Statement made on 03 May 2012 by Senator Jane Cordy
Hon. Jane Cordy:
Honourable senators, I rise today to share the sad news of the passing of the Honourable James Kinley. Jim was born in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, on September 23, 1925. He was a graduate of Dalhousie University, the Nova Scotia Technical College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He practised professional engineering for more than 50 years and held executive positions with Lunenburg Foundry and Engineering Company, as well as the Lunenburg Marine Railway. Jim Kinley had also served in a number of military offices. He was a merchant marine during the Second World War and went on to serve as a commander in the naval reserves and head of the Navy League of Canada.
Mr. Kinley is probably best known for the time he spent as Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia. He was appointed by the Governor General on the advice of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in May 1994. He served the people of Nova Scotia in this capacity until the year 2000. In 2002, he was appointed to the Order of Nova Scotia and awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal. Other honours include the Sir John Kennedy Medal from the Engineering Institute of Canada, the Centennial Gold Medal, the Grand Commander of the Royal Norwegian Medal of Honour, the Knight of Grace, Knight of Justice and Vice Prior Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, and an Honorary Doctor of Engineering from Dalhousie University in 1995.
Jim Kinley is best remembered for his love of people and for striking up a conversation with everyone he met. It is because of this that he made many friends, both far and wide.
I would like to send my thoughts and prayers to his wife Grace, his four children and nine grandchildren. Jim was well respected and contributed immensely to the community. He will be fondly remembered by Nova Scotians.