Jim
Flaherty, former Cdn
finance minister, dead at 64
Jim Flaherty, former finance minister, dead at 64
"My partner and my friend," Prime Minister Stephen Harper says of Jim Flaherty
Jim Flaherty’s colleagues, political opponents and friends are remembering him for his commitment to public service, his playful sense of humour and his devotion to his family.
Flaherty, who resigned last month as federal finance minister, died of an apparent heart attack Thursday at age 64.
Flaherty’s wife, Ontario MPP Christine Elliott, asked for privacy on behalf of her and the couple’s triplet sons, John, Galen and Quinn.
"We appreciate that he was so well supported in his public life by Canadians from coast to coast and by his international colleagues," Elliott said in a statement.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, speaking to Conservative MPs and senators, called Flaherty — until last month, his only finance minister — his friend and partner.
"This comes as an unexpected and a terrible shock to Jim’s family, to our caucus and to Laureen and me," Harper said, as his wife, Laureen, wiped tears from her face.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks alongside his wife Laureen following the death of former finance Minister Jim Flaherty in Ottawa, Thursday, April 10, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)
A source close to the family told the CBC’s Evan Solomon that Flaherty died of a massive heart attack. Emergency services were called to Flaherty’s home in Ottawa at 12:27 p.m. Thursday.
MPs suspended the House of Commons just before the daily question period, around 2:15 p.m. ET, as news of Flaherty’s death made its way through Parliament Hill. NDP Leader Tom Mulcair moved for the adjournment.
MPs hug, shake hands
"After consultations among House leaders, there is general agreement the House will now suspend," Speaker Andrew Scheer told MPs.
The flag on the Peace Tower was lowered to half-mast in Flaherty’s memory and Ontario’s provincial legislature adjourned early. Flaherty was a member of Queen’s Park in Toronto for 10 years.
G20 finance ministers, including Canada’s Joe Oliver, are meeting in Washington, D.C.. They will start their evening with statements on Flaherty’s death.
Opposition MPs crossed the floor to shake hands with Conservative MPs and offer their condolences. Some hugged each other.
An hour later, Conservative caucus members were gathered in a room on Parliament Hill to hear Harper’s statement and reminisce. Harper had been scheduled to meet with the visiting president of Peru in the room.
Many senators and MPs were visibly upset, wiping tears from red-rimmed eyes. Some gathered to comfort Kellie Leitch, who had worked on Flaherty’s Ontario PC leadership campaign a decade ago and considered Flaherty a mentor.
- Jim Flaherty, Canada’s former finance minister, is dead at age 64. The Conservative MP stepped down from cabinet last month, citing a plan to return to the private sector. Here, Flaherty delivers the federal budget in the House of Commons on Feb. 11, 2024. (Chris Wattie/Reuters)
- Flaherty speaks following the delivery of the budget on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Feb. 11. A source close to the family told the CBC’s Evan Solomon that Flaherty died of a massive heart attack. Police, fire and ambulance services were called to his home in Ottawa on Thursday afternoon. (Blair Gable/Reuters)
- A picture posted to Flaherty’s Twitter account on March 18 shows the former finance minister waving farewell at the door of his office. (Twitter)
- Prime Minister Stephen Harper shakes hands with Flaherty after he delivered the federal budget in the House of Commons on Feb. 11. After learning of Flaherty’s death, an emotional Harper offered condolences and called him a friend and partner. (Chris Wattie/Reuters)
- Flaherty, left, is sworn in as Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean look on during a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa in February 2024. (Chris Wattie/Reuters)
- Flaherty revealed last year that he was taking medication for a skin condition that had affected his appearance. Here, at an announcement in January, Jim Flaherty announces that he has ‘no doubt’ that the country’s budget will be balanced in2020. (Chris Wattie/Reuters)
- France’s Minister of Economy Christine Lagarde and Flaherty arrive for a G20 ministerial meeting during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring Meetings at IMF headquarters in Washington on April 15, 2024. (. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
- finance Minister Jim Flaherty reacts while trying on his ‘budget shoes’ during a photo opportunity at a shoe store in Ottawa on March 28, 2024. (Chris Wattie/Reuters)
- finance Minister Jim Flaherty receives a standing ovation in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on April 24, 2024. (Chris Wattie/Reuters)
- In February, Flaherty announced at a news conference at the North Shore Rescue **** in North Vancouver that volunteer members of search and rescue groups would get a tax break. (Jimmy Jeong/Canadian Press)
- Flaherty, who served as finance minister from 2024 to 2024 and was responsible for the Royal Canadian Mint, holds the last penny produced at the mint in Winnipeg on May 4, 2024. ( Fred Greenslade/Reuters)
- Flaherty ties his shoe before speaking at a post-budget event in Ottawa on Feb. 12, 2024. (Fred Chartrand/CP)
- Flaherty casts a shadow on a mock-up of the Royal Canadian Mint’s 2024 Proof Silver Dollar coin, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, on Jan. 17, 2024. (Chris Wattie/Reuters)
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Leitch said in a statement that Flaherty had encouraged her to get involved in politics.
