FAG o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-12-12 published
Craig Andrew
O'HAGAN
By Vince BERETTA,
Friday,
December 12, 2003 - Page A28
Son, brother, twin, friend, athlete, adventure-seeker, angler,
photographer, naturalist, engineer. Born December 13, 1972 in
Brampton, Ontario Died October 17 in London, Ontario, of Burkitt's
lymphoma, aged 30.
One of a handful of truly earth-connected souls, Craig took a
leave of absence from his position as a mechanical engineer at
FAG
Bearings in Stratford, Ontario, to fill himself with the
ultimate example of what made him an unforgettable person; his
defining "thumbprint" adventure of a lifetime.This would not
be Craig's typical accomplishment. Not the run-of-the-mill northern
experience, seeking leadership skills with Outward Bound or a
dog-sled adventure or a backcountry ski experience or the thrill
of a white-water kayak or the serenity of a multiple-portage
canoe trip. Nor would it be challenging the elite ranks of competitors
at a Nordic ski, triathlon, or mountain bike race.
This was different -- a yearlong solo sojourn peregrinating around
the world. He set out just before the New Year 2003 with his
ski equipment, his excitable eyes, a heart-warmed smile, and
a calm demeanour -- all of which made it easy for him to connect
with other soul-driven people.
He began in England, Ireland and then Scotland, found his way
to the mountains of central Europe, and then Sweden, Finland
and Norway to seek more of his favourite season -- winter --
and to cross-country ski.
By March he found himself in the dangerous "no-go," Golden Triangle
region of northern Thailand near the Laos and Myanmar borders.
There he stayed with a family, assisting them to build a bamboo
house with nothing more than a hammer and a machete.
That was so Craig -- he would always take the time to remove
himself from the beaten path to touch the local culture by living
with the rural people of the land.
By May he had changed continents and landed a job at a million-acre
cattle ranch in Drysdale Station, demarcated by a building or
two in the middle of Australia. There he worked as a ranch hand
learning to fix whatever was broken with what ever they had,
and herd cattle by Jeep, often driving hundreds of dusty, bumpy
kilometres a day.
Craig was in his element when surrounded by nature and interacting
with people and the planet. He captured this in his near-professional
photography and various e-mails to his parents Mike and Mary,
his brother Jeff, his twin sister Kelly and a large contingent
of fortunate Craig-following Friends and relatives.
In the middle of June Craig fell ill and
by July he would be
airlifted to a Darwin, Australia, hospital where doctors discovered
a rare and aggressive cancer; this would become Craig's next
challenge.
He was flown home to fight with great optimism and never once
asked "Why me?" Craig approached this like the rest of his life
he let his heart lead him and he never attached himself to
an outcome. This allowed him to instinctively know what mattered,
and when it mattered, and he never faltered in his outlook.
Tragically, Craig lost his battle. At his standing-room-only
funeral his ex-wife Becky delivered his eulogy. This fact speaks
volumes, not only about Becky but about Craig, too. In a world
of choices and mistakes both of them had the strength and maturity
to face their heart's truth and chose to serve each other apart
as Friends -- and, like Craig, there was no ego in that. With
Becky, Craig pondered this thought: "What will be my thumbprint
in life?"
Well, Craig, it was your silent lead to trust that the heart
finishes first if we are courageous enough to listen to it.
Vince BERETTA is a friend of Craig.
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FAGAN o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-12-18 published
Party leaders pay tribute
Tories fondly remember Stanfield as best prime minister Canada
never had
By Kim LUNMAN and Drew
FAGAN,
Thursday,
December 18, 2003 - Page
A10
Ottawa -- Robert Lorne
STANFIELD, the former leader of the federal
Progressive Conservatives, was remembered yesterday as a Canadian
icon.
Political tributes were made across the country for Mr.
STANFIELD,
who died Tuesday at the Montfort Hospital in Ottawa. He was 89.
He had been in poor health for several years after a stroke.
A private funeral will be held in Ottawa tomorrow and a family
burial in Halifax.
Mr. STANFIELD led the federal Progressive Conservatives from
1967 to 1976 against Pierre
TRUDEAU and was known within the
party as the greatest prime minister Canada never had. In later
years, he was regarded as the conscience of the Conservatives,
representing their progressive side on social issues.
"Today we mourn the passing of one of the most distinguished
and committed Canadians of the past half-century," said Prime
Minister Paul
MARTIN. "I, like other Canadians, fondly remember
Mr. STANFIELD's great warmth, humility and compassionate nature,
but also his intellect and humour."
Progressive Conservative Leader Peter
MacKAY said Mr.
STANFIELD
will be remembered as an icon.
"It's a very sad and poignant day. He had a larger-than-life
persona and I think he can be accurately described as an icon
in Conservative politics and Canadian politics," Mr.
MacKAY said.
