April 10, 2014
Premier Honours Jim Flaherty
The following statement was issued by the Honourable Tom Marshall, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador:
I was shocked and deeply saddened when I learned that former Finance Minister Jim Flaherty passed away.
It was just three weeks ago that I wrote to Mr. Flaherty to commend him for his outstanding service as Canada’s Finance Minister throughout the past eight years.
I truly believe it was largely because of his steady hand on the wheel that Canada was able, not only to weather the worst global downturn in memory, but to outperform most other countries and stand tall as the paradigm of prudent fiscal management. He made Canada’s example the benchmark for others to aspire to achieve.
In my letter to him, I told Mr. Flaherty that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are particularly appreciative of the work he did and decisions he helped to make to strengthen and grow our province’s economy. Our province and our people have benefited greatly from his strong leadership as Finance Minister and will continue to benefit from those decisions for generations to come.
It was my privilege to work closely with him as Premier and as provincial Finance Minister on many occasions. I greatly enjoyed our conversations.
Mr. Flaherty’s work has benefited so many. His legacy is now an important and indelible part of Canadian history, and he has done his country proud.
On behalf of the Government and people of Newfoundland and Labrador, I express my deepest sympathies to Jim’s wife, Ontario’s Deputy Opposition Leader Christine Elliott, and their entire family.
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Media contact:
Milly Brown
Director of Communications
Office of the Premier
729-3960
millybrown@gov.nl.ca
2014 04 10 5:00 p.m.