OTTAWA—Three weeks ago, on the day he resigned unexpectedly after eight tumultuous years as finance minister, Jim Flaherty emailed friends: “I’m happy.”

He hadn’t reappeared in the House of Commons since leaving cabinet March 18. But Flaherty’s new seat on the sidelines was ready and his eyes twinkled when he told friends he was looking forward to life as a backbencher.

“We were just down in January in Florida and went to a hockey game together,” recalled MP Rick Dykstra. “One of the things he talked about is he would like to do a little bit more of this with his boys.”

Flaherty, husband, father of adult triplet sons, and a veteran of provincial and federal politics who steered the country’s economy through the 2008-09 global recession, died suddenly Thursday. He suffered an apparent massive heart attack, a source close to the family said.

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An elbows-up hockey player, lawyer and politician who inspired fierce criticism on his economic files, Flaherty won the deep admiration of colleagues and political critics alike for his impish sense of humour, love of partying, and boundless capacity for hard work.

Flaherty had suffered from a debilitating skin condition for more than a year and had been taking strong steroid medication to control it. But friends say there were recent encouraging signs his health was improving slightly.

Ottawa Police and paramedics responded to a medical call Thursday afternoon at his Byward Market condominium, finding Flaherty with no vital signs. It was 12:27.

His wife Christine Elliott, Progressive Conservative MPP for Whitby-Oshawa, was in Toronto and rushed back to Ottawa, later publicly confirming the news that had already raced around the nation’s capital. The family said their “beloved husband and father” had passed away “peacefully” and requested privacy while expressing their gratitude.

“We appreciate that he was so well supported in his public life by Canadians from coast to coast to coast and by his international colleagues.”

On Parliament Hill, Prime Minister Stephen Harper was just ending a lunch with visiting Peruvian President Ollanta Humala, and had been preparing to hold a joint news conference when political staffers’ Blackberries buzzed madly with emails: something had happened. It wasn’t clear if Flaherty was gravely ill or if it was worse, but in short order the government learned he had died — news that sent an emotional shockwave through the marbled halls.

The Peruvian president’s entourage quickly said their goodbyes, the joint news conference was cancelled, and Stephen Harper’s wife, Laureen Harper was summoned to Centre Block.

In the Commons, the daily question period was set to begin. Speaker Andrew Scheer called a temporary suspension that shut off the publicly televised feed and told MPs the breaking news off-camera because not all Flaherty’s family members had been advised. The daily sitting was swiftly formally adjourned as opposition MPs walked across the aisle to hug and comfort stunned Conservative colleagues.

Official Opposition leader Tom Mulcair went to the microphones, took a deep breath, struggled to keep emotions in check, and said, “Jim Flaherty was an extraordinarily dedicated public servant. He will be greatly missed by all of us.”

At Queens Park, where Flaherty served as an MPP from 1995 to 2005, the Ontario legislative assembly marked his death by adjourning for the day.

Within an hour, federal Conservative MPs and senators gathered in silence in the Reading Room where props for the joint news conference had been dismantled. Among them sat Green party leader Elizabeth May, and with them at their backs stood Liberal MP Marc Garneau.

Cabinet ministers Lisa Raitt and Leona Aglukkaq wiped tears away. Red-eyed, Flaherty’s friend and Labour Minister Kellie Leitch arrived to hugs from colleagues, and wept. A doctor drawn into politics, she would later call Flaherty her political mentor and “champion. Canada has lost a giant.”

A visibly shaken Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his stricken wife appeared at 3:17 and confirmed the news in a nationally broadcast statement.

In a brief and solemn address, Harper paid tribute to the politician who served as his right-hand man.

“Today is a very sad day, for me, for our government and for all of country. I learned a short time ago that our colleague, my partner and my friend, Jim Flaherty has passed away suddenly today,” Harper told MPs.

“This comes as an unexpected and terrible shock to Jim’s family, to our caucus and to Laureen and me.”

Harper extended deep condolences to Flaherty’s family, and promised a deeper reflection on Flaherty’s legacy in the coming days, but stressed the “great respect and affection” his political family held for him.

“Jim will be sorely missed.”

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Flags on Parliament Hill were lowered, as condolences and tributes poured in.

“Canada lost a great Canadian,” said Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, who added Flaherty was “a determined servant of the people” and strong representative of his constituents.

Governor General David Johnston said Flaherty served Canadians “in one of government’s most demanding roles. That he did so during challenging economic times makes his achievement all the more impressive.”

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau praised Flaherty as a dedicated parliamentarian who had “a strong social conscience and (was) fundamentally committed to the ideal of public service.”

“A champion listener,” said his junior finance minister Kevin Sorenson. An Irish lion is gone,” said his veteran political colleague, Tony Clement.

“Jim Flaherty gave his all to public life,” said Liberal finance critic Scott Brison.

Flaherty’s successor, Joe Oliver, praised Flaherty for playing a “pivotal role in the small group of senior decision-makers who quickly and effectively responded to the 2008–09 global financial crisis.”

The tough political decisions were tempered with consideration for their impact. Many cited Flaherty’s work to boost disabled people and their families as a lasting legacy.

Regan Watts, a friend and former senior Flaherty aide, remembered the 2006 decision to reverse a party promise and tax income trusts that set off an avalanche of phone calls. “MPs and staff from all over the caucus were calling asking what the hell is going on.”

“But that income trust decision showed the best of Jim Flaherty. He made a policy decision that was in the interest of the country and in the interest of the government, not politically but from a financial perspective. At the same time he also included pension income splitting because he knew there would be an impact on seniors, and that was one way we could meaningfully soften the blow.”

The prime minister didn’t agree at first, Watts said, but Flaherty “had the ability to bring the prime minister around when he really believed in something.”

NDP ethics critic Charlie Angus said tearfully, “I’m just so bloody sad.” He remembered being in Rome with the Irish Catholic Flaherty having beers. “He looked like a little altar boy he was so proud to be in Rome.”

A high-profile and loyal friend to beleaguered Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, Flaherty was “a relentless fighter, and champion for the people,” Ford said. “He will deeply be missed by everyone who had the good fortune of knowing him.”

Cabinet colleague Jason Kenney said it’s “a cautionary tale for all of us in public life, you’re going like he was 100 miles an hour year after year after year with such massive pressure. To suddenly slow down, I imagine it can be very difficult.”

Kellie Leitch, a doctor drawn to politics who is now a Conservative cabinet minister, counted Flaherty as her friend and “champion,” and said “Canada has lost a giant.”

Flaherty’s ability to leave politics at the door was what won him friends across the aisle. “Outside, he was just Jim Flaherty, he wasn’t Jim Flaherty the Finance Minister,” said Liberal MP Rodger Cuzner.

Conservative MP Rick Dykstra said Flaherty never looked back after giving up a private law career to enter politics.

“This was his passion, this was his passion. This is what he believed in, this is what he felt he was called to do and this is what he thought contributing to would bring meaning to both himself, his family and to a lesser extent, to the party, but I think more importantly to the family and to the country.”

With files from Bruce Campion-Smith