Michael Wallace Memorial

 

Our friend and Rideau Institute Senior Adviser Michael Wallace died suddenly on March 21 in Vancouver.

Mike successfully battled cancer in 2008, confounding the experts who had given him only months to live. It was through his commitment to his family and work, including the Canadian Pugwash Group, that Mike fought back. He struggled through his painful condition to travel to Toronto from his home on Gabriola Island to join us for Pugwash annual conferences, determined to participate in the discussions and to advance our work for nuclear abolition.

Mike Wallace was also a Senior Adviser to the Rideau Institute, and I turned to him regularly to provide input and guidance in our work advocating for a progressive foreign policy for Canada. He and I were very pleased when a report on Canada’s Leopard tanks which he authored for us and a partner group was featured on the front page of the Ottawa Citizen, and in other newspapers. Later we co-authored a paper on the need to ban nuclear weapons from the Arctic.

But our personal history goes back even further, to Vancouver in the mid-1990s when we campaigned with End the Arms Race, and the Nanoose Conversion Campaign, to rid the waters near Vancouver of a submarine and torpedo testing facility. Also, during my time as a radio host, Michael was always available to share his knowledge with our audience.

In the end, it was a heart attack that took Mike from us. He honestly didn’t know what hit him. Fortunately, his long-time companion, Miranda, was able to comfort him in his final moments.

Mike is survived by his son Ian and daughter Heather, his sister, and two grandchildren. There will be a more formal announcement later, and a funeral is being planned.

Notes of condolences can be sent to Miranda Holmes, at 460 Spruce Ave., Gabriola Island , BC V0R 1X1 , amholmes711@yahoo.co,uk, or to his son, Ian Wallace, 3208 West 34th Ave., Vancouver, BC V6N 2K4, ian@telus.net.

Steven Staples