John McCallum, former federal cabinet minister, dead at 75

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Politics

Former Liberal furniture curate John McCallum has died. He was 75.

McCallum held respective furniture positions arsenic a Liberal MP for Markham-Unionville

Mayson Maharaj · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 22, 2025 2:28 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

John McCallum, a erstwhile national Liberal furniture minister, has died. He was 75.

A connection from McCallum's family said he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones.

"To us, John was simply a loving and benignant household antheral with a witty consciousness of humour," the connection reads.

McCallum was elected the Liberal MP for Markham-Unionville successful 2000. Throughout his governmental career, helium served arsenic a cabinet minister successful respective portfolios, including nationalist defence, veterans affairs, revenue, and immigration, refugees and citizenship.

As erstwhile premier curate Justin Trudeau's archetypal migration minister, McCallum helped resettle 50,000 Syrian refugees successful Canada.

"He made it hap contempt existent challenges successful an unpredictable time," Trudeau said connected societal media astir the resettlements. "I'm reasoning of his full household and each his galore friends astatine this hard time."

McCallum besides served arsenic ambassador to China from 2017-19, becoming Canada's archetypal governmental assignment to Beijing. He went connected to suffer his post implicit comments helium made during the diplomatic situation surrounding Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou's combat to debar extradition to the U.S. from Canada.

Prime Minister Mark Carney lauded McCallum connected societal media, describing him arsenic "an inspiration, a mentor, and a friend."

"John served Canada and academia with large distinction, helping america to find solutions to our biggest economical challenges, devoting his invaluable insights to the work of Canada's ideology and diplomacy, and ever doing truthful with bully humour and grace," Carney said.

Prior to entering politics, McCallum served arsenic main economist for the Royal Bank of Canada and dean of arts astatine McGill University successful Montreal.

The household has asked for privacy.