Obituary for Alexander Neale Manson
Alexander Neale Manson, age 73, passed December 7 in Ottawa, of cancer, his wife Judy by his side. Alex was a beloved husband, brother and uncle.
He had been a senior federal civil servant, shaping Canada’s early climate-change initiatives. He was an architect of Canada’s response to the landmark 1997 Kyoto Accord. In his younger years, Alex was a star scholar and athlete in many sports. He was a varsity football and hockey player at McGill University. During the summers, the youthful Alex, with two young friends, operated his grandparents’ farm near Bradford, Ontario. Alex was educated at Macdonald College in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and McGill University, and took a Masters in environmental engineering at The University of Western Ontario. He worked on environmental policy for the Government of Canada, rising to become a senior executive of climate-change policy. In retirement, Alex divided his time between his heritage home in Ottawa’s New Edinburgh community, and a small home with a big garden in Hudson, Quebec.
Alex was the son of Margaret and Alex Manson of Pointe Claire, Quebec. He is survived by wife Judy and brother Jack Manson; sisters Noni MacDonald, Mary Kai Manson, and Marnee Manson; sister-in-law Bev Wilson; and their spouses and partners. He was a much-loved uncle to nieces Kyla MacDonald, Katie Birnie, Jessie Manson, Marguerite Hanna, and Tasha Lavigne; and of nephews Ewen MacDonald, Michael Birnie, Alex Birnie, Kyle Hanna, Jake Manson, and Jean-Pierre Lavigne; as well as grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
To celebrate Alex, please make a donation to the charity of your choice.
He had been a senior federal civil servant, shaping Canada’s early climate-change initiatives. He was an architect of Canada’s response to the landmark 1997 Kyoto Accord. In his younger years, Alex was a star scholar and athlete in many sports. He was a varsity football and hockey player at McGill University. During the summers, the youthful Alex, with two young friends, operated his grandparents’ farm near Bradford, Ontario. Alex was educated at Macdonald College in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and McGill University, and took a Masters in environmental engineering at The University of Western Ontario. He worked on environmental policy for the Government of Canada, rising to become a senior executive of climate-change policy. In retirement, Alex divided his time between his heritage home in Ottawa’s New Edinburgh community, and a small home with a big garden in Hudson, Quebec.
Alex was the son of Margaret and Alex Manson of Pointe Claire, Quebec. He is survived by wife Judy and brother Jack Manson; sisters Noni MacDonald, Mary Kai Manson, and Marnee Manson; sister-in-law Bev Wilson; and their spouses and partners. He was a much-loved uncle to nieces Kyla MacDonald, Katie Birnie, Jessie Manson, Marguerite Hanna, and Tasha Lavigne; and of nephews Ewen MacDonald, Michael Birnie, Alex Birnie, Kyle Hanna, Jake Manson, and Jean-Pierre Lavigne; as well as grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
To celebrate Alex, please make a donation to the charity of your choice.