Retired senator Lapierre dies at 83

OTTAWA — Laurier LaPierre, former Liberal senator and co-host of the iconic CBC program This Hour has Seven Days, has died. He was 83.

Federal Liberal Leader Bob Rae confirmed LaPierre’s sudden passing Monday afternoon, describing his former colleague as an accomplished scholar and passionate advocate for key Canadian issues.

“From academia and journalism, to his tireless advocacy for bilingualism, the arts and gay rights, Laurier was an exceptional Canadian who touched the lives of many,” Rae said in a statement.

LaPierre’s former Senate colleague and friend Jim Munson echoed Rae’s sentiments, calling his friend an extraordinary person with the gift of adding zest to any situation.

“I loved his spontaneity. I loved his passion. We’re going to miss a person like Laurier LaPierre. I know history will treat him kindly.”

Born in 1929 in Lac Megantic, Que., LaPierre first distinguished himself as an academic. He obtained his PhD in history from the University of Toronto in 1962, two years before rising to national prominence with This Hour has Seven Days.

LaPierre co-hosted the 60-minute current affairs program alongside Patrick Watson, earning a reputation as a fearless journalist with a knack for cutting to the emotional core of an issue.

LaPierre made sporadic returns to television in the ensuing years, but maintained his career as an academic with faculty stints at the University of Western Ontario, Loyola College and McGill University.

His academic career was characterized by strong advocacy for bilingualism in Canada, according to former CBC colleague and fellow McGill alumnus Mark Starowicz.

Many of his writings challenged the notion of Canada’s two solitudes at a time when the divide between French and English was at its most contentious, Starowicz said.

He also made a brief foray into politics in 1968, when he ran as a federal NDP candidate in the Quebec riding of Lachine. He was defeated in that election and did not make a political splash until Jean Chretien appointed him to the Senate in 2001.

During his three-year term, Munson said LaPierre’s characteristic zeal led him to speak out passionately on behalf of the country’s aboriginal population.

Gay rights were also dear to LaPierre, who came out himself at a public rally in the 1980s, Munson said.

LaPierre is survived by his longtime partner Harvey Slack.