The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, issued the following statement today after learning of the death of Maurice Strong:

“I was very saddened to learn of the death of Maurice Strong. On behalf of all Canadians, Sophie and I offer our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

“Mr Strong was an internationally recognized environmentalist and philanthropist who used his remarkable business acumen, organizational skills, and humanity to make the world a better place.

“In his career he took on extraordinarily challenging positions at the United Nations, including Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. He was also first Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, Executive Co-ordinator of the United Nations Office for Emergency Operations in Africa, and was a member of the World Commission on Environment and Development.

“More recently, Mr. Strong was Secretary-General of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. He was a driving force behind achieving the Kyoto Protocol. In addition, he was considered a legend at the Canadian International Development Agency that he headed earlier in his career.

“For his work, Mr. Strong received numerous conservation and humanitarian awards as well as honorary doctorates from multiple universities. He was a Companion of the Order of Canada and a member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.

“Mr. Strong was a global pioneer of sustainable development who left our country and our world a better place. His accomplishments will be remembered and honoured for years to come."