OTTAWA-
Condolences from Canadian politicians past and present poured in on Monday when they learned of the death of Bill Graham, who was foreign minister when the country decided not to join the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Former Liberal MP John English told The Canadian Press that Graham died on Sunday, according to a family member who shared the news with him earlier Monday.
English said he had cancer and passed away peacefully after being in poor health for some time.
“He was a fun guy. I went out with him for a drink just three or four weeks ago. He wasn’t drinking…He had a nice glass of wine but he couldn’t get us join,” he recalls.
“He’s such a wonderful presence. So positive, so optimistic. He’s a person to be taken seriously, but he never took himself seriously. He laughed a lot. He laughed very easily.”
Graham, 83, was first elected Liberal MP in the riding then known as Toronto Centre-Rosedale in 1993, after two unsuccessful elections.
Former colleagues have praised Graham as a capable MP, having spent time in the backbenches before entering Cabinet, and someone who demonstrated a deep passion for helping members of his community.
George Smitherman, who represented the same downtown Toronto area for the Liberals at the provincial level as Graham at the federal level, said Graham had a remarkable way of connecting with people, regardless of background.
Smitherman, who is gay, said he first arrived at what is now known as Toronto Center as a child comforted by his sexuality and at the time Graham and local liberals had incorporated AIDS activism into their politics.
“To me, that was one of the most defining attributes of how political parties should operate,” Smitherman said.
“It really had a huge impact on me in my life.”
Former Liberal MP John McKay says Graham was a “complete politician”.
“A good constituency person, a good national person and a good international person. Few people can say that.”
“He was (an) immensely intelligent, decent and elegant man,” he added.
In January 2002, months after the September 11 terrorist attacks shook the world, Graham was appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Foreign Affairs by then-Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.
At that point, Canada had to decide whether to join the US-led invasion of Iraq and then navigate its relationship with its closest ally when it chose not to. TO DO.
Graham was warmly praised not only for helping with that decision, but also for his overall handling of the role during a turbulent time in international relations.
“He was an outstanding foreign minister and a capable parliamentarian,” tweeted John Baird, who served as foreign minister under former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper.
After his stint in Foreign Affairs, Graham was moved to the post of Minister of National Defence.
Eugene Lang was his chief of staff at the time and said Graham, who had traveled widely before entering politics, was liked by almost everyone, including MPs of different political stripes and in the civil service.
“He treated everyone with tremendous respect. There was no arrogance about Bill.”
Lang said that while Graham had only served as Minister of National Defense for less than two years, he had many accomplishments, including securing a funding increase and recommending the appointment of Rick Hillier to the post of Chief of the Defense Staff.
Former Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin released a statement after learning of Graham’s death, saying he “helped our government and the country through a difficult time in history as we deployed to Kandahar, southern Afghanistan”.
“His loss will be felt by all who knew him or worked with him.”
After the Liberals lost government to the Conservatives in 2006 and Martin resigned, Graham stepped into the role of acting leader of the party.
“The Liberal Party owes him a huge debt of gratitude,” said McKay, who said he was an obvious choice for many.
Harper said Graham was the first official opposition leader he faced after winning government.
“Bill has always been a gentleman,” he tweeted.
“He always kept the country’s best interests in mind.”
For Carolyn Bennett, a longtime Liberal cabinet minister, she remembers Graham as someone who was comfortable with everyone and listened generously to conversations.
“There’s no one else you’d rather have dinner with. And I think that’s how a lot of us feel,” she said Monday.
“He was so special. It’s really hard to believe he’s gone,” Bennett said, his voice cracking.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on August 8, 2022.
— With files from Allison Jones and Jordan Omstead in Toronto
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on August 8, 2022.