events, meet with constituents on Saturday mornings, join his wife at events that evening. Then, Sundays, again, were dedicated to presenting scrolls, birthday cards, and then he took time for games with his family. Apparently, the children learned how to lose gracefully with Jack at the table. I think that’s important because there are life lessons everywhere we look, and Jack made sure his children had that opportunity.

I’m glad to hear today that his grandchildren and great-grandchildren are here as well. Because again, I think it was Donna that mentioned if you learned how to speak in public, you’d be well set for life. Then, Debbie mentioned that even that premise, that thought, that value was extended to the grandchildren as well. There was one opportunity where grandchildren were flown from Centralia to Toronto for the opening of an agricultural exhibit at Ontario Place. While he was on stage, he called his grandchildren up to say a word or two. Like the old adage goes, you learn to do by doing, and Jack certainly presented opportunities for people to do that.

Growing up, the name Riddell was also synonymous with spending time with your dad. When working at the Ontario Stockyards, he bought a pony for his kids to ride. I heard from Wayne they rode that pony in the cement alleyways which, according to Wayne, proved to be a hard landing when they fell off. But in true dad style, he said he would pick them up, dust them off and put them right back on the pony. Heather noted that while their dad really didn’t like the idea, they also learned how to ride sheep as well.

Jack liked to pull pranks in the barn, and his laughter filled that building to the rafters. Family was important. He never missed an opportunity to give a shout-out to his mom whenever he was at an event that she was attending, and he wasn’t above letting a daughter dress him up in pigtails.

Brenda also shared, with an LOL in her email, Jack learned from his mistakes as well. For instance, Jack, appreciating the value of nutrients found in manure, used the tractor and spreader to fertilize the lawn around the house. She shared that he was quite proud of this until their mother got home, and she saw her beautiful white-sided house completely splattered and stained with manure. She wasn’t impressed, but one could extrapolate that he really did make his mark in that instance.

The second line from the Auctioneer song I would like to reference today is, “You can take your place among the best.” That’s what Jack Riddell certainly has done. A successful MPP, and ultimately minister, understands the importance of maintaining a balance and never forgetting about local constituents. All five of Jack’s children noted that working with constituents and assisting them to solve issues was what he prided himself on. In fact, it was common knowledge that it didn’t matter what political stripe the person was, there was no problem too small for him to dig into and ultimately resolve.

We’ve heard many times how Jack would work really hard to make sure farmers had their voices heard, and as his dedication as the 30th Minister of Agriculture and Food, whether it was in legislation that he founded—for instance, the legislation on the table we know as the Farm Practices Protection Act that he worked hard on, and it has legs today—or assisting farmers when interest rates were heading above 20% in the 1980s, or being responsible for shepherding over 30 programs through to fruition when he served as minister, he never stopped working.

For all he did prior to being elected and as a long-serving MPP and ag and food minister, Jack was inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2017 and locally in the Huron agricultural hall of fame in the same year. He also established a scholarship from the Avon Maitland school board for a student that showed leadership and pursued an education in agriculture in Canada.

In the end, my takeaway from learning more about Jack Riddell through his children reaffirms how I felt as a young 4-H member in Huron county. He always maintained a striking pose when attending 4-H events. For instance, at our awards night, it was commonplace to see him in a fedora and suit, and he really did have a presence. When I joined him and his family on the occasion of his 90th birthday, I found his eyes still sparkled and his passion for agriculture was alive and well. We compared notes as the 30th and 40th Ministers of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, who just happened to share the same birthdate and pride in representing the breadbasket of Ontario at Queen’s Park.

To close, I would like to just share some direct comments, again from Jack’s children. They all concurred that representing Huron and Huron-Middlesex and serving as Minister of Agriculture and Food was the highlight of his career. They shared, “Dad loved his job! He loved helping people and making lives better in any way he could. As a family, we had him to ourselves before politics and after retirement.” But they learned to share him with everyone, and though it wasn’t always easy, they understood his passion. He was a man to be reckoned with, both as a father and as a politician. To be proud is an understatement.

To remember Jack Riddell today, I would like to share another message from his family: He showed what hard work was, what honesty was, what integrity was, what passion to do your best was, but also what fun was and what love of family was.

So to close, there’s one last line from the Auctioneer song, and it’s perfect: “Now he’s the best in all the land / Let’s pause and give that man a hand.” God bless Jack Riddell.

Thank you again to the presenters and to his sons, James and Stewart, who are watching from home and others as well. And thank you to those who are joining us in the gallery.

Today we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. John “Jack” Keith Riddell, who was the MPP for Huron–Middlesex during the 30th, 31st, 32nd and 33rd Parliaments, and Huron during the 29th and 34th Parliaments.

Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery are Mr. Riddell’s family and friends: his children and their spouses, Debbie Thompson, Hiram Thompson, Wayne Riddell, Debbie Riddell, Donna Overholt, Dan Overholt, Heather Riddell and Brenda Riddell; his grandchildren and their spouses, Jason Riddell, Amber Parker, Jon Parker, Lea Glavin, Marty Glavin and Kendra Bloomfield; and his great-grandchildren—that I see there—Dax Glavin and Ada Glavin. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

We also have in the Speaker’s gallery David Warner, Speaker during the 35th Parliament; Steve Gilchrist, MPP for Scarborough East during the 36th and 37th Parliaments; Phil Gillies, MPP for Brantford during the 32nd and 33rd Parliaments; and Judy Marsales, MPP for Hamilton West during the 38th Parliament and Chair of the Ontario Association of Former Parliamentarians.

We can now start with the presenter for the first review, the Minister of Agriculture.