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Saturday, September 30, 2006
Peter Naglik, RIP
(Cross-posted from Burkean Canuck).
A long-time political party activist and devout Catholic, Peter Naglik, was killed tragically in a single-vehicle accident in the early hours of Friday, September 29th 2006 in Ottawa. Graham Hughes of the Ottawa Citizen wrote this, here (by subscription):
A longtime behind-the-scenes political operative and speech writer for the Conservative party died early yesterday in a car crash near Metcalfe.
Peter Naglik, 39, of Russell, was driving his 1995 Chrysler Concorde when it went out of control . . .
Police said the car was southbound on Boundary Road at about 2:30 a.m. Marks on the road indicate he swerved onto the west shoulder, then crossed the road to the east shoulder of the road. The car flipped onto its roof and smashed into a hydro pole north of Cartwright Road. Mr. Naglik was alone in the car and was wearing his seat-belt.
I met Peter in 1995, not long after Mike Harris's landmark electoral victory, when he was working in the new Premier's Office, responsible for writing Premier Harris's correspondence. I quickly learned that Peter possessed a wicked sense of humour with a laugh to match. He could tap out a snappy turn of phrase and, if sufficiently provoked, he would mount a policy argument with verve. And while he didn't wear it on his sleeve, anyone who knew Peter for very long would discover his abiding Catholic faith that informed and fed his passion for politics as public service -- something far too uncommon in political circles.
Perhaps chief among Peter's heroes was John Paul II -- "John Paul the Great." Peter, too, was a passionate supporter of politicians who expressed and carried forward his policy commitments into the public debate and, even, into law. Peter was a partisan's partisan who rarely, if ever, saw a political battle in which he wouldn't engage.
Over the last few years, it was gratifying for his friends to watch Peter come into his own as he found love in this life and domestic happiness, as he made headway in the struggle so many of us have with our weight, and as, most recently, he took strides with his business partner in building an enterprise from the ground up.
What more can we say? Only this, as someone once wrote of others who devoted their lives in the service of God to better the human condition . . .
And the world was not worthy of them.
Requiescat in Pacem, Peter.
Posted by Russ Kuykendall on September 30, 2006 | Permalink
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Comments
What a beautiful tribute, Russ, and it sure captures the Peter I remember. What a shock to lose him so young. He was a tremendously gifted man, wickedly funny, kind, and knowledgeable.
He was tremendously shy when I first met him, and I witnessed this "coming into his own" that you write about.
My heart goes out to R.
D
Posted by: Deborah | 2006-10-01 12:23:33 PM
Didn't know the man, but from what I see, we'll be the less for his passing.
May God bless his soul.
Posted by: Ralph Rattfuc | 2006-10-01 2:26:23 PM
I had the priviledge of working with Peter on Pierre Lemieux's campaign last winter. Peter was Pierre's campaign manager and for the first time in my voting life(& I'm in my mid 40's), the Conservatives beat out the Liberals in Glengarry, Prescott, Russell! Peter played an integral part in that historical victory. After the election, he became GPR's EDA President. He will be sorely missed by all.
Our thoughts & best wishes are with his family.
Posted by: Beth Trudeau | 2006-10-02 6:20:47 AM
Met Peter in '94, worked with him on some campaigns (not all of them winners, that is for sure - but it is a testament to his faith!) and went on to be a colleague as an aide to a string of MPPs at Queen's Park.
This tribute captures well the man I knew. In a similar fashion to Adam Daifallah, Peter would send me articles back then to "guide" the development of my political thought -- most notably, a series of photocopies I've kept to this day that critique the writings of Ayn Rand from a theological perspective.
I think Peter would be a tad embarrassed by the outpouring of emotion and tributes -- "surely", he might think, "they cannot all be talking about me!"
Indeed they are and it is well-deserved!
CRC.
Posted by: Chris Chapman | 2006-10-02 8:49:41 AM
I met Peter through friends at Queens Park and always enjoyed his incredible sense of humour. He will certainly be missed.
Posted by: buce | 2006-10-02 12:28:03 PM
Give rest O Lord to the soul of Thy servant who has fallen asleep.
Posted by: Set you free | 2006-10-02 12:51:32 PM
Indeed. I also have a tribute at my blog.
Posted by: Joan Tintor | 2006-10-02 2:40:56 PM
Great tribute, Russ. And yours as well, Joan.
I worked for Peter back in '99 when I was an intern in the PC research office at Queen's Park. He was a mentor to me very early on and I never forgot many of the lessons he taught me.
He really represented everything good about people in politics. He didn't give a shit about recognition, didn't give a shit about getting his name in the paper. He jsut wanted to fight and to win and to make a difference.
This is sad news for all of us who knew him. So take some time. Cry. Mourn. But the best tributes are living ones. And the best thing we can do to honour Peter is go out every day and keeping fighting for faith and for family and to make this country better.
Posted by: Josh Somer | 2006-10-03 12:19:53 PM
I heard of Peter's death from a friend while attending the Calgary Congress.
I left immediately after the Congress to just go home and remember Peter.
I, like Chris Chapman, worked with him at QP.
Peter always made me laugh. One story I will share relates to Peter, his Catholic faith and my lack of that. He had decided to give up TV for lent one year. I was in a bit of a fight with my cable company. So...I said that I would quit TV with him. I ended up going for a year without TV, but Peter did make his lent committment.
I learned more about Peter the person vs. Peter the OPO staffer that month. He was honest, funny, smart and looking for that "right girl" to come into his life. She did. My sadness is also for his live in girl and her two children.
Peter: You are missed across the Country. Here in Calgary, you are missed by me for sure!
Posted by: Katie W. Robinette | 2006-10-04 2:23:42 PM
I was just contacted by an old friend of Peter's and just found out today about his death. I met Peter in the mid 90s with the brazen crew of Harris' inner cabinet, and although it took a while because he was so shy, he and I became good friends. We kept in touch after I left Toronto and he met his lady and moved to Ottawa, and I last spoke with him in the middle of September before I moved up to Yellowknife; he was absolutely the best. Very keen & wicked sense of humour, insightful, great loyal friend, unbelievably intelligent, and did not suffer fools at all.
Russ, nice piece on Peter, although he deserves volumes. I have some great pictures of him looking haughty with that ever present glint of amusement in his eye, along with some of him laughing way out loud, which is how I'll remember him.
He lamented about a year ago that we would probably never see each other again, especially if I went to Yellowknife, and I told him not to be so dramatic, that of course we would. Sadly prophetic.
It's strange that Mike got a hold of me; I was thinking about Peter recently and missed his consistent matter of fact peppered with a sincere amusement phone greeting, "How are you now...?", regardless if it had been a year or a month since you'd last spoken.
Peter, you were supposed to be around a long time to teach us all the stuff you knew.
Best & Love,
Jacki
Posted by: Jacki McKinnon | 2007-02-13 4:54:43 PM
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