By McGill Reporter Staff
The McGill flag atop the Arts Building will fly at half-staff Wednesday, April 16, out of respect for the late Jim Flaherty, former federal Minister of Finance.
Flaherty was 64 when he died suddenly last Thursday of a suspected heart attack. He had retired as Finance Minister only three weeks earlier, having served in the portfolio since 2006. He was succeeded as Finance Minister by McGill alumnus Joe Oliver (BA’61; BCL’64).
A state funeral is being held Wednesday in Toronto’s St. James Cathedral, 65 Church St., at 3 p.m. This follows visitation Tuesday in Flaherty’s home of Whitby, Ont.
Anyone wishing to contribute to the online book of condolences can do so here.
The sixth of eight children, Flaherty was born and raised in Lachine and attended Bishop Whelan High School and Loyola High Shool. He went to Princeton University on a hockey scholarship, earning a BA in sociology, before continuing his studies at Osgood Hall Law School of York Universty. Prior to his federal political career, Flaherty was a provincial politician in the Ontario legislature, where he also served briefly as Finance Minister.