266 THE ADVOCATE
VOL. 80 PART 2 MARCH 2022
Alexander Keith Mitchell, Q.C.
The energetic, engaged and engaging Alexander
Keith Mitchell—known as “Keith” or, at Farris LLP
(“Farris”), where he practised throughout his career,
“AKM”—was born in Vancouver on June 13, 1945 and
died on October 26, 2021.
Keith’s father, Alec, immigrated to Canada from
the small Scottish fishing town of Lossiemouth.
Upon settling in Vancouver and joining Woodward’s department store, he
married Nora McBride. They had four children: Barbara Sue, Kyle, Keith
and Nora Jean. Sadly, Alec suffered a debilitating stroke in his 50s and died
at a fairly young age; this event inspired Keith to live each day to the fullest.
Nora remained a force within the family until her death in 2009.
Keith grew up in Vancouver, attending Maple Grove Elementary School
and Magee Secondary School. One of the Mitchells’ neighbours was Jack
Gibson, a former Member of Parliament whose visitors often included federal
Cabinet ministers. Also frequently at Gibson’s home was Arthur Laing,
a Liberal politician and, from 1963, a federal Cabinet minister, who lived a
block away. Keith’s deep interest in politics and enthusiasm for the federal
Liberal party began sitting on Gibson’s living room floor.
Laing helped Keith get his much-loved summer job as a House of Commons
tour guide in 1965. Keith became the guides’ “unofficial Liberal
leader” but whenever possible also lingered outside former Conservative
prime minister John Diefenbaker’s office, “just to listen to that amazing
voice”. Keith returned to Ottawa for the summer of 1966, planning itineraries
for Soviet bloc delegations’ official visits. After obtaining his B.A. (from
UBC, unsurprisingly in political science and history) in 1967, he returned
to Ottawa as a research assistant for Laing.
Keith was soon swept up in the Liberal leadership race, backing John
Turner (with his strong B.C. roots) over the ultimate winner, Pierre Elliot
Trudeau. After winning the party leadership, Trudeau selected key people—
including Keith—from competing campaigns to join his team. Keith
became one of Trudeau’s two “advance men” during the federal election
campaign, planning logistics and coordinating with security personnel,
local party organizations and Trudeau himself to ensure that all was in place
for Trudeau’s arrival at his next campaign stop. Keith remained an advisor
to Trudeau and other Liberal politicians on B.C.-related issues.