Prime Minister Stephen Harper and David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, look on as Dr. Noël A. Kinsella is sworn in as Canada’s newest Privy Councillor during a ceremony at Rideau Hall.
Ottawa, Ontario - 23 February 2015
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced the appointment of Dr. Noël A. Kinsella as Canada’s newest Privy Councillor.
Dr. Kinsella is being honoured for his outstanding public service to Canadians. He was a senior public servant, serving as Associate Under-Secretary of State of Canada when he was appointed to the Senate of Canada on September 12, 1990. While in the Upper Chamber, Dr. Kinsella served as Opposition Whip, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, and Leader of the Opposition before being appointed as Speaker of the Senate of Canada on February 8, 2006, and serving until November 26, 2014.
In addition to his many contributions to public service, Dr. Kinsella served as President of the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission for 22 years. He is an Honorary Captain in the Royal Canadian Navy’s Naval Reserve as well as a licensed member of the College of Psychologists of New Brunswick, and spent 41 years as a faculty member at St. Thomas University where he taught psychology, philosophy and human rights.
Dr. Kinsella has earned several university degrees, has had a successful career as a psychologist, labour arbitrator, and author, and is a well-known human rights advocate and academic in Canada and around the world.
“I am pleased to announce that Dr. Noël A. Kinsella has been appointed as the newest Privy Councillor, to recognize his many years of public service and the strong leadership he showed during his time as Speaker of the Senate.” – Prime Minister Stephen Harper