"Conservatives across the country, and indeed all Canadians,
have lost a great leader and a great Canadian," Canadian Alliance
Leader Stephen
HARPER said.
In an interview yesterday, former prime minister Brian
MULRONEY
described Mr.
STANFIELD as having brought the Progressive Conservative
Party into the mainstream of modern Canadian life through his
support for the Official Languages Act and his openness to ethnic
minorities and diversity. Mr.
MULRONEY said it was appropriate
that Mr. STANFIELD had been receiving treatment at Montfort Hospital,
the French-language facility in Ottawa, considering how hard
he had worked as leader to make the Tories comfortable with bilingualism
and how much effort he himself had made to learn French. "He
was a strikingly impressive, quiet, thoughtful man, but who was
very resolved and determined -- and with a generous view of Canada,"
Mr. MULRONEY said.
When Mr. MULRONEY was prime minister from 1984 to 1993, he would
occasionally invite Mr.
STANFIELD to 24 Sussex Dr. for lunch.
Mr. MULRONEY revealed yesterday that, in the late 1980s, when
Mr. STANFIELD was almost 75, he offered him the post of Canadian
ambassador to the United Nations.
"He thought it was a great honour. He wrestled with it for a
little while, but decided that, though he would love to do it,
he thought it would be a bit much at that stage of his life,"
Mr. MULRONEY said.
"He brought compassion to politics," Nova Scotia's Premier John
HAMM said yesterday.
"He brought a love of his country to his politics."
Flora MacDONALD, a former federal Tory cabinet minister, first
worked with Mr.
STANFIELD during the 1956 provincial campaign
that made him Nova Scotia premier. "He set a very high standard
for himself as a politician and expected others to do the same,"
she said yesterday. Mr.
STANFIELD supported official bilingualism
and abolition of the death penalty when his other caucus colleagues
were strongly opposed, she said. "He didn't do things just because
they were popular. He did things because he thought they were
intrinsically right."
Governor-General Adrienne
CLARKSON said Mr.
STANFIELD "will be
remembered for his integrity, his devotion to his country, his
social conscience and especially for his wit and sense of humour."
Mr. STANFIELD was premier of Nova Scotia from 1956 to 1967. He
was born in Truro into a family famous for its underwear business
and became a lawyer before turning to politics, first provincially
and later on the federal stage. But his awkward image contrasted
sharply to that of the hip, telegenic Mr.
TRUDEAU, costing the
party every election it fought under his leadership. The 1972
election was Mr.
STANFIELD's closest brush with federal power,
when the Liberals narrowly defeated the Conservatives by 109
to 107 seats. Two years later, the Liberals regained their majority
and Mr. STANFIELD announced his decision to step down. He remained
as leader until Joe
CLARK succeeded him in 1976.
After relinquishing his seat in the Commons in 1979, Mr.
STANFIELD
became Canada's special envoy to the Middle East and North Africa
until 1980, and was chairman of the Commonwealth Foundation from
1987 to 1991.
He married three times. His first wife died in a car crash in
1954 and his second wife died of cancer in 1976. He married his
third wife, Anne Henderson
AUSTIN, in 1978. He had four children.
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FAGE o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-08-02 published
James Edward
FRASER
April 1, 1929 - July 29, 2003
(Former Executive Director Track 3 Ski Association and in retirement
tour escort for Golden Escapes Travel) Jim died peacefully after
a short but feisty battle with cancer. Loving husband for 50
years to Virginia
FAGE
(Ginny.)
Jim's zest for life and love
of family is treasured by his daughters, Leslie (Ken
HOYT,)
Meredith
(Ed YAWNEY) and Leah (Steven
SPENCER.)
Proud
Grandpa of nine
grandchildren, Meghan, Jenna, Taryn, Andrew and Owen
HOYT,
Tyler
and Jennifer
YAWNEY and Stephanie and Scott
SPENCER.
Jim was
well known for his optimism and sense of humour which continued
throughout his illness. His love of travel, good food (he especially
enjoyed cooking for his family and Friends), music, theatre,
dancing and skiing will be remembered by his family who will
carry on his favourite tradition of all camping together. Jim
was predeceased by his parents Judge Allan and Margaret
FRASER
and his brother John
FRASER. He will be missed by his sisters
Molly (Jack
BOYD) and Diane (Michael
McCORMACK) all of Ottawa.
In accordance with Jim's wishes there will be no visitation.
There will be a private family service and interment at Beechwood
Cemetery in Ottawa. A celebration of Jim's life will take place
in Toronto on September 13, 1-4 p.m. at the Old Mill Garden Room.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Sunnybrook Hospital and
Cancer Centre who were so kind and caring to both Jim and his
family. If desired, donations in his memory may be made to Sunnybrook
Regional Cancer Centre or The Lions Foundation of Canada (a facility
for training guide and helper dogs) (905)842-2891. Condolences
and inquiries regarding the celebration may be sent to jimandginny13@hotmail.com
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