Close X
Sunday, November 24, 2024
ADVT 
National

Canada's former foreign minister Bill Graham dies

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 Aug, 2022 02:53 PM
  • Canada's former foreign minister Bill Graham dies

OTTAWA - Bill Graham, who served as foreign affairs minister when Canada decided against joining the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, has died.

Former Liberal MP John English told The Canadian Press that Graham died Sunday, according to a member of his family who shared the news with him earlier today.

Graham was first elected as a Liberal member of Parliament for the riding then known as Toronto Centre-Rosedale in 1993, after two unsuccessful runs.

“He was (an) immensely smart, decent, classy man," said former Liberal MP John McKay.

"I describe Bill as a complete politician: A good constituency person, a good national person and a good international person. Not many people can say that.”

In January 2002, months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks shook the world, Graham was appointed to serve as foreign affairs minister by then-prime minister Jean Chrétien.

At that time, Canada had to decide whether to join the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and then navigate its relationship with its closest ally when it opted against doing so.

Graham was roundly praised for not only assisting in that decision, but his overall handling of the role at a turbulent time in international relations.

John Baird, who served as foreign affairs minister under former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper praised Graham while expressing grief over his passing.

Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra offered his condolances over Graham's demise.

After his time in foreign affairs, Graham was moved to minister of national defence.

Eugene Lang was his chief of staff at the time and said he was well-liked by most everyone, including MPs of different political stripes.

Lang said while Graham was only in the role of national defence minister for less than two years, he had many accomplishments, including the recommended appointment of Rick Hillier as chief of defence staff.

After the Liberals lost government to the Conservatives in 2006 and former prime minister Paul Martin resigned, Graham stepped into the role of the party's interim leader.

“The Liberal party owes him a huge debt of gratitude," said McKay, who recalled Graham being an obvious choice for many.

MORE National ARTICLES

Commons committee to investigate Rogers outage

Commons committee to investigate Rogers outage
The July 8 outage affected Rogers mobile and internet users, knocked out ATMs, shut down the Interac payments system and prevented calls to 911 services in some Canadian cities.

Commons committee to investigate Rogers outage

Video shows Malik's killers waiting: police

Video shows Malik's killers waiting: police
Sgt. David Lee of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team told a news conference that a white Honda CRV pulled up near the scene of the shooting at around 7 a.m. and Malik was shot and killed at about 9:30 that morning. "The occupants were waiting for Mr. Malik," he said.

Video shows Malik's killers waiting: police

B.C. Appeal Court rejects private-care challenge

B.C. Appeal Court rejects private-care challenge
The panel of three Appeal Court justices did find the lower-court judge erred in his analysis of the right to life, saying the provincial act's provisions do deprive some patients, not only of the right to security of the person, but of the right to life.

B.C. Appeal Court rejects private-care challenge

B.C. opens registry for kids' COVID-19 vaccination

B.C. opens registry for kids' COVID-19 vaccination
Acting provincial health officer Dr. Martin Lavoie says they know the vaccines are safe and have helped the province weather the pandemic. While most children who are infected with COVID-19 have mild symptoms, he says others can get very sick.

B.C. opens registry for kids' COVID-19 vaccination

BC Wildfire Service crews respond near Lytton

BC Wildfire Service crews respond near Lytton
EComm, the 911 emergency communication operator for most of the province, said in a statement that landline and cell service is unavailable in Lytton and for the areas nearby of Boston Bar and Spences Bridge, but Brach said the outage is believed to be unrelated to the fire.

BC Wildfire Service crews respond near Lytton

Rooftop parking lot collapses in Vancouver

Rooftop parking lot collapses in Vancouver
The incident had closed Lougheed Highway between Rupert Street and Boundary Road, a major route for traffic. Emergency Health Services says the two patients were transported to hospital. It did not provide details on their condition.    

Rooftop parking lot collapses in Vancouver