Remembering the Honourable Thomas Siddon
The Pacific Salmon Foundation mourns the passing of the Hon. Tom Siddon, a former federal cabinet minister, a tireless advocate for salmon, and an early champion of PSF’s vision.
Tom served on Richmond City Council before being elected to Parliament five times between 1978 and 1993. He became Minister of Fisheries and Oceans in 1985 and helped establish the Pacific Salmon Foundation a couple of years later, in 1987. To ensure a dedicated source of funding for salmon restoration projects, he introduced the Salmon Conservation Stamp, which PSF continues to steward and distribute to community groups across British Columbia.
“Tom had a gift for bringing people together around a shared conviction that salmon are worth fighting for, and that it would take all of us, working together. Almost four decades later, that founding vision continues to drive everything we do at PSF. We are grateful for his many years of service to wild salmon conservation and recovery. Our hearts are with his wife Pat and the Siddon family,” said Michael Meneer, President & CEO, PSF.
From left: Dr. Brian Riddell, former PSF President and CEO; the Hon. Tom Siddon; and Michael Meneer, PSF’s President and CEO.
In 2012, as PSF marked its 25th anniversary, Tom shared some reflections.
“I was the federal minister of fisheries at the time, and we felt government should be putting more money into a self-perpetuating organization that could stand on its own feet, go out into the community and raise money for projects,” said Hon. Tom Siddon.
“Working with different stakeholder groups, we envisioned a common organization that could preserve salmon and generate public awareness. We all knew we had to work together to stop the decline of the species…and so we agreed to establish the Pacific Salmon Foundation towards the betterment and enhancement of the species.
“I fondly remember standing alongside the Adams River in October of 1986, during the famous Adams River Sockeye run, to publicly announce our decision to establish the [Pacific Salmon] Foundation. I was pleased to be joined on the platform that day by several representatives of Pacific fisheries stakeholder groups, including First Nations, commercial and sportsfishing sectors, conservationists and the fishermen’s union.”
On the Foundation’s most significant accomplishment:
“The Foundation is not just about raising money for salmon. It’s about the legacy we can leave to younger people to preserve salmon stocks. The ability of the Foundation to attract enthusiastic support has allowed small-scale community projects to ‘walk the talk’ and do the work that makes a lasting legacy of difference. That’s a great compliment to the many volunteers who have worked on these projects.”
Years later, Hon. Tom Siddon’s contributions and legacy continue to shape the Pacific Salmon Foundation. We are grateful for the vision he gave us, and for everyone who continues to carry it forward.