"He was my champion. Canada has lost a giant and our government has lost one of its most respected and capable members," she said.
"Jim’s family meant the world to him and he took great pride in telling his colleagues of their successes and accomplishments. My heart breaks for them and words cannot express what they must be going through."
‘Heartbroken’
Treasury Board President Tony Clement, who started working with Flaherty when they were members of Ontario’s legislature more than two decades ago, tweeted his grief.
"Just crushed at the loss of my colleague and friend @JimFlaherty. We spent 25 years together in public life. An Irish lion is gone," Clement said on Twitter.
Mulcair, often a fiery opponent of the Conservative government, made an emotional statement outside the House.
"Catherine and I want to express to Christine Elliott our profound sadness at the departure of our friend Jim Flaherty," Mulcair said, his voice breaking.
"We share in their loss. We’re very, very sorry for their loss. Jim Flaherty was an extraordinarily dedicated public servant," Mulcair said.
In a statement, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Flaherty had been his mentor at Queen’s Park, Ontario’s legislature.
"I could always rely on Jim to be a devout friend through tough times, and an encouraging figure through good," he said.
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, a family friend of Flaherty’s, tweeted his condolences to Elliott and said he was devastated.
"The Ford family is heartbroken," he tweeted.
‘Absolute commitment’ to Canada
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau was on a plane to Vancouver when the news broke but tweeted his reaction after landing.
"Like all Canadians, I join in expressing my sadness at Jim Flaherty’s passing. My sincere condolences to @chriselliottpc and his children," he said.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said MPs were all in shock. "I don’t think there was anyone better loved across party lines."
New Democrat MP Charlie Angus recalled being in Rome with Flaherty, relaxing with a couple of beers.
"He looked like a little altar boy, he was so proud to be in Rome," Angus said.
Former finance minister Jim Flaherty resigned from cabinet in mid-March, sending a news release with a photo of him waving farewell to make the announcement. (Handout photo)
"It’s just so bloody sad."
Liberal MP Scott Brison, a former finance critic, said Flaherty was a great father.
"You could differ with him, but you never ever doubted his absolute commitment to serving the people of Canada," Brison said.
Bruce Heyman, the new American ambassador to Canada, noted Flaherty’s eight years in "one of government’s most demanding roles."
"That he did so during challenging economic times makes his achievement all the more impressive," Heyman said in a statement.
Health problems
Flaherty stepped down from cabinet less than a month ago, citing a plan to return eventually to the private sector.
He had battled health problems in the months leading up to his resignation, most publicly, a painful skin condition called bullous pemphigoid. But Flaherty had also experienced a medical issue during a Conservative caucus meeting some time in the last eight months. He was attended to by MP Kellie Leitch, a doctor.
Conservative MP Bernard Trottier said on CBC News Network’s Power & Politics that Flaherty’s Conservative colleagues thought at the time the problem was related to "extreme fatigue."
Until he stepped down last month, Flaherty was the only finance minister to serve under Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Flaherty’s final tweet as finance minister, announcing his departure, was his last tweet and said:
"It has been an honour to serve Canada. Thank you for the opportunity."
Source: Jim Flaherty, former finance minister, dead at 64 – Politics – CBC News
