Former Toronto MP had key cabinet roles under Chrétien

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 Monday.

English said he had cancer and died peacefully after being in poor health for some time.

“He was a fun guy. I went out with him for drinks just three or four weeks ago. He wasn’t drinking … He enjoyed a good glass of wine but he couldn’t join us,” he recalled.

“He’s such a wonderful presence. So positive, so optimistic. He’s a person to be taken seriously, but he never took himself seriously. He was full of laughter. He laughed very easily.”

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.”

George Smitherman, who represented the same downtown Toronto area for the Liberals provincially as Graham had federally, said Graham had a remarkable way of connecting with people, no matter their background.

Smitherman, who is gay, said he first arrived in what is now known as Toronto Centre as a kid finding comfort with his sexuality and at the time Graham and the local Liberals had embedded AIDS activism in their politics.

“That, to me, was one of the most defining attributes of the way political parties ought to operate,” Smitherman said. “It was really a huge impact on me in my life.”

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.

“He was an outstanding minister of foreign affairs and a skilled parliamentarian,” tweeted John Baird, who served as foreign affairs minister under former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper.

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 wellliked 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 said he was an obvious choice for many.

After learning of Graham’s death, Martin released a statement saying as defence minister he “helped our government and the country navigate a challenging period of history as we deployed into Kandahar in southern Afghanistan.”

“His loss will be felt by all who knew or worked with him.”

Harper said Graham was the first official Opposition leader he faced after winning government.

“Bill was always a gentleman,” he tweeted.

“He always kept the best interests of the country in mind.”