Daejeong, le 29 mars 2021
Bob Mitchell was my wife’s dad! Bob Mitchell was my daughters’ Bapa! Bob Mitchell was my father-in-law! Bob Mitchell was my friend! He was born 85 years ago today. He passed away four and a half years ago.
Bob and I had a lot in common but three things were of the upmost importance to both of us. The first is family, starting with Stephanie. She is Bob’s daughter, she is my wife. Both of them were very close. She would often go to him for advice on anything and on everything. Bob had six children, six daughters, I have five children, five daughters. We exchanged often about family events, crisis, dramas, joys, what to do next, how to react or not to react.
We had politics in common. Both of us were left wingers, both of us were elected. He was elected four times in the Saskatchewan legislature. He occupied cabinet positions of minister of human resources, minister of labour, minister of justice, and minister of post secondary education. He was also a strong defender of Aboriginal Rights for years after his political retirement. I was elected three times as city councillor in the city of Montréal. I became member of the executive committee with responsibilities for housing, urban development, economic development, water and democracy. Boy did we talk politics, certainly enough to change the world if only in our way.
And then there are sports. Both of us loved sports. Except for a few golf rounds, we didn’t have the chance to practice sports together but we sure were good fans together. Bob and I would plan when Sandra and he would come visit us in Montréal around the National Hockey League schedule. Which weeks are the Montréal Canadiens playing three home games? Same for our visits to Saskatchewan around football season in the summer and fall. When are the RoughRiders in town?
Bob Mitchell, you are not forgotten!
Bob sounds like a special person. You are fortunate to have had him in your life.
You speak of your father-in-law w/ such beautiful tenderness. I love the way you parallel your life to his w/ similar grammatical structures. Bob sounds like someone I’d like, too, given his politics. I hope you show this post to Stephanie. It’s a lovely tribute to a life well-lived.