The sudden death of popular former Ontario cabinet minister David Caplan has sparked tributes from across the political spectrum.

Caplan died at home on Wednesday. He was 54.

The married father of two sons was a Liberal MPP from 1997 to 2011 and served in the cabinet of premier Dalton McGuinty from 2003 to 2009.

In 2003, he and his mother, Elinor Caplan, made Canadian political history when he was named to McGuinty’s provincial executive council while she was serving in prime minister Jean Chretien’s federal cabinet. It was a first for a mother and son, and a high point for a prominent political family.

Although he was a partisan Liberal, the affable and accessible Caplan had many friends in other parties and the media.

Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford was among the first to take to Twitter to express his sorrow early Thursday.

“I’m sad to learn that David Caplan passed away. Too young. My sincere condolences to his family and friends. I’m grateful to David for his years of service to our province and his community,” said Ford.

When the premier’s late brother Rob Ford was Toronto’s mayor, Caplan was instrumental in Queen’s Park giving the city the power to make the TTC an essential service, thereby preventing labour disruptions.

Caplan later helped New Democrat Olivia Chow in her 2014 mayoral bid.

Mayor John Tory, who won that election over Chow and Doug Ford, said he was “very saddened” to learn of Caplan’s death.

“I served with him in the legislature and while he was an energetic partisan, he served with diligence and determination,” Tory said. “On behalf of city council and the people of Toronto, I extend my sincere condolences to the Caplan family.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose federal Liberal government includes staffers who learned politics at Caplan’s knee, recalled “a kind man who dedicated his life to serving his community.

“David will be missed by so many. Our thoughts are with his loved ones today,” said Trudeau.

McGuinty remembered Caplan as “a friend and one of the hardest working and most politically astute colleagues I had the pleasure to work with at Queen’s Park.

“David’s devotion to his community, to Ontarians and to public service was only exceeded by his devotion to and love for his family. Our Liberal family will miss him,” he said.

Former premier Kathleen Wynne, who served with Caplan in McGuinty’s cabinet when he was infrastructure minister and later health minister, remembered him as “a friend and a colleague,” while former cabinet colleague Sandra Pupatello tweeted that he was “one of a kind.”

Former NDP premier Bob Rae said Caplan was “a fine man,” a sentiment echoed by NDP Leader Andrea Horwath. “Sad to hear about David Caplan’s passing — far too young,” she said.

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A graduate of Western University — and a proud alumnus of UWO’s Sydenham Hall — he always nurtured political talent and believed departing MPPs owed it to their communities and to their party to leave riding associations in good shape with potential successors.

Liberal MPP Michael Coteau was one of those who benefited from Caplan’s counsel.

Coteau, who took over the riding of Don Valley East after Caplan’s retirement eight years ago, said he was “grateful for his years of friendship and for his public service to the people of our riding and the province.”

“A lot of people knew David as our local school trustee, MPP for Don Valley East or as a cabinet minister,” said Coteau. “I knew him as a hard-working, caring man who had deep ties to our community.

“He knew people by name, spent a long time at the door trying to solve people’s problems, and was always a hard worker for the community we served.”

Interim Liberal leader John Fraser said Caplan “cared deeply about his community and was a strong voice for his constituents.”

Always regarded as a team player, Caplan resigned as health minister in 2009 to help McGuinty weather Liberal snafus at eHealth Ontario, even though the problems at the electronic health records agency predated his tenure and the file was being driven by the premier’s office.

As infrastructure minister, he coined the term “alternative financing and procurement” instead of the more contentious “private-public partnership” and was able to fast-track scores of P3 projects.

Labour Minister Monte McNaughton, who said he was “gutted to hear the news,” said Caplan was very helpful when he became Ford’s infrastructure minister last summer.

“He and I worked together when I became minister of infrastructure. He served there for years and gave me such great advice in the early days,” said McNaughton.

Caplan leaves his wife, Leigh, sons Benjamin and Jacob, his parents, a sister and two brothers. His youngest brother is Zane Caplansky, a well-known restaurateur and broadcaster.

Robert Benzie is the Star’s Queen’s Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

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