John Shields dedicated his life to the service of others, and showed us the power of one person to do good. Shields, 78, died on Friday in Victoria. He had a rare, terminal blood disease, and chose assisted death.
Most British Columbians knew him as the president of the B.C. Government and Service Employees鈥� Union, a post he held between 1984 and 1999. Shields negotiated landmark pay-equity agreements and advocated for women鈥檚, workers鈥� and First Nations鈥� rights.
As the union said, his legacy 鈥渃an be found in every workplace in B.C. 鈥� in the improved working conditions, benefits and wages that were achieved during his time leading the BCGEU.鈥� But his dedication to his fellow human beings went far beyond his union work.
He started his career as a Catholic priest in the United States and became a civil-rights advocate. After moving to Victoria, he spent 15 years as a social worker.
In 2013, at an age when he could have enjoyed a well-earned retirement, he took on the difficult and complex tax of bringing the non-profit Land Conservancy out of its financial troubles. Thanks to his efforts, dozens of environmentally sensitive properties will be preserved.
In all those roles, he showed himself to be compassionate, principled and dedicated to social justice.
Writing about his death, Shields said: 鈥淚 have drawn great personal strength from knowing that my conscious energy will persist beyond the moment of my death.鈥�
More than that, the selfless work he did throughout his life will certainly live on.
