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Bill Gillis was the poster boy for politicians |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Sunday, 23 August 2009 |
I knew Bill Gillis for nearly 40 years. Three of those years we worked on the same team, he as the Liberal member for Antigonish, and I as the Director of Communications for the Leader of the Opposition, and his then boss, Vince MacLean.
It was during those 36 months that I got to know and appreciate the man they called Billy in the Little Vatican and the surrounding communities that made up his constituency.
His passing this week, after a short battle with brain cancer, brought back many memories. Each reflection centered on his honesty and his devotion to those he represented and served. That and his frugality.
His foster brother, Joe Stewart (yes, that Joe Stewart, who I am proud to call a friend) used to say Billy still has his squirrel money, a reference to the pennies they used to get from pelts when they were kids.
It always evoked a chuckle, even from Bill. But his frugality ran deeper, much deeper than that.
I was away on vacation when I learned of his passing and was unable to attend the wake or service, something that caused me distress. That having been said, I did spend a great deal of time last week recalling my time spent with him.
The first vision I had was one of his office space. Cardboard boxes were piled to the ceiling as the man kept every piece of paper that came across his desk. And believe me I don’t know how he could, but he could put his hand on these documents at a moment’s notice.
He was Finance critic and rode herd on John Buchanan and the Finance Minister Greg Kerr. He was genuine in his concern about the province’s finances. It was more that a critic’s role, it was personal. A devout Catholic and a good Christian, he talked the talk and walked that walk, and never wasted one red cent of taxpayer’s money.
Bill would use a pencil until he was unable to grip it before taking a new one out of the box. At lunch time he would walk blocks to get a bowl of soup and a sandwich that was the lowest possible price. I witnessed him, on many occasions walking the length of Hollis Street to save a few cents.
His colleagues used to tease and say he was cheap. Not really. He was on an expense account and believed it was his duty to get the best deal possible to save tax dollars.
That is one of the reasons he travelled, first by train and then by bus from Antigonish to Halifax and back. Other MLAs took their cars, dined at restaurants along the way and submitted the bill for us, the taxpayers to pay. Oh yes, Bill not only rode the rails or bus lines, his wife packed him a lunch to eat along the way.
I have read a number of tributes to Bill Gillis, and each stressed one word- integrity. And why not, because if they ever start to put pictures beside words in the dictionary, his name would go beside the nine letters that spell I-N-T-E-G-R-I-T-Y. He was, and will always be, the perfect poster boy for politicians.
(Al Hollingsworth is a retired journalist and broadcaster)
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