MONTREAL - Mario Lague, a key adviser to a succession of federal Liberal leaders, was remembered by former prime minister Paul Martin as "the ultimate Canadian patriot" as family and friends attended Lague's funeral on Monday.
The 52-year-old Lague was riding his motorcycle to work in Ottawa last Thursday when he collided with a sport utility vehicle.
Before his death, Lague was Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff's communications director after serving in a number of federal and provincial posts.
Ignatieff, along with former Liberal leaders Martin and Stephane Dion, joined those at the packed memorial service, which lasted more than 90 minutes and was followed by a private burial.
Lague served briefly as communications director to Martin and was also a political adviser to Robert Bourassa when he was Quebec premier.
Martin told reporters after the service that Lague was one of his closest collaborators when he was prime minister.
"He had an extensive knowledge, both of Quebec and Canada, but also internationally," Martin said.
"He brought a Quebec perspective that was crucial and, at the same time, he had an understanding of Ottawa, he loved Canada, he was the ultimate Canadian patriot.
"I think he had that unique capacity to bring his love of life to all of the serious issues that he had to deal with."
Ignatieff spoke briefly during the service and called Lague a team leader.
The Liberal leader admitted he had a habit of taking things seriously, but that Lague would just roll his eyes and tell him that "this too shall pass."
In a final moving gesture, Ignatieff placed his hand on Lague's coffin and said "Au revoir, Mario."
Former Liberal finance minister Ralph Goodale said Lague had a way of taking the most complex of issues and bringing them down to Earth.
"And bringing politicians and bureaucrats right down to Earth as well to focus on what was important," Goodale added.
The former Liberal cabinet minister said Lague's greatest passion and his greatest contribution, apart from his family, was his love for the country.
The bilingual service was packed with family, friends, and a number of Liberal MPs and senators.
Also present was Jean-Marc Fournier, Ignatieff's former principal secretary, who resigned last week to become justice minister in Premier Jean Charest's cabinet.
Dimitri Soudas, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's communications spokesman, also attended the service where friends and family laughed and cried as they shared their memories of the communications guru.
Lague, a father of two, was a former senior federal bureaucrat and one-time Canadian ambassador to Costa Rica.
Ottawa police said the 49-year-old driver of the SUV suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital.
A police spokesman said Monday that no charges have been laid yet and that the investigation was ongoing.
