Evelyn Jacks: Rest in Peace, Mr. Flaherty

Canada is devastated at the loss of its great Finance Minister, Jim Flaherty, who few would argue was a truly wonderful soul.

It was only a few short weeks ago that the headline in my blog read  “THANK YOU, MR. FLAHERTY”, on the occasion of his retirement. How could anyone have imagined this would only last a brief three weeks? 

Mr. Flaherty was a special man, and I was honored to know him. A few weeks ago I shared with you something of his spirit. In his acceptance speech upon presentation of Euromoney magazine's Finance Minister of the Year award, he humbly turned the credit over to Canadians themselves noting, "While it's an honour to receive this award, it's really a testament to the perseverance of Canadians themselves. . . it recognizes how Canadians built a sound economy and worked together to weather the global storm better than most other countries."

Incredibly humble, sharp and astute, deeply caring, a rare spirit amongst us, Mr. Flaherty left us too soon. It is a real tragedy he could not enjoy the retirement he had anticipated.  

Like millions of others around the globe and here in Canada, I had deep respect and admiration for Mr. Flaherty. All of us here at Knowledge Bureau share in the sorrow of his family and pray that comfort may come from knowing that his was a life lived with significance and impact. Rest In Peace, Mr. Flaherty.