bout de papier, Vol. 29, No. 2 (2016), pp. 34–35
The following tribute was given by The Rt. 1 Memorial Church in Toronto on Tuesday,
Ken Taylor at the U.S. July 4th reception in 2014 in Ottawa Ken Taylor and I were born a few years and a few miles apart, in the forward-looking foothills of Alberta. A mutual friend tells me that, even in high school, Ken was “trim, and elegant, and inclusive. He knew everyone and everyone knew him”.
Our lives were thrown together on a fateful Friday morning, 36 years ago next month, when Ambassador Taylor’s telegram arrived at External Affairs, recommending that Canada protect and rescue six American officials under threat in Tehran. Flora MacDonald was immediately advised and she brought that news and recommendation to me in the House of Commons, just as question period ended.
Ken Taylor’s heroic actions in Tehran elevated him to international stardom. But Ken was already a towering figure in the Canadian Foreign Service before that. After serving in remote outposts like Karachi, Guatemala and Detroit before a rewarding stint in London, Ken became the youngest Director General of the Trade Commissioner Service. There, he made his mark as a strong, if unorthodox, leader.
We authorized the rescue, which Ken and Pat and their brave colleagues then carried out. Their conduct and courage earned the admiration of the world. Yet, it was a very Canadian thing to do — we acted on principle and in friendship — and we acted quietly, professionally.
Without doubt, there was a fundamental “joie de vivre” about Ken Taylor. (We loved it. Most of us couldn’t keep up with it. One of my favourite photos of all time is this curly-headed Canadian at the White House with the very proper Ronald Reagan.)
But the man we celebrate today was also a highly skilled professional diplomat — who understood his duty and his craft, and performed them with unusual sensitivity, care and intelligence. One of his colleagues from that era told me: “as a life-long public servant — I never had a more co-operative partner than Ken through those anxious months.” Those who knew him in other lives would understand.
It was a pleasure for me to work with the Ken Taylor the public saw, and a privilege to come to know the more private man, thoughtful, and generous and genuine. Just one of his qualities, worth noting in this acrimonious age, was his instinct to be gracious, even to people who were not particularly gracious towards him. Most Canadians know Ken and Pat as examples of what we can be at our best,
but, like so many of you, I miss him also
n Taylor: À Personal Tribi
by Malcolm McKechnie
With no doubt many options before him, Ken then chose Ambassador to Iran as his next posting.
I first met Ken in late January 1980 — a couple days after the escape of the six American hostages from Iran which he had engineered before fleeing to Paris. I can still see him sitting in the Ambassador’s office in Paris looking unperturbed and nodding calmly as he was being briefed by as an understanding and under-stated and valued friend.
There are few substitutes in life for ability and intelligence and courage — or for what, in another context, an American jurist once called “a first-rate personality”. And Ken Taylor, the head of the Trade Commissioner Service, the take-charge and inclusive Ambassador, the cool hand in crisis, the bon vivant, had all those personal and professional qualities.
But it is fitting, here and today, to draw a particular Canadian note from this remarkably individual and international man. We should never under-estimate the power of example — and of constructive myth: it is especially important for citizens of lucky countries like Canada to celebrate fellow Canadians whose spirit of generosity, and impact on others, goes well beyond their specific accomplishment, and sets a standard for how we should act ourselves. As Ken Taylor did.
Pat, Douglas, family and friends. We share your sorrow. We share your pride. We are grateful for the gift of Ken Taylor’s life, and company, and example.
The Right Honourable Joe Clark was Canada’s 16th Prime Minister during the Iran hostage crisis. He also served as Foreign Minister.
senior embassy officials on how to deal with the throng of media who had gathered in front of the embassy. Ottawa’s instructions were clear: Ken could appear briefly for a photo op but he was not/not to answer any questions. Ken seemingly agreed to the plan and made his way out to the main entrance. As soon as he stepped outside, cameras started clicking and journalists began shouting out questions. Without missing a beat, Ken launched into a 30 minute press conference. The deputy ambassador’s jaw just dropped.
As a novice young diplomat, I have to say I was shocked and impressed. This guy had amazing flair and guts. He defied his instructions but he knew it was the right thing to do at that moment. It was the first chance I had to witness Ken in action — bold, decisive, affable, and in control of the situation. It helped me understand how he was able to do what he did in Iran.
When I was posted to the Canadian Consulate General in New York in 1981, Ken was the new Consul General and was already the toast of the town — breaking records for the number of speeches he was giving around the US and for the awards he was receiving from a hugely grateful American public. The Congressional Medal of Honor, awarded in history to only
lt was the first chance I had to witness Ken in action — bold, decisive, affable, and in control
of the situation. It helped me understand how he was able to do what he did in Iran.
a handful of foreign nationals, was probably the most prestigious. I dare say Canada was never better known or better appreciated in the US than during those years. Those were also the heady days of “Disco Diplomacy” as journalist Alan Fotheringham so colourfully put it. Ken knew everyone. It would take him 15 minutes just to get from the entrance of a restaurant to his table, because he stopped and chatted with all the staff from and had an insatiable curiousness about the world. His zest for life was infectious.
No one loved life more than Ken. No one got more out of life than Ken. No one gave back more than Ken. No one was a truer friend. Ken simply made life more exciting for those around him. He was always interested in what you were doing. He also shared his friends to the point where they became friends and the concentric circle of friends grew and grew. His friends are legion, from all walks of life and from all over the world.
Ken will be remembered for his courage, compassion and commitment. He left his mark on the world and did yeoman service for his country. He also left life as he had lived it, with dignity and class, and with his friends and family around him. His legacy is rich and his memory will go on in our hearts and minds forever.
Malcolm McKechnie spent 37 years in the Canadian Foreign Service, including stints as Chargé d’affaires in Rome, Consul General in Atlanta, Chief of Protocol, and Ambassador to Spain. He now works for Acciona, a Spanish multinational firm focusing on infrastructure and renewable energy.
bw & Protect Your Wealth
RBC Wealth Management Dominion Securities
Originally published in bout de papier, Vol. 29, No. 2 (2016), pp. 34–35. Read the rest of this issue →
