When Jim Flaherty stepped down as federal finance minister last month, he and his wife, Ontario MPP Christine Elliott, seemed relieved.
Elliott told reporters that her husband wanted to spend more time with their triplet sons, who are in their early 20s, and consider his options in the private sector.
Less than a month later, Flaherty died suddenly in Ottawa.
His stunned colleagues on Parliament Hill remembered him as a hard-working, tenacious minister and MP. His friends spoke about his softer side, his dedication to his family and how that shaped his politics.
Flaherty and Elliott were a 鈥渨onderful couple鈥n example of what you want politicians to be,鈥� said political commentator Tasha Kheiriddin, who lives in Flaherty鈥檚 Ontario riding of Whitby-Oshawa.
Thursday that Flaherty was 鈥渂eloved鈥� in the riding.
He and Elliott, an Ontario MPP and the deputy leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, were down-to-earth people who opened up their home at Christmas and invited people to join the holiday cheer, she said.
Kheiriddin said Flaherty鈥檚 political legacy includes measures inspired by his family, such as the registered disability savings plan. One of Flaherty鈥檚 sons has a disability and it was important to him to ensure that other families could save for their children, Kheiriddin said.
鈥淭hat was a very personal thing for him.鈥�
Speaking to reporters Thursday at Queen鈥檚 Park, Ontario PC Leader
He said Flaherty鈥檚 sons, John, Galen and Quinn, should be 鈥渄amned proud of what their father accomplished.
鈥淭his was an incredible man,鈥� an emotional Hudak said, recalling a barbecue at his Niagara home where Flaherty stood on the porch and talked about his 鈥渓ove and passion for Ontario and Canada.鈥�
Former prime minister that Flaherty will be remembered as a 鈥済reat man.鈥�
鈥淗e had a good soul and a warm Irish heart,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e loved his family, he loved his wife, he loved his friends and he鈥檚 going to be deeply missed.鈥�
Flaherty made it clear that he valued his friendships when he became emotional last November while speaking about embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.
Ford had just admitted to smoking crack cocaine while in office and Flaherty, a long-time friend of the Ford family, choked up when reporters asked him about it.
"At the end of the day, he has to make his own decision about what he ought to do,鈥� Flaherty said. 鈥淐ertainly his family is helping him and wishing him well. That's all I can say."
Mulroney said Flaherty discussed his future with him around the Christmas and New Year鈥檚 Eve holidays and seemed ready for a different life, away from federal politics.
鈥淚 think he was a happy man, a contented man, looking forward to a wonderful future, long future with his terrific wife and children.鈥�
Mulroney said Flaherty was 鈥渧ery attractive鈥� to business groups, law firms and universities, and could have had a 鈥渟pectacular鈥� life after his retirement from politics.
鈥淗e deserved it, richly deserved it, and it was snapped away from him.鈥�
