HALIFAX — A funeral was held in Halifax Friday for former Nova Scotia premier Gerald Regan, who died Tuesday at age 91. Family, friends and politicians, including Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil, attended the funeral mass at St. Mary's Basilica. Regan is survived by his wife of 63 years, Carole, and the couple's six children, including son Geoff, who is a Liberal MP and is seeking a second term as Speaker of the House of Commons. Flags in the province were flown at half-mast and on Friday, and the Senate of Canada said the flag on Parliament's Peace Tower would be flown at half-mast until sundown in Regan's memory. Nova Scotia's 19th premier, Regan served eight years in office after his Liberals won a minority government in 1970 and a majority government in 1974. He served as an MP in the early 1960s and returned to federal politics after winning election to the House of Commons in 1980. He served in the cabinets of former prime ministers Pierre Trudeau and John Turner, holding the labour, international trade and sports portfolios before leaving to pursue business opportunities after he and the Liberal government were defeated in 1984. However, his political legacy was overshadowed after his return to private life when the RCMP confirmed in October 1993 that he was being investigated for allegations of sexual misconduct dating back decades. A five-year legal battle ensued before Regan was declared not guilty on eight sex-related charges in December, 1998, but he never fully escaped the cloud. His complicated legacy saw McNeil issue condolences on Tuesday that only addressed Regan's time in office. McNeil said the former premier believed in the potential of the province and governed "with a true sense of liberal values -- investing in people, creating economic development and ensuring fiscal responsibility." In contrast to the recent death of former Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative premier John Buchanan, whose funeral was organized by the province's protocol office and live-streamed on a government website, Regan's service was a discreet family event. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued no formal statement after Regan's death was announced Wednesday, unlike after Buchanan's death in October, when he celebrated the former Tory premier's "contributions to government" and his "down-home charm and provincial pride." This week Trudeau limited himself to a tweet expressing his condolences to Geoff Regan and his family. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 29, 2019.
