Paul Keenleyside has been involved in the BC Social Credit Party from April 1979 to June 1995. Paul’s father was very civic minded and taught Paul about voting and community involvement, but himself was neither involved in politics nor was he a member of the Social Credit party. Paul’s mother was a friend of Shirley Barrett, wife of Dave Barrett (MLA) for Coquitlam riding where Paul and family lived.

Initially, Paul became involved in the 1979 provincial election in Burnaby-Edmonds Social Credit campaign office out of curiosity and after election he became more active participant. Paul introduced the idea of a monthly newsletter for the fledging BC Social Credit Youth Auxiliary. The Party took notice and the newsletter went on to be the longest running newsletter within BC Social Credit.

Paul joined the Burnaby Edmonds Social Credit Constituency Association, became a Director, and rose to be Membership Secretary and later Association Secretary and Vice President. He also was on of the founding Directors of the reconstructed BC Young Socreds and contributed greatly in many ways to the group that started with 35 members and rose to about 3100 in the early 1990s.

Paul received the highest award in BC Social Credit, an Honorary Life Membership in 1990 and highest award in the BC Young Socreds also in 1990. He had received awards of recognition of service from Burnaby Willingdon and also North Vancouver Seymour.

Paul had served in the capacity of Constituency Vice President, being a Regional Returning Officer, and officiating at nomination meetings and annual general meetings. He had volunteered in three leadership campaigns, and three provincial elections at the riding level, and six by-elections. He was a part in the pioneering of using merged voter information to telephone number based databases and also in the use of GIS printed maps for campaigning. He also developed instruction materials for demographic analysis and past election analysis for campaigns.