Craig passed away peacefully at Vancouver General Hospital at the age of 76 after several months of declining health, stilling a voice that had been a fierce advocate for workers and myriad just causes for many years.
Predeceased by his mother Doris and father Jack Lang Paterson, he is survived by his daughter Tamara, grandson Jack, sister Janet and brothers Scott, Robert and Cameron Paterson.
Craig was born in the City of Welland, Ontario, known for its canals and roses, where he excelled academically and at sports, particularly hockey and basketball. He graduated in law from the University of Western Ontario, and obtained a Masters degree in law from Harvard, followed by a short time teaching at the University of Windsor.
Craig came to Vancouver in the early 1970s, putting his legal talent to work at the BC Workers’ Compensation Board under its new chairman Terry Ison, who had been hired by the NDP government to transform the WCB. Craig played a major role developing groundbreaking occupational health and safety regulations to put more onus on employers for workplace safety and safer working conditions. When the chairman was fired by the next government, Craig showed his principles by resigning from the Board to protest its new direction.
Craig then went into private practice, specializing in workers’ compensation cases and occupational health and safety. He became a go-to lawyer pursuing cases on behalf of injured workers who received a raw deal from authorities. Always willing to push boundaries to achieve justice, he took on a number of Judicial Reviews of WCB decisions that resulted in significant changes to compensation law, including a landmark case giving worker complainants the right to see their files for the first time.
He attracted attention across the country when he fought, unsuccessfully, to have alcoholism recognized as an industrial disease. In the early days of the AIDS epidemic, he was among the first to challenge the safety of the Canadian Red Cross blood supply, on behalf of a hemophiliac mill worker who died of AIDS.
Craig was also an active participant in the progressive BC Law Union for many years. He fought for civil liberties and threw himself into many protests, notably Operation Solidarity.
Craig was many things to many people: brother, uncle, friend, grandfather, neighbor, patient, legal advocate, adversary, lover, parent, employer, collector Many of those relationships and roles were nurtured and blossomed over the years, while others became complicated by forces from within.
It's important at this time for everyone who knew and cared for him, to acknowledge and respect the many different faces of Craig.
His role as a grandparent and official "Hockey Grandpa" to Jack for 13 years, as well as being the doting, eccentric uncle to his many nieces, nephews, and godchildren, represented the very best of him. This included his role as Santa, bearing gifts at annual friend holiday gatherings.
Craig loved to travel and loved the city of Vancouver and its diversity. He was a loud voice for its communities and community engagement. He never lost his love of hockey and was a long-suffering fan of the Vancouver Canucks, but not of the team’s current ownership.
All of us who knew him through the course of his life are left with a deep sadness at the toll his mental illness took. After spending his professional career counseling and fighting for the rights of others, Craig struggled to advocate for himself and follow advice from those who cared for his well-being.
The layers of loss endured by many of us are truly immeasurable; if anything is to be taken from this aspect of his life story, it should be that no one is immune to the ravages of mental illness.
Craig offered a helping hand to many and took great pleasure in finding a light in everyone. His generous spirit will be missed by family, friends, and the many community circles he touched.
Donations in Craig’s memory can be made to the Canadian Mental Health Association or Covenant House Vancouver.
A celebration of his life will be held March 30th, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Croatian Cultural Centre, 3250 Commercial Drive in Vancouver, BC.
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