Gordon Gibson served his fellow citizens over many decades. A proud Canadian with his roots in British Columbia, Gordon was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1974 to 1979 and leader of the BC Liberal Party between 1975 and 1979. His policy work included books and publications by the Fraser Institute, and his columns appeared in the Globe and Mail and the Vancouver Sun.  

Early in his career, Gordon was Assistant to the Minister of Northern Affairs and then as Special Assistant to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. In the 1980s, Gordon was instrumental in founding the federal Reform Party with Preston Manning. Gordon’s work on indigenous issues has stood the test of time: He offered both thoughtful reforms and consulted for First Nations, showing that it was possible to earn respect from a wide variety of people on contentious issues. In the early 2000s, Gordon served as chair of the Committee on Electoral Reform for the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform of British Columbia, one of his favourite acts of service his home province.  

Gordon exemplified the best of what it means to be a citizen: considerate, kind, erudite in his columns and other work, and committed to a better Canada. Gordon’s lifetime of service demonstrated a thoughtful commitment to citizenship, and this in a world where a renewal of such qualities is again needed. Gordon passed away in November 2023. He is survived by his wife, Jane Baynham, his five children, Michelle, Marc, Melissa, Paige, and Adrian, 12 adoring grandchildren, Valerie Gibson, and his sister Louanne Labbé. Gordon was predeceased by his dear Kilby in 2009.