Noël Augustus Kinsella (November 28, 1939 – December 6, 2023) was a Canadian politician and was speaker of the Senate of Canada from 2006 to 2014.

Early life and education

Noël Augustus Kinsella was born in Saint John, New Brunswick on November 28, 1939. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from University College in Dublin, Ireland. He was also an alumnus of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas Angelicum in Rome, from which he earned a PhL and then a PhD in 1965 with a dissertation entitled Toward a theory of personality development : a study of the works of Erik H. Erikson. Furthermore, he received an STL and an STD degree from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. He was a Professor for 41 years at St. Thomas University and was a member of the Board of Governors. He also served as chair of the Atlantic Human Rights Centre.

Career

Kinsella was appointed to the Senate of Canada on the recommendation of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney on September 12, 1990, as a Senator for New Brunswick. He sat as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party caucus until 2004, when he joined most of the Tory caucus in becoming a Conservative Senator. Kinsella was Opposition whip from 1994 to 1999 and deputy leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 1999 to 2004. From 2004 to 2006, he was leader of the Opposition in the Senate. On February 8, 2006, he was named Speaker of the Senate by the Governor General, Michaëlle Jean, on the advice of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Kinsella spoke French, and used it in parliament. He resigned as Speaker on November 26, 2014, in anticipation of his mandatory retirement from the Senate two days later. Kinsella was considered a Red Tory and supported Peter MacKay in his bid to become leader of the Progressive Conservative Party in 2003.

Death

Kinsella died on December 6, 2023, at the age of 84.

Honours and awards

Kinsella was an honorary Captain of the Royal Canadian Navy since December 2008. Kinsella was also a knight of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. On February 23, 2015, he was sworn in as a Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. This gave him the right to the honorific prefix "The Honourable" and the post-nominal letters "PC" for life.

Honorary degrees