Donald James Lee

Don was born on September 17, 1945 in Saskatoon. He attended school at Haultain, Holliston, and Aden Bowman Collegiate. Don’s post secondary education included Math, Economics, and ultimately Political Science. He attended the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, the University of Waterloo, Queens University in Kingston, and with a Commonwealth Scholarship the London (England) School of Economics, where he earned his PhD. in Political Science.

Don worked for The Government of Saskatchewan based in Regina, The Canadian Labour Congress based in Ottawa, The Ontario Labour Congress based in Toronto, and his own firm Union Pension Services also based in Toronto. His work at Union Pension Services helped establish many pension and benefit plans. His working years also included time as an actuary and for a number of years as an expert witness for the rights of workers.

Don enjoyed swimming, and cross country skiing, but his main passion beyond family and friends, was working with trade union movements in Latin America.

Don was involved in the work of solidarity for Argentina in the 1970’s where the military government jailed, disappeared, and killed thousands of opposition workers and students. To create pressure on this very repressive regime to free some of the jailed people, Don created a campaign to halt the delivery of a Canadian made nuclear reactor to Argentina. He then motivated many trade union people in Canada to support this effort. The main event of that campaign happened when on July 4, 1979 the longshoremen of Saint John N.B. refused to load a boat that was to deliver material for the reactor to Argentina. This extraordinary action was created by Don, and as a result of his action a number of trade unionists in Argentina were freed. The longshoremen were awarded an important medal, and a very important recognition in the parliament of Argentina. For many years that brave port action, was called the “No Hot Cargo for Argentina union action”.

Don worked for many years on solidarity for the people of El Salvador, first in Canada, and then in El Salvador, where he worked with all his companeros salvadorenos to document the abuses which Salvadoran people had suffered, and at the same time he worked in documenting the lives of those brave people who wanted a better life for their families. He went to live in a very special place, Suchitoto, in the north of El Salvador, where he built a house and continued to work to make proper documentation of the many struggles of El Salvador. He was the editor of Salsoi Observer, a bulletin with well researched commentary about the political situation of that country. Many of us will now miss this very valuable and sharp documentation of El Salvador life.

Don passed away on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 in Saskatoon. He was predeceased by parents Jack and Ina Mae. Survived by former spouse Elizabeth, daughter Fiona (Dave) Zivkovic, grandsons Cameron Sehl and Jacob Sehl, former spouses Jo and Angela, brothers Glen (Jean), Keith (Lorna), Roger (Susan) and Rob (Julie Brandt), special friends Heather and Rose, as well as many nieces, nephews, and friends.

A private ceremony will be held at a later date.

Arrangements entrusted to Ashley Knash.