Former provincial minister and mayor of the municipality of Kedgwick for many years, Jean-Paul Savoie died Wednesday morning in Moncton.
The flags are at half mast in Kedgwick.
76-year-old Jean-Paul Savoie had been suffering from throat cancer for a while. He had just completed a series of treatments and was about to return home to Kedgwick when medical complications arose overnight. Shortly before 10 a.m., her heart finally let go.
Mr. Savoie has 26 years of political life, including 15 at the helm of Kedgwick (from 2001 to 2016). He will have served three terms at the provincial level under the McKenna era in addition to being appointed minister. During his “municipal” period, he was also president of the Association francophone des municipalités du Nouveau-Brunswick as well as the very first president of the Restigouche Regional Service Commission. He retired from municipal politics in 2016 after his election defeat.
The mayor of Kedgwick, Éric Gagnon, welcomed the death of the man he considers to be his political mentor as a shock. It was Mr. Savoie who had convinced him to take the plunge.
“He is a huge piece leaving us today, a great defender of our community. He never entered politics for his own benefit, but rather for that of his fellow men, the people he represented.
“I spoke to him just a few days ago. He seemed optimistic about winning his battle with the disease. He was also zen, happy with his achievements, proud of his children. His death is a huge blow for our community,” he said.
What he remembers from predecessor?
“He was a brilliant person with always the right word on his lips and a huge heart,” says the mayor.
Jean-Paul Savoie also worked for the Société de l’Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick as a development officer in the 1980s.
“We are deeply grateful for all that Jean-Paul has brought to the SANB and to our community, as well as to the province as a former mayor and minister. His legacy of public service and dedication will continue to inspire future generations,” the organization said in a statement.
MNA for Restigouche-Ouest, Gilles LePage rubbed shoulders with Mr. Savoie for many years before making the leap into provincial politics. He admits to having been surprised by the announcement of his death.
“I am certainly very saddened today to learn of his passing. He was an exceptional, jovial, optimistic person. He was certainly a unique political figure, but above all a family man and a valued citizen. It’s a huge loss for the big liberal family, ”says the MP.
In total, Mr. Savoie served as president of the AFMNB for four years, from 2008 to 2012, in addition to serving a few years as vice-president.
The current president of the organization, Yvon Godin, learned the sad news in the middle of a meeting with Gaspé counterparts. Having worked with the former mayor of Kedgwick for several years, he says he remembers him as a man as passionate as he is determined and as a person of convictions.
“He was very dynamic, and when he took a case in hand, we knew he was not going to let go. He is someone who has given a lot to his community, but also to the people of the province in general, whether through our association or even his years in the Legislative Assembly. It is not for nothing that he was perceived as a leader. One thing is certain, he is a great character who left no one indifferent,” said Mr. Godin.
Over the past few years, Mr. Savoie has been working to set up an Acadian commemorative site project in Kedgwick. He also campaigned for recognition of the Acadian deportation as genocide.
