Neil Reynolds

Neil Reynolds (1940 – May 19, 2013) was a Canadian journalist, editor and former leader of the Libertarian Party of Canada.

Career in journalism Born in Kingston, Ontario in 1940,

After working as a journalist at the Sarnia Observer and the London Free Press he became city editor of the Toronto Star, leaving in 1974 to join the Kingston Whig-Standard, becoming its editor-in-chief in 1978. He was hired by Conrad Black as editor-in-chief of the Ottawa Citizen in 1996 and remained there until 2000 when he became editor-in-chief at the Vancouver Sun until 2003. In September 2009, he became editor-at-Large of three daily newspapers owned by Brunswick News Inc, including the Telegraph-Journal and its two sister publications, the Times & Transcript and The Daily Gleaner. Reynolds ended his career as a columnist for the Report on Business section of The Globe and Mail, submitting what would be his final column in the summer of 2012.

Politics

Although he had been a supporter of the New Democratic Party in earlier years, he entered politics as the Libertarian Party of Canada's candidate in the 1982 by-election in the riding of Leeds–Grenville. He won 13.4% of the vote, which was the highest percentage vote ever garnered by a Libertarian Party of Canada candidate, either then or since. In May 1982, he became the party's leader, but resigned in 1983 in order to return to his post as Editor of the Kingston Whig-Standard.

Personal life

Reynolds' widow, Donna Jacobs, is an Ottawa-based freelance feature writer and columnist. He died on May 19, 2013, of cancer at the age of 72, leaving his wife, three children, and grandchildren.