Yellowknife, NWT – Former Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has died at age 64.
Paramedics were called to his home in Ottawa this afternoon and found him with no vital signs.
No cause of death has been released though a heart attack is suspected.
Flaherty had just stepped down as finance minister last month.
He’d suffered from a rare skin condition for the past couple of years.
Globe and Mail columnist John Ibbitson, who covered Flaherty for two decades, was in Yellowknife Thursday.
He says Flaherty did great things for the country.
“He was one of our longest serving finance ministers. He led us through the great recessions which did not become a great recession, because finance ministers like Jim Flaherty and very few others recognize what had to be done and did it.”
Range Lake MLA Daryl Dolynny had this reaction to the news.
“He was definitely a pillar during one of the toughest times we’ve had here in recent years on a political scene especially during the recession. It’s definitely a shock and he’ll be well remembered not only nationally but internationally for doing quite well for Canada. Definitely a huge loss for Canada.”
The House of Commons immediately suspended business Thursday.
Flaherty, the MP for Whitby-Oshawa, just east of Toronto, leaves a wife and three kids behind.
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