Appointed by Pierre Trudeau Preceded by Noel Kinsella Party Liberal Party of Canada Succeeded by Noel Kinsella Parents Harry Hays | Preceded by Gildas Molgat Role Former Canadian Senator Appointed by Jean Chretien Name Dan Hays Resigned June 30, 2007 | |
Succeeded by Celine Hervieux-Payette Previous office Canadian Senator (1984–2007) Education Appleby College, University of Toronto | ||
Daniel Phillip Hays, PC (born April 24, 1939) is a Canadian politician. He was Speaker of the Canadian Senate from 2001 to 2006, when he became Liberal Leader in the Senate. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate in the 39th Canadian Parliament from 2006 until 2007.
Hays is the son of Harry Hays, who served as Minister of Agriculture in Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson's government. He has been married to his wife, Kathy, since 2001. Hays has three daughters from a previous marriage: Carol, Janet and Sarah. He also has two granddaughters, Theodora and Alexandra.
Hays attended Western Canada High School in Calgary and Appleby College prep-school in Oakville. He went on to obtain his B.A. degree in history from the University of Alberta and an LL.B. degree from the University of Toronto. After articling with the Calgary-based firm of Macleod Dixon, he was called to the Alberta Bar in 1966, and became known as a prominent lawyer. He has been involved with the cattle industry since 1957 as a breeder, exhibitor and marketer. With his father, he developed the only recognized Canadian pure breed of cattle, the Hays Converter. He continues to raise a small herd of 200 Hays Converters.
Among his other accomplishments, Hays is an honorary colonel of The King's Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC). Additionally, he was admitted to the pantheon of l'Order of La Pléiade by the Canadian branch of the APF. In the past, he has served for five years as a board member of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He is also the former director the Calgary District Foundation, of Enviros, and of the Calgary YMCA. Hays is a member of the Law Society of Alberta, the Canadian Tax Foundation and the Canadian Hays Converter Association. He also sits on the Advisory Council of the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute.
Hays was appointed to the Senate of Canada (gaining the style "the Honourable" for life) on the advice of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau on April 29, 1984, to represent Alberta. He decided upon Calgary as his self-designated senate division. Hays served as Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry between 1986 and 1988 and again from 1994 to 1995. He was also the chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources from 1989 to 1993. On October 12, 1999, Hays was appointed Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. He was appointed as Speaker by Chrétien in January 2001.
He also served as president of the Liberal Party of Canada between 1994 and 1998. Hays has chaired the party's National Executive Committee and Management Committee, as well as serving as Chair of the Liberal party's Revenue Committee. Between 1996 and 1998, he served as Election Readiness Co-Chair and National Platform Co-Chair for the Liberal party. Hays is also the past Chair of the Canada-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Group and for the Canadian section of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum.
On February 1, 2006, he was named as the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, replacing Noël Kinsella, a position he held until being succeeded by Céline Hervieux-Payette on January 18, 2007. On January 22, 2007, he was sworn into the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.
Hays officially vacated his Senate seat on June 30, 2007.
Honours
On April 29, 2000, Hays received Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure from the Emperor of Japan. He was conferred with this honour for promoting Canada/Japan bilateral relations.