Gord Brown, veteran Conservative MP from Gananoque died suddenly on Wednesday in his Parliament Hill office. Sources say the 57-year-old died from a heart attack.
Brown was first elected in the federal riding of Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands in 2004 and has held the seat ever since.
Before entering federal politics, Brown was a town councillor in Gananoque where he grew up. He was also president of the Thousand Islands-Gananoque chamber of commerce and chair of the St. Lawrence Parks Commission.
The flags at the Lou Jefferies Arena in Ganonoque flew at half mast Wednesday, a fitting tribute to a man who friends say was impassioned by Canada’s favourite pastime.
The late MP was a member of the 1979 Gananoque Juveniles that won the provincial championship that year.
“I think I like the game of hockey, but that guy loved the game of hockey,” said Brett Gibson, one of Brown’s friends.
Gibson said that he had actually heard from his nephew earlier in the day that Brown was playing hockey that morning.
Brown did play on the Ottawa Morning Hockey league as a winger. A game was scheduled for early Wednesday morning but it is not clear if Brown played.
At work, he was described by colleagues as someone who never let “partisanship” get in the way of friendship.
Current Gananoque Mayor Erika Demchuk says she has known Brown for years. She says he is going to be missed by the entire region.
“He was part of this community and he cared about this community,” said Demchuk.
“Gord Brown was a Gananoque boy and we’re going to miss him.”
Brockville is also part of Brown’s riding, Mayor Dave Henderson says he is still dealing with the shock of the sudden event.
“Even though we’re adversaries right now in a way politically, it’s safe to say he’s a friend and he has done a lot of work for the area. He was way too young.”
Brown leaves behind his wife Claudine and two children, Chance and Tristan.
He would have been 58 in August.
*With files from Alex Day