Canada’s first commissioner of official languages has died.
Keith Spicer was 89.

 

Spicer was appointed to the role in 1970 under former prime minister Pierre Trudeau to uphold French and English language rights in federal institutions.

He also chaired a commission set up by Brian Mulroney’s Conservative government in 1990 to examine national unity after the failure of the Meech Lake accord.

Nick Spicer remembers his father as a hard-working family man who brought a sense of humour to his high-ranking roles.

Spicer served as chair of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and co-founded a Canadian charity that works toward ending global poverty and inequality.

His lengthy resume also include TV host and editor of the Ottawa Citizen.

Keith Spicer died Thursday, August 24.