Longtime Liberal Reg Alcock dead at 63
B y : The Canadian Press October 14, 2011
WINNIPEG — Tributes poured in Friday with the news that Reg Alcock, a federal and provincial politician from Manitoba who once served as Treasury Board president in Paul Martin's cabinet, had died.
Alcock, 63, was also minister responsible for the Canadian
In this May 25, 2005 file photo, Treasury Wheat Board and had served in the intergovernmental Board President Reg Alcock is seen affairs portfolio. Since he left politics he had been working announcing an investment in the future of for the University of Manitoba in the faculty of the Lake Winnipeg watershed. (CP management. PHOTO/Winnipeg Free Press - Ken Gigliotti) "He was at the airport on his way I believe to The Pas early this morning and just before he was to get on the plane he collapsed," said Manitoba Liberal Leader Jon Gerrard.
Gerrard said Alcock was rushed to hospital but couldn't be resuscitated. Reports suggested he may have had a heart attack. He stood well over six feet tall and had health problems related to his weight for several years. At one time he weighed more than 400 pounds.
"I was shocked, shaken," said Gerrard. "Reg Alcock has been a phenomenal force in Manitoba, a true champion for Manitoba and for Canada and indeed for the Liberal party."
Interim federal Liberal Leader Bob Rae described Alcock as a distinguished politician and public servant.
"Reg's booming voice, extraordinary energy and great enthusiasm for everything he did was his great hallmark," Rae said in a release.
"He befriended and mentored me in the ways of public policy and I shall miss his irrepressibly candid advice. Reg's passing is a loss to all of us. Manitoba and Canada have lost a man who was dedicated to the public good.
Federal Public Safety Minister Vic Toews fulfils the same role in Manitoba for the Conservatives that Alcock did when he served in the Liberal cabinet as the government's chief minister for the province.
"Reg was a strong parliamentarian who committed many years of his life to public service as a representative in both the Manitoba legislature and the House of Commons," a statement from Toews said.
1 "During his career as a federal cabinet minister, Reg took his role as regional minister for Manitoba to heart, placing issues of importance to his fellow Manitobans on the government's radar.
"During my own time as regional minister for Manitoba I have benefited from both his experience in the role and his vast knowledge of issues facing our province."
Kevin Lamoureux, the only Liberal MP left in the province, said it was a sad day for the party and for Manitoba.
"Reg was a dear friend of mine with whom I was tremendously close since we were both elected to the Manitoba legislature in 1988," he said. "Canada lost a champion today and is a better place because of Reg's tremendous contributions."
Lamoureux and Gerrard both said Alcock would be remembered for his key role in building the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg and for working with First Nations.
The Winnipeg-born Alcock, who had a master's degree in public administration from Harvard, was first elected as a member of the Manitoba legislature in 1988. It was during the last surge of Liberal popularity in the province, when Sharon Carstairs led the party to the largest number of seats in recent memory and formed the Official opposition.
That didn't last, however, and after the party's provincial fortunes slumped Alcock jumped to federal politics. He won in the riding of Winnipeg South in 1993 and was re-elected several times until his defeat in the 2006 federal election.
He didn't make cabinet, however, until Martin took over from Jean Chretien. Alcock was an early supporter of Martin in his bid to replace Chretien as Liberal leader.
Most recently, Alcock held the position of executive in residence at the University of Manitoba's Asper School of Business.
"In addition to his outstanding work for our university, he dedicated much of his life to public service for this city, province and country," said university president David Barnard in a statement when he learned of Alcock's death.
He noted Alcock also was a long-standing member of the Harvard Policy Group, which studies the effects of information technology on the public sector.
"While our university community has suffered a significant loss, a much deeper loss is felt by his family," said Barnard.
Alcock is survived by his partner Karen Taraska-Alcock and their children Sarah, Matthew and Christina.
Source: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/students-pitch-their-business-proposals-89319272.html
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