“Dr. Jackson was one of the founding fathers of the Canadian Paralympic Movement, and we are very saddened to hear of his death,” said Carla Qualtrough, President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. “I would like to express our condolences to his family and friends.”
The Canadian Paralympic Movement owes its start to Dr. Jackson, who as a medical student working for the Canadian Olympic Team was exposed to the Tokyo 1964 Paralympic Games, and questioned why Canada did not have a team. On his return to Canada, Dr. Jackson made a commitment to change this.
In 1967, Dr. Jackson spearheaded the foundation of the Canadian Wheelchair Sport Association with the goal of sending a team to the next Paralympic Games. A year later the first Paralympic Team Canada had its debut at the Tel Aviv 1968 Paralympic Games.
In 1972, Jackson accepted the responsibility for organizing Canada’s first Paralympic Games, the 1976 Olympiad for the Physically Disabled (also referred to as the TORONTOLYMPIAD) that was held in Toronto to coincide with Olympic Games in Montreal. In 1981, as a result of these Games and Dr. Jackson’s leadership, the Canadian Federation of Sport Organizations for the Disabled was created, which in 1993 became the Canadian Paralympic Committee.
From 1972 until 1984, Dr. Jackson served as president of the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation, and in 2005 he was awarded the Paralympic Order by the International Paralympic Committee. The Paralympic Order is the highest tribute a person connected with the Paralympic Movement may achieve, and recognizes the significance of Dr. Jackson’s contribution not only in Canada but worldwide.
“It is with great sadness that we learned of Dr. Jackson’s passing yesterday, only weeks before Canada welcomes the world’s best Paralympic athletes as the proud host of the Paralympic Winter Games ― the first time our country has ever had the honour,” said John Furlong, VANOC’s Chief Executive Officer. “It is tireless work ― largely on a volunteer basis ― by Canadians like him that has made it possible for our country to be a leader in the Paralympic Movement and for persons with disabilities to soar on the world’s athletic stage and inspire others to follow in their path. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues at this time.”
