TRIBUTES AND TEARS
Returning to Calgary after golfing trip
OT TAWA • Tributes and expressions of grief poured in from across the country and political spectrum Friday following news that Jim Prentice, former Alberta premier and federal Conservative cabinet minister, was one of four people killed in a small plane crash Thursday night near Kelowna, B.C.
In a statement, Prentice’s family said Ken Gellatly, a Calgary optometrist and the father-in-law of Jim’s daughter Cassia, was also killed in the accident. They were returning to Calgary from a golfing trip in Kelowna.
“Words cannot begin to express our profound shock and heartbreak at the news that our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Jim, has died in this tragic event,” the family said in the statement, noting Gellatly was “also a very special man.”
“To lose two family members at once is unbelievably painful and we are certain you will appreciate and respect our wishes for privacy at this time and the coming weeks. We are also thinking of the other families who have been affected by this tragedy and our thoughts and prayers are with them,” the statement said.
The Cessna Citation jet had departed from Kelowna and was headed toward Springbank, Alta., on the edge of Calgary, late Thursday. But it disappeared from radar soon after takeoff. Surrey Air Traffic Control Cen- tre alerted Kelowna RCMP and Lake Country RCMP at 10:07 p.m. that it had lost contact with the jet. The last data point recorded by the tracking site FlightAware showed the aircraft was at 4,800 feet, and the plane was descending at a rate of -2,200 feet per minute.
All on board the plane were killed after “it collided with the terrain at a sea level of 3,300 feet at a high speed,” said Transportation Safety Board spokesman Bill Yearwood.
Later Thursday, a search team found the wreckage in a heavily wooded area near Winfield, about 18 kilometres north of Kelowna.
“The site itself was widespread and a very difficult scene ... to reach,” RCMP Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said, describing the area as “densely forested with hilly terrain, accessed by a forest service road. We can describe the scene and the impact from the crash as catastrophic.”
People l i ving near the crash site said the weather Thursday night had been rainy, but not particularly stormy.
Prentice, 60, is survived by wife Karen, three daughters Christina, Cassia and Kate, and two grandchildren.
“Laureen and I were shocked and saddened to learn of the death of our friend and colleague Jim Prentice,” former prime minister Stephen Harper, a longtime friend and Conservative colleague, said on Twitter.
“Jim was a family man, friend, l eader, and most importantly, a proud Can- adian. His legacy will live on through his loving family and decades of public service.”
In a statement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was “deeply saddened” to hear of Prentice’s death. The prime minister said Prentice brought “deep convictions” to everything he did, be it law, business or politics, and that he “worked tirelessly for the people of Canada and Alberta.”
“He was broadly respected in the House of Commons — across all party lines — for his intelligence, commitment, and honest, straightforward approach on tough issues. I greatly enjoyed the time I spent working closely beside Jim in the House, and know that he will be missed by his colleagues on both sides of the aisle,” Trudeau said.
“Today, we mourn the passing of a great Canadian. His legacy will live on in the work he did for Albertans and for all Canadians — particularly in the important role he played in finalizing the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement — and through his daughters, who he loved dearly and was incredibly proud of.”
Prentice was a major player in federal and provincial Conservative circles for decades but also highly respected by opponents for his dedication to public service, humility, ability to navigate complex portfolios and commitment to improving the lives of First Nations.
A minister in Harper’s cabinet from 2006 to 2010, he resigned to take a job as senior executive vice-president and vice-chairman with CIBC.
In June, Prentice was hired as an energy analyst by private equity firm Warburg Pincus LLP. He was also a global fellow at the Canada Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C.
Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose, who served with Prentice in cabinet for several years, choked up and was teary- eyed during a short statement on Parliament Hill.
“All of us in the Conservative family are devastated today. It is a huge loss to the country.”
Jason Kenney, Prentice’s longtime cabinet colleague and now Alberta PC leadership candidate, said on Twitter: “Devastated by the tragic loss of Jim Prentice. Friend, devoted husband & father, fiercely proud Canadian & Albertan. A great man. RIP.”
Prentice served as Alberta premier from September 2014 to May 2015, when Rachel Notley and the NDP defeated his Progressive Conservative party.
Notley, who lost her own father in a plane crash more than 30 years ago, said Prentice “deeply loved Alberta” and served the province in many roles over several years.
“He worked tirelessly for all of us, in the true spirit of one who is committed to public service. I benefited from his advice, and the Government of Alberta is continuing to pursue many of his initiatives,” Notley said.