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Flaherty, the green-tied former cabinet minister who was the financial rock of the Conservative government, died just a month after resigning from cabinet. He was pronounced dead at his condominium in Ottawa’s Byward Market.

After nearly two decades in provincial and federal politics, Flaherty had been planning a return to the private sector and to spend more time with his family.

News of his death quickly found its way to Parliament Hill, where members of all parties abandoned the partisan tone that often defines their work. They spoke fondly of Flaherty — not just for his work as finance minister, but the decency that made him such a likeable politician. In Canada’s political world, it was truly a death in the family.

Proceedings of the House of Commons and Senate were suspended as the prime minister, accompanied by his tearful wife, Laureen, addressed his caucus.

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

“This comes as an unexpected and a terrible shock to Jim’s family, to our caucus and to Laureen and me,” he said, adding that Flaherty will be “sorely missed” by MPs from all parties who regarded him with “great respect and affection.”

Our colleague, my partner and my friend, Jim Flaherty, has passed away

Harper then embraced some of those in the front row. Leitch and others were visibly upset.

In what Prime Minister Stephen Harper called “an unexpected and terrible shock,” former finance minister Jim Flaherty died suddenly on Thursday.