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John died in Ottawa Aug. 10, 1999, after a lengthy illness.
He held many significant positions with the Canadian government since 1972. Former Prime Minister Jean Chretien described John as a “distinguished public servant who provided the government with the highest quality advice and counsel. [His] talent and dedication propelled him rapidly into the senior ranks of the government, earning the abiding respect of colleagues along the way. The integrity and professionalism he displayed throughout his 25-year career were in the finest traditions of the public service of Canada. And he will be greatly missed.”
Described in the Ottawa Citizen as “the perfect public servant,” John was regarded as one of the strongest intellects in Canadian public service, and his advice was often sought on difficult issues of integrity, values, and ethics. A Woodrow Wilson School graduate, John was an officer of Campus Club and on the Daily Princetonian business board. He studied politics and economics as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, and received a law degree at McGill U.
Some may remember John as a reserved person with a good sense of humor and a penchant for fun. To those who knew him well, he will be remembered as a gentleman and loyal friend.
We offer our sympathies to his widow, Sonia Plourde, and his family.
© 2004 Class of 1967 and The Princeton Alumni Weekly, where it appeared February 25, 2004. Used by permission.
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