REED SCOWEN DIES AT 88
Was a staunch but fair defender of anglo rights
Reed Scowen, a staunch defender of the rights of Quebec’s anglophone community who served as Liberal MNA from 1978 to 1987 in the Montreal riding of Notredame-de-grâce, has died at the age of 88 in Toronto.
Scowen, who was born in Sherbrooke, was a successful businessman before entering politics. He was president and CEO of Perkins Paper Ltd. from 1956 to 1974.
He was first elected in the westend riding of Notre-dame-degrâce in a byelection in 1978 and was re-elected in 1981 and 1985.
News of his death came Thursday night from John Parisella, who served as chief of staff to then-quebec premier Robert Bourassa. Parisella tweeted: “Lost a good friend today — Reed Scowen PLQ MNA for N.D.G. from 1978 to 1987. A defender of English rights who loved to serve in the National Assembly.
“Reed Scowen was a modern politician of his age,” Parisella told the Montreal Gazette.
“He was an English-speaking MNA who fought for English rights, but at the same time was extremely sensitive to Quebec’s identity and Quebec’s role within the federation.
“He came into politics after a business career and tried to make a difference, and I think he did make a difference. He was essentially a politician that contrasted from the politicians that came from the English-speaking community before him. Many of them had defended the English-speaking community, but they did not play a major role within the overall francophone dynamic of Quebec.
“Reed was seen as a person who could and did,” Parisella said. “Bourassa had a lot of respect for him.”
Shortly after Scowen resigned as MNA in June 1987, he was appointed Quebec’s delegate general to London, a post he held until January 1991. He then served as the province’s delegate general to New York from 1992 to 1995.
He also served as president of Alliance Quebec from 1991 to 1992.
The Quebec Community Groups Network, which represents 50 anglophone community groups in the province, paid tribute to Scowen on Twitter. Russell Copeman, a former Liberal MNA for Notredame-de-grâce, wrote: “Sad to learn of the passing of Reed Scowen, one of my predecessors, whom I knew well. He served the people of N.D.G. and Montreal West, Quebec and the English-speaking community honourably. My sympathies to his family.”
The bilingual Scowen also wrote several books about Quebec politics, including Time to Say Goodbye: Building a Better Canada Without Quebec.
The book, published in French in 1999, then in English in 2007, caused a stir because the federalist Scowen concluded the time had finally come for Quebec and Canada to go their separate ways politically.
Parisella said the book was a reflection of Scowen’s disillusionment from decades of polarizing political battles fought in Quebec over language, referendums and constitutional reform.
“I can understand his frustration and feelings in the book, but my sense was he was really fundamentally attached to his beliefs that the English-speaking community needed to have protections for its institutions, its culture and history.
“Reed was a person who had a lot of hope when he entered politics in 1978,” Parisella said. “I think he went through what a lot of people in the English community went through — a certain disillusionment. … But in later years, I found him more upbeat and optimistic (about Quebec politics).”
Former Westmount mayor Peter Trent, a friend of Scowen, said the book was meant to ruffle feathers of the Canadian political establishment.
“The very fact he chose the title Time to Say Goodbye, it was his way of trying to shock the establishment and say: ‘Look, do you really want Quebec to leave?’
“He was a staunch Quebecer and he believed in Quebec, but he was very sad he had to reach the purported conclusion that the only solution was to say goodbye.
“He was saying a de facto separation had occurred, so let’s make it de jure,” Trent said.
“Typical Reed Scowen, he stirred the pot a bit. That was his nature. And he would always do it with a very slight hidden smile on his face.
“And he did not say that he agreed with the idea (of Quebec and Canada splitting) — he simply said, ‘It’s probably time to go.’ In other words, he wrote this with a heavy heart.”
As for Scowen’s legacy, Trent called him an exemplary politician.
“He was an example of how an elected official should conduct himself. You couldn’t think of a better person than Reed Scowen. He did his job well, but also ethically.”
The very fact he chose the title Time to Say Goodbye, it was his way of trying to shock the establishment.