Norm Kelly

Councillor Norm Kelly is a trained historian. He studied Canadian political history at the University of Western Ontario (undergraduate) and Carleton and Queen's universities (post-graduate).

Among his most important accomplishments is his two-year research for the best-selling books in the field of Canadian history: The National Dream and The Last Spike.

In 1973, Norm was appointed Chairman of the History Department at Canada's internationally renowned private college, Upper Canada College. At the same time, he served three successive as an Alderman on the Municipal Council of the then Borough of Scarborough (1974-1980).

In 1980, Norm won a seat as a Liberal in the federal House of Commons under the leadership of the Right Honourable Pierre Elliot Trudeau.

As a Member of Parliament, Norm was twice appointed Parliamentary Secretary:  first, to the Ministry of Supply and Services and then to the President of the Treasury Board.  In the latter capacity, he was given the responsibility of guiding the government's reorganization of its Crown corporations, Bill C-124, through the House of Commons and its committees.

In 1983, Norm was appointed to the Special Committee on Visible Minorities in Canadian Society.  He played a prominent role in preparing the committee's report, Equality Now, containing 80 ground-breaking recommendations aimed at protecting visible minority cultures in Canada while integrating their members into the Canadian mainstream.

After the defeat of the Liberal government in 1984, Norm went into business in Toronto, where he operated a successful real estate brokerage until 1994, when he returned to public office at the regional level as a Metro Councillor in Toronto.

In 1997, Mr. Kelly was returned as a Councillor in the amalgamated City of Toronto.

As a City Councillor, Norm served as chair of the Nominations Committee and sat on Council's executive committee, then called Policy and Finance. He was appointed chair of the Planning and Growth Management Committee by then Mayor Miller, which automatically placed him on Council's Executive Committee.  

Under the present Mayor, Rob Ford, Mr. Kelly is chair of the Parks and Environment Committee and serves, consequently, on Council's Executive Committee.