MONTREAL — Former Prince Edward Island premier James Lee has died at the age of 86.
Lee, who went by Jim, was the province's 26th premier and held the office from 1981 to 1986.
Born in Charlottetown, he was first elected to the legislative assembly in a 1975 byelection.
He served in the cabinet of Premier John Angus MacLean between 1979 and 1981 and became leader of the Progressive Conservative party and premier of Prince Edward Island after MacLean's retirement.
Current P.E.I. Premier Dennis King in a statement following Lee's death noted his involvement in the patriation of the Canadian Constitution and the creation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
King also credited Lee's government for the opening of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Atlantic Veterinary College, both in Charlottetown.
King called Lee "a people person who loved politics and ... a proud Islander who was driven by a desire to help improve the quality of life for Islanders."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2023.
The Canadian Press
