Jim Peterson: a curious mind who nurtured the best in Parliament, people, and public policy
Peterson, former longtime Toronto Liberal MP and cabinet minister, died on May 10 at the age of 82, but he left a positive legacy behind.
True to Jim Peterson’s love of reading and his probing intellect, one of the last things he did was pick up the newspaper. And news of his death on May 10, 2024, was deeply gutting. His team of loyal followers lost a family member, because Jim and his wife Heather will forever be our family. He and Heather would get that getaway car for every one of us—for anyone—if it was the right thing to do.
Canadian politics has lost the story of Parliament as seen through the eyes of James Scott Peterson: the ambition for the institution, his belief that solutions are always possible across the aisle, and that the policies debated here—constructive, healthy debate—would serve the residents of the riding of Willowdale, Ont., and every Canadian. Quietly, but firmly, Jim pushed for measures to build a strong economy because, without it, improving the lot of others would not be possible.
He believed in getting out of the Ottawa bubble and talking to people directly—a powerful lesson that should endure today.
He had an extraordinary passion for public service that ran in his family along with his brothers David and Tim, his wife Heather and others.
Jim went about his parliamentary career—including his time in cabinet—focusing less on getting credit than on getting results. He was known to display sharp wit there, too, as has been widely shared. As chair of the House Finance Committee, he helped launch the annual cross-country hearings to listen to Canadians about their priorities. He was Canada’s voice in the fight against money laundering and the financing of global terrorism. An international counterpart said it well: Jim Peterson had the “soul of a statesman, mind of a salesman.” At the department of trade, he worked to cement Canada’s global ties under then-prime minister Paul Martin with a deep focus on emerging economies, the European Union, and small business. And, of course, our best friend and ally: the United States.
Above all, Jim cared most about the doors he and Heather knocked on, and the people he talked to as the MP for Willowdale.
But in my mind, perhaps the most lasting mark Jim made on our national life came in 1983 alongside then-minister of justice Jean Chrétien. He helped pilot groundbreaking sexual assault legislation that ended the insidious practice of allowing the use of a rape victim’s sexual history as evidence in court. “It was a major breakthrough from a very antiquated and harsh law,” he told The Canadian Press at the time. That remark epitomized the Jim Peterson I and others came to know.
Jim quietly showed us all how to use our skills and experience to make a positive difference for everyone in our personal and professional lives.
Over the years, Jim’s sense of loyalty, wisdom, and deep humanity left an indelible imprint on my life. My heart has been warmed every day by memories of his advice, counsel, and abiding friendship. He loved family, friends, and Canada deeply.
Having worked alongside him so closely we often found it hard to square his usually unassuming manner with that of the guy who was the brazen planner of Mikhail Baryshnikov’s defection from the Soviet Union. That’s something he never drew attention to, but that was just so Jim.
In his final words in Parliament in 2008, Jim thanked his colleagues in both sides of the House. He said they may have differed on policies, but never over the need to serve Canada with the same dedication and commitment. He struck a tone of civility and collegial respect worth heeding today more than ever.
My career has been shaped by Jim, from learning the communications ropes, to deeply understanding trade and economic growth as a driver for all we want our country to be in the Canada-U.S. relationship. I’ve taken and used what I have learned from him into every job I’ve had since. His teachings were formative to my view as an entrepreneur that strong public policy can only be achieved when it is good for Canadians.
Those lessons he shared with me and so many others will live on. Thank you, Jim, for all your not-so-quiet teachings about work and about life: the critical importance of loyalty. Mutual respect. Social justice. Building community. Empathy for others. Showing up.
He was always the first to help someone in need, and to celebrate the milestones and accomplishments of those he cared so deeply about.
He raised us all up. Was our champion and our cheerleader.
Jim, I will never, ever forget you. To borrow your own words we all think you are “terrific” and we are sending you “big hugs.”
