Flaherty worked ‘incredibly hard’ says McLeod

NEWS — Former finance minister Jim Flaherty will be missed for his contributions as finance minister and for his qualities as a human being, says Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Cathy McLeod.

Flaherty died suddenly at his Ottawa home today. He was 64.

McLeod told The Armchair Mayor News that word of Flaherty’s death came to MPs as they were preparing to begin Question Period. The House immediately stopped sitting for the day.

“There were a lot of tears and a log of hugs,” McLeod said.

“As a member of the finance committee I worked very closely with him for a number of years. He worked incredibly hard — he put in an amazing number of hours.”

She said Flaherty had a wry sense of humour that was much appreciated by his colleagues. McLeod said a colleague had dinner with Flaherty Tuesday night and he was “his usual gregarious self.”

The cause of Flaherty’s death is not yet known.