Keith Colwell

Keith Wayne Colwell (born October 3, 1947) is a Canadian politician and member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, representing the riding of Preston-Dartmouth for the Nova Scotia Liberal Party.

The Honourable

Keith Colwell

ECNS MLA
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
for Preston-Dartmouth
Preston (2003-2013)
Assumed office
August 5, 2003
Preceded byDavid Hendsbee
Member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
for Eastern Shore
In office
May 25, 1993 – July 27, 1999
Preceded byRiding Established
Succeeded byBill Dooks
Personal details
Born (1947-10-03) October 3, 1947
Jemseg, New Brunswick
Political partyLiberal

Early life

Colwell was raised in Jemseg, New Brunswick. Since the 1990s, he has owned and operated a manufacturing company and was one of the founding members of the Enterprise Forum for Nova Scotia.[1]

Political career

Colwell successfully ran for the Liberal nomination in the riding of Eastern Shore in spring 1993. He was elected in the 1993 provincial election and was re-elected in the 1998 provincial election. Following his re-election, Colwell was appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia where he served as Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Minister of Consumer Services, as well as holding other cabinet responsibilities.[2]

Colwell was defeated in the 1999 provincial election by Bill Dooks. Turning to municipal politics, Colwell was elected to Halifax Regional Council on October 30, 1999, in a by-election for the Halifax Regional Municipality where he represented District 3 (Preston/Porters Lake).[3][4] Colwell was re-elected in District 3 in the 2000 municipal general election.

Colwell successfully ran for the Liberal nomination in the riding of Preston[5] and was elected in the 2003 provincial election.[6] He was re-elected in the 2006 and 2009 provincial elections. The riding name was changed in 2013 to Preston-Dartmouth and he was re-elected in the 2013 provincial election.

Colwell was honoured for his efforts in successfully banning the burning of tires in Nova Scotia and has been a volunteer fireman with 13 years of experience.[7]

In May 2013, Colwell was allegedly the victim of an assault by Percy Paris, a fellow member of the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia. "Yesterday in the house of assembly, I was assaulted and threatened by the minister of economic and rural development and tourism," Colwell said in a statement. "This improper behaviour by the minister was quite clearly an execution of a threat and intimidation, an attempt to prevent me from performing my function as a legislator, elected representative for my constituents and member of this assembly." Paris was charged with assault and uttering threats.[8]

On October 22, 2013, Colwell was appointed to the Executive Council of Nova Scotia where he serves as Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture,[9] Minister of Agriculture,[7] Minister responsible for Part II of the Gaming Control Act, as well as Minister responsible for the Maritime Provinces Harness Racing Commission Act.

Personal life

He and his wife Elizabeth currently live in Porters Lake.

Electoral record
2013 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±
     Liberal Keith Colwell 3,326 58.39
     New Democratic Party André Cain 1,816 31.88
     Progressive Conservative Andrew J. Mecke 554 9.73
2009 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±
     Liberal Keith Colwell 1908 42.20
     New Democratic Party Janet Sutcliffe 1316 29.11
     Progressive Conservative Dwayne Provo 1240 27.43
GreenSarah Densmore571.26–
2006 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±
     Liberal Keith Colwell 1853 42.13
     Progressive Conservative Dwayne Provo 1610 36.83
     New Democratic Party Douglas Sparks 843 19.17
GreenDavid Farrell821.86–
2003 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±
     Liberal Keith Colwell 1411 33.90
     Progressive Conservative David Hensbee 1361 32.92
     New Democratic Party Douglas Sparks 1331 31.97
MarijuanaMarc-Boris St-Maurice501.21
1999 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±
     Progressive Conservative Bill Dooks 3637
     Liberal Keith Colwell 2695
     New Democratic Party Mary-Alice Tzagarakis 1970
Nova Scotia PartyJack Friis388
1993 Nova Scotia general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±
     Liberal Keith Colwell 3,760
     Progressive Conservative Tom McInnes 3,523
     New Democratic Party Gary Moore 1,369

References
  1. New Minister of Agriculture, Keith Colwell Dalhousie University - October 29, 2013
  2. "Three novices at the table". The Chronicle Herald. April 9, 1998. Archived from the original on January 23, 2005. Retrieved 2014-10-06.
  3. "Colwell, Streatch win Halifax by-elections". CBC News. November 1, 1999. Retrieved 2014-11-25.
  4. "Special election, councilor district 3 official results" (PDF). Halifax Regional Municipality. 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2014-10-06.
  5. "Colwell to run for Liberals in Preston". The Chronicle Herald. May 24, 2003. Archived from the original on November 20, 2003. Retrieved 2014-11-26.
  6. "Metro unravelled Tory majority". The Chronicle Herald. August 6, 2003. Archived from the original on January 24, 2005. Retrieved 2014-10-06.
  7. "Colwell new agriculture minister". The Guardian. October 24, 2013. Retrieved 2014-10-06.
  8. "Paris to appear in court June 18". Cape Breton Post, May 10, 2013.
  9. "Premier Stephen McNeil welcomes 16-member cabinet". CBC News. October 22, 2013. Retrieved 2014-10-06.
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