Clare Tarr

Last night in MacGregor, the Chamber of Commerce held an evening to commemorate Clare Tarr. Clare was a council member of MacGregor for many years. He was active on the Central Plains Regional Development Corporation for 34 years promoting economic development and was a big booster for the community of MacGregor.

The tributes last night were numerous. It was said that while he was alive, there was never a fundraising event in MacGregor that he did not attend and contribute to. Sometimes, at teas, he was the only man present, but he was there.

I first got to know Clare in the 1980s, and as the Member of Parliament for Portage-Interlake and as Leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party I had the good fortune to meet and talk to Clare on many occasions. Clare was a very strong promoter of MacGregor. He fought hard for his community and for a fair share of attention and support for MacGregor.

And he was forward thinking. When it became clear that there were going to be changes at the Hospital in MacGregor, he did not fight for the status quo but rather worked to develop a new approach that would build an innovative health centre with an emphasis on wellness, as well as having hospital beds.

In the photo above, Clare's daughters Allison Wilcox and Elaine Verwey receive a plaque honouring their father.