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Otto Jelinek, a former cabinet minister and world-champion figure skater, dead at 86
The former world champion skater served two decades in Parliament and later became Canada’s ambassador to the Czech Republic.
- Otto Jelinek, a former world-champion figure skater and federal cabinet minister, died in hospital at age 86 on Saturday after living with Parkinson's disease for nearly 20 years.
- Born in Prague, Jelinek escaped communism in Czechoslovakia as a boy before representing Canada in figure skating at the 1960 Winter Olympics in California with his sister Maria.
- Jelinek represented the Oakville, Ont. area for two decades in federal politics, serving as national revenue minister under then prime minister Brian Mulroney and holding portfolios in sport and multiculturalism.
- After considering a leadership bid for the Progressive Conservative Party, Jelinek served as Canadian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, capping a diverse public career.
- The Jelinek family reported he passed away peacefully following his nearly 20-year battle with Parkinson's disease, marking the end of a career spanning Olympic competition, federal governance, and diplomacy.
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26 Articles
Coverage Details
Total News Sources26
Leaning Left16Leaning Right0Center9Last UpdatedBias Distribution64% Left
Bias Distribution
- 64% of the sources lean Left
64% Left
L 64%
C 36%
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