After a long bout with a respiratory illness, John Rodriguez, former Nickel Belt MP and mayor of Greater Sudbury, died Wednesday morning at his home, with his family by his side.
Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas said Rodriguez gave her great advice and help when she broke into politics in 2007. At the time, he had just been elected mayor.
"How you run an election, what you say and don't say, a lot of wisdom passed down from John to me, just because he wanted me to succeed,” Gélinas said. “He wanted everyone to succeed and do their best."
Some residents in her riding still have the old campaign signs from decades ago when he was MP, she said, and still remember him fondly.
"He was a giant in my party, the NDP,” Gélinas said. "He was really approachable and very warm. When things were tough, John would always focus on the positive. He would say to us we need to focus on the people we're doing this for.
"The main bit of advice I got from John was really to look at (issues) through the eyes of the people that you represent. Make sure you listen to them, make sure you see things through their eyes – whether they voted for you or not."
Former Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci was a political rival, but both began their careers as teachers. Bartolucci admits he always wanted to work in a school where Rodriguez was principal, such was the respect and affection people had for him.
"John loved life,” he said. “He loved his professions as a teacher and principal, and then as a politician. He loved his family, his community.
"He had that unique sense of humour. He could combine a very, very heated political debate and match it with a very, very caring attitude. We respected him and we all liked him."
Bartolucci had dinner with Rodriguez four months ago, and they engaged in the same friendly but lively political debate, just as always.
"We just walked and talked and sat down, had a sandwich,” he said.
“We talked about the good old times. He clearly cared for people."
Former Nickel Belt MP Claude Gravelle said he campaigned for Rodriguez when he was the MP, and Rodriguez campaigned for Gravelle when he ran for the seat.
"He was always looking out for ordinary Canadians," Gravelle said. "He not only had the regular guy in mind, he was a regular guy.”
He was surprised when he first arrived on Parliament Hill that the security guards and the older MPs all remembered Rodriguez, even thought it had been almost a decade since he was there.
"They all remembered John Rodriguez," he said. "I mean, once you met him, you never forgot John."
"I was proud of campaigning with John. I know he had the best interests of everyone in mind."
On his Facebook page, former city councillor Ron Dupuis paid tribute to Rodriguez, who was mayor from 2006-2010. Rodriguez famously described himself as the “bus driver” at city hall, and Dupuis had some fun with it.
“At our inaugural council meeting in 2006, we marched into the (council) chambers singing, 'the wheels on the bus go round and round,' as John had campaigned saying he would be driving the bus at city hall,” he wrote.
"At our retreat to plan the course of action for our city for the following four years, I had T-shirts printed for staff and council that had a photo of a transit bus and the phrase 'I'm on the bus with Mayor John Rodriguez!'
“We were united as a council and I wanted to show John that we were with him. He laughed when everyone showed up wearing those shirts and he quickly put one on.”
Mayor Brian Bigger issued a statement Wednesday expressing condolences to his family and friends.
“For over 45 years, John served to better our community because he had a deep-rooted passion for Greater Sudbury,” the statement said.
“He was a dedicated man who was well respected wherever he went and our community will certainly miss his presence and strong voice. John’s legacy will live on in the many residents of Greater Sudbury who were inspired by him to get involved in the community and to make a positive impact.”
Books of condolences will be available for the public to sign at Citizen Service Centres across the city. More details will be released in the coming days.
Rodriguez was born in Georgetown, Guyana, and moved to Canada in 1956. He moved to Coniston in 1962, where he was appointed as principal of St. Paul School.
He ran for the New Democrats in 1972 in Nickel Belt, defeating Liberal Gaetan Serre. He held the seat until losing to Judy Erola in 1980, before reclaiming it in 1984 until 1993.
He returned to teaching after 1993, becoming principal of St. David School. In 2005, he tried to fight forced retirement, before running and winning the mayoralty in 2006. He lost to Marianne Matichuk in 2010, and to Bigger in 2014.
No funeral service information has yet been announced.
