Paul Gareau, MD
1929–2011
Born in Leven, Fife, Scotland, George—as he was known until he came to Canada—was the youngest of five siblings. His father was a chemist. He was educated in local schools and graduated in medicine at the University of Edinburgh in 1952, then completed his rotating training internship at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, the Farnborough Hospital, and the Kent and Westhill Hospitals at Dartford, England.
In 1950, George met his future wife, Kathleen, a nurse. They married in 1953, and moved to Ruislip, Middlesex, England. Kathleen would become his greatest supporter and helpmate throughout their life together. After two children were born, Anne and Sheila, they emigrated to Canada in 1957, settling in Sarnia, where he fulfilled the Canadian Internship requirements while Kathleen worked as a nurse.
The next move was to New Liskeard, Ontario, where two more children, Catherine and Julie, were born and Scott (as he now preferred) entered a general practice.
While in New Liskeard, Scott was named citizen of the year in recognition of his community service and fundraising, which resulted in the construction of a nurse’s residence. This commitment to community service would continue throughout his life.
Scott and Kathleen moved to Victoria in 1961. Here their fifth and final offspring, David, was born. Scott began his political career in 1967 when he was elected to the Oak Bay municipal council. After 2 years, he ran for and was elected to the provincial government as the full-time Oak Bay Social Credit MLA, his medical practice being placed on hold.
After a falling out with Premier W.A.C. Bennett, he crossed the floor to sit as an independent member of the legislature. He was re-elected in 1972 and 1975 and served from 1973 to 1977 as leader of the BC Conservative Party.
Scott retired from politics in 1977 to return to his family practice. It was not all work and obligation. Scott was a good golfer, as one would expect for a Fifer, but a less-than-desirable bridge partner. Our competitive golf outings were many and serious and over the years there was no clear winner. At bridge, he was a complete disaster, but enjoyed it immensely. Kathleen was invariably on the winning team.
During Scott’s time as a politician and subsequently in medicine, he further established his reputation as an honest, forthright, and concerned person, both aiding individual constituents while in politics, and his patients during his medical career.
He continued his community involvement and fundraising activities, playing an instrumental role in the success of several ventures, such as the Conservatory of Music, the transition to Royal Roads University, and Operation Eyesight Universal. Scott retired from medical practice in 1989 and in 1998 was presented with the Dr David M. Bachop Gold Medal award for his outstanding contribution to the care of his patients and spirited leadership in community affairs.
His dearly loved Kathleen died of malignant melanoma in 2005 and Scott, devastated by the loss, never regained his previous passion for life. Psoriatic arthritis had plagued him most of his adult life and latterly pulmonary fibrosis progressively limited his activities, eventually confining him to his home.
In spite of this, he read two or three newspapers a day and kept abreast of both municipal and global affairs. He was always a delight to visit and as perhaps his longest standing friend and associate, I will miss him.
—Paul Gareau, MD
Victoria
