I learned a very effective icebreaker from a wonderful gentleman from Newfoundland named Clarence Riggs. That fine person was eventually elected by the good people of Newfoundland as one of the most interesting people in the province.
That introduction—“Now there’s a familiar face”—has served me very well in my travels. It always guarantees a conversation. It has started a conversation with Bob Hope, in Florida, former President Gerald Ford, in Minneapolis, General Chuck Yeager, in Tokyo, and former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson, among others.
I don’t think Mr. Wilson really appreciated the informality of a stranger meeting him on the street, who shook his hand and said, “Now there’s a familiar face.” I don’t think that happened very often to him, but he was kind enough to sit down for a chat for several moments in the “close” in front of the Salisbury Cathedral. A refined gentleman who very cordial to myself and my son, who had absolutely no idea who he was.
When you travel a lot, like I once did, you meet a lot of people. I was ready when I saw Senator Hugh Segal coming down the aisle of an almost empty VIA coach going from Kingston to Toronto. My immediate and lasting impression was of a happy person who smiled a lot. He asked if he could join me. Right away, it was Hugh and Wayne.
We got a chance to talk about our mutual acquaintance, Dief the Chief, the Honourable John Diefenbaker and his important role in mobilizing the anti-apartheid movement in the Commonwealth. A role that was admirably carried forward by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. We were both admirers of Bill Davis and Darcy McKeough. My acquaintanceships proved to be rather limited when compared to Hugh’s.
Soon enough, the conversation turned to the Guaranteed Annual Income. I can be a bit of a technocrat, so we had to talk about how our efficient income tax system could be used to distribute income. Naturally, we had to discuss the savings from the various government programs that would be replaced by the Guaranteed Annual Income.
Our conversation gained more energy and animation when we started to talk inevitably about social issues. I’m not a big fan of labels but I have heard Hugh described as a “Red Tory.” It’s a confining and demeaning thing to box somebody into a lazy, inaccurate and likely inadequate label. As you might have guessed, I’m not a big fan of this practice.
Hugh’s concern that day was marginalized people and how they were being deprived of the responsibilities and the benefits of citizenship. He was concerned about the income levels of people trapped within the social safety net. He contended that marginalized and isolated people are unlikely to feel like true citizens and vote. Of course, Hugh’s answer was the Guaranteed Annual Income.
I have always enjoyed attending the virtual meetings of Niagara District Council of Women. Imagine my delight upon learning that Hugh Segal was to be a guest speaker. I prevailed upon the host, quite unfairly and presumptuously, to ask the first question. When I reminded him of our train ride Hugh claimed to remember our conversation from 15 years earlier. I wonder.
There was Hugh all over again. Smiling, polite, respectful of all of us, generous, and refreshingly apolitical. Naturally, he created an eloquent narrative about our social challenges. He has always reminded me of the “Happy Warrior,” Vice President Hubert Humphrey. There are some that you can listen to all day, and, for me, Hugh certainly was one of those people.
I am grateful for the opportunities to meet Hugh Segal. I’m more grateful for his service and advocacy. A man of patience, Hugh had a way of suspending judgment and creating a safe space for speculation and discussion. It’s a level of discourse and behaviour that we can all aspire to.
Hugh Segal was a Canadian political strategist, author, commentator, academic, and senator. He served as chief of staff to Ontario Premier Bill Davis and later to Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Segal resigned from the Senate of Canada in 2014 when he was appointed as master (later principal) of Massey College in Toronto. He died in Kingston on August 9. He was 72.
Wayne Olson is a Town Councillor in Pelham, Ontario.
