'STICKING UP FOR THE LITTLE GUY'

Colleagues Recall Munro Being Ahead Of His Time In Backing Progressive Laws

John Munro left Hamilton with the numerous projects he was able to get
built with bountiful amounts of federal cash, but he left a footprint on
the national scene as well.

In at least one instance, he was ahead of his time. In 1970, he promised
that the Liberal government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau would relax
the law on marijuana use by Christmas.

He proclaimed it would be totally irresponsible if the government found a
significant number of people smoked pot and it did not ease the law.

As it was, his idea foundered on opposition within the Liberal party to
decriminalizing pot possession, and then Justice Minister John Turner
contradicted Munro. More than 30 years later, the government of Prime
Minister Jean Chretien moved this year on the issue of decriminalizing pot,
acting on Munro's musings.

With a few court rulings striking down simple possession, Justice Minister
Martin Cauchon introduced legislation in May that says possession of up to
15 grams of pot, enough to roll about 20 joints, would be an offence that
no longer carries a criminal record.

"I have really vivid memories of John always sticking up for the little
guy," said Senator Colin Kenny, an aide to Trudeau between 1969 and 1979.

"He was leading the charge on social issues in cabinet," he added. "He'd
always be fighting with whoever was the minister of finance of the day."

Munro, who began his political career in 1954 when he was elected to city
council, was parliamentary secretary to the health minister in 1964-65 and
became a chief spokesman for the introduction of the Canada Pension Plan.

Munro served as health and social welfare minister between 1968 and 1972.
He was later appointed minister of labour where some say he made his
greatest accomplishments by creating worker retraining programs.

In 1976, he unveiled his 14-point program to improve working conditions and
bargaining rights. Amendments to the labour code improved industrial
relations in the federal sector. One of the most important changes
concerned protecting unorganized workers from unjustified dismissal.

As minister of Indian and northern affairs, Munro played a role in
preparing for the division of the Northwest Territories that led to the
creation of the territory of Nunavut.

In 1982, his ministry endorsed the principle of dividing the N.W.T. in the
wake of a plebiscite that found 56 per cent of residents in favour of an
east-west split. The N.W.T. was finally split in 1999.

Munro also backed self-rule for natives and tried to find ways to legislate
that. He won favour with many native leaders, including George Erasmus, the
national chief of the Assembly of First Nations in the early 1980s.

But perhaps his greatest unsung accomplishment is his support and
development for a national policy to give financial aid to Canada's
athletes. Some grumble today it is not enough money, but it's more than
before Munro got behind the scheme in 1968 and helped create the National
Sports Centre.

In 1976, the government appointed its first sports minister, Iona
Campagnolo. Munro supplied cash for the 1972 series between Canada and
Russia and even tried to get the World Hockey Association to give
permission for Bobby Hull to play for Team Canada. He enlisted U.S. Senator
Ted Kennedy to help, but was unsuccessful.

Campagnolo, now lieutenant-governor of British Columbia, recalls Munro
always pushed issues such as proper health care at the cabinet table.

"Canada's sports performance has improved over the years and he was the
beginning of it," she said. "We're participants now. We're no longer just
spectators."