Robert Mahood
Robert (“Robbie”) Fisher Mahood died peacefully in Montreal on Dec 26 at the age of 75 years, surrounded by his family and loved ones.
He was born in 1946 and grew up in Saskatoon. He spent some of his early childhood in the Côte des Neiges area of Montreal while his mother studied medicine at McGill, and lived in the Middle East in the early 1960s while his father worked for the United Nations setting up teacher training for Palestinian refugee communities, but Saskatchewan was the place of his youth. His parents were deeply involved in the struggles for universal medical care in
Saskatchewan and in many other progressive social movements on the prairies. As a pink
diaper baby, Robbie was always committed to fighting for progressive social change. He
was a student activist in the 1960s, involved
in anti-war activism as well as early community organizing efforts against racism in Saskatchewan. He became involved in direct action politics, briefly working for the National Farmers Union, and in factory work in Toronto.
He was among other young Canadians who went to Cuba on a work exchange in the late 1960s, and
famously played (and lost) baseball with Fidel. In the late 1960s and early 1970s he became a
committed revolutionary socialist, joining the Fourth International – and remained a member and militant for the rest of his life in Socialist Action/Ligue pour L’Action Socialiste.
He contemplated an academic career, completing a thesis in Political Science with an original take on the political career of Mackenzie King. After deciding an academic career was not for him, Robbie decided that studying medicine would allow him to continue his political, intellectual and activist work serving as a physician. As a physician, he was involved in various struggles in health care including studying with Dr. Henry Morgentaler and participating in the campaign for reproductive choice, including as an abortion provider in Winnipeg as well as a fly-in provider in the maritime provinces. Robbie decided that salaried group medical practice was the best model for delivery of medical services and was involved in several unique group community practices in Winnipeg (Klinic) and in Montreal (CLSC Côte des Neiges) where he spent the rest of his career. In addition to his general practice he worked for many years as part of the family medicine obstetrics group at the Jewish General Hospital and taught the many residents who passed through the CLSC. He enjoyed supervising residents and did so until just a short time before his death, continuing his devoted care of his patients till the very end.
In Montreal he remained politically active in various progressive campaigns, continued a lifelong critical involvement in the left of the NDP, and ran as a candidate for Québec Solidaire. He was a staunch supporter of the historic student strikes in Quebec and forever hailed the resilience and strength of the next generation of student revolutionaries. He was a committed activist for Palestinian rights, for immigrant rights and healthcare, and for action against climate change, which he saw as intricately related to the profit motive of capitalism.
His entire life, personal and professional, was devoted to the battle for progressive social change in key sectors of political life. He brought an inextinguishable optimism that a better world was possible, a great intellectual energy, a deep curiosity about the world and its challenges, and a determined expectation that we should all do the same.
He courageously battled cancer for the last two decades of his life, surviving bone marrow transplants and chemotherapy regimes with little complaint and tremendous determination. Throughout these struggles he maintained his eclectic interests in folk and classical music, film, art and history, constantly sharing his insights and observations with a broad group of friends and colleagues around the world. He remained highly informed and cognizant regarding the many struggles for equality and
decency the world over and could always be counted on to offer a cogent, thoughtful and unique analysis of world events and of the way forward. On a personal level he was smart, funny and never polarizing in his many discussions over just the right cup of Mile End coffee.
He was a devoted father and provider to his four daughters, loving them and exasperating them in equal measure. He is survived by his four daughters (Marie-Laure Mahood, Juliana Mahood, Marjolaine Mahood in Montreal and Meaghan Hogg in California), their children (Margot, Dara, Babette, Sukie, Dervla and Aengus), his former wife Isidé Giuliani, and by his long-time companion and comrade Anita Marin, and her son Diego. He is also mourned greatly by his only sister, Sally Mahood, her partner John Conway, and his loving nephews and niece in Saskatchewan (Liam, Aidan, Kieran and Meara Conway) and their families.
In view of COVID, a celebration of his life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish can make a donation to Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU) via e-transfer to [email protected] or
320 Sylvio Mantha #101, Vaudreuil J7V 0N4, or to Independent Jewish Voices (www.ijvcanada.org).
He was born in 1946 and grew up in Saskatoon. He spent some of his early childhood in the Côte des Neiges area of Montreal while his mother studied medicine at McGill, and lived in the Middle East in the early 1960s while his father worked for the United Nations setting up teacher training for Palestinian refugee communities, but Saskatchewan was the place of his youth. His parents were deeply involved in the struggles for universal medical care in
Saskatchewan and in many other progressive social movements on the prairies. As a pink
diaper baby, Robbie was always committed to fighting for progressive social change. He
was a student activist in the 1960s, involved
in anti-war activism as well as early community organizing efforts against racism in Saskatchewan. He became involved in direct action politics, briefly working for the National Farmers Union, and in factory work in Toronto.
He was among other young Canadians who went to Cuba on a work exchange in the late 1960s, and
famously played (and lost) baseball with Fidel. In the late 1960s and early 1970s he became a
committed revolutionary socialist, joining the Fourth International – and remained a member and militant for the rest of his life in Socialist Action/Ligue pour L’Action Socialiste.
He contemplated an academic career, completing a thesis in Political Science with an original take on the political career of Mackenzie King. After deciding an academic career was not for him, Robbie decided that studying medicine would allow him to continue his political, intellectual and activist work serving as a physician. As a physician, he was involved in various struggles in health care including studying with Dr. Henry Morgentaler and participating in the campaign for reproductive choice, including as an abortion provider in Winnipeg as well as a fly-in provider in the maritime provinces. Robbie decided that salaried group medical practice was the best model for delivery of medical services and was involved in several unique group community practices in Winnipeg (Klinic) and in Montreal (CLSC Côte des Neiges) where he spent the rest of his career. In addition to his general practice he worked for many years as part of the family medicine obstetrics group at the Jewish General Hospital and taught the many residents who passed through the CLSC. He enjoyed supervising residents and did so until just a short time before his death, continuing his devoted care of his patients till the very end.
In Montreal he remained politically active in various progressive campaigns, continued a lifelong critical involvement in the left of the NDP, and ran as a candidate for Québec Solidaire. He was a staunch supporter of the historic student strikes in Quebec and forever hailed the resilience and strength of the next generation of student revolutionaries. He was a committed activist for Palestinian rights, for immigrant rights and healthcare, and for action against climate change, which he saw as intricately related to the profit motive of capitalism.
His entire life, personal and professional, was devoted to the battle for progressive social change in key sectors of political life. He brought an inextinguishable optimism that a better world was possible, a great intellectual energy, a deep curiosity about the world and its challenges, and a determined expectation that we should all do the same.
He courageously battled cancer for the last two decades of his life, surviving bone marrow transplants and chemotherapy regimes with little complaint and tremendous determination. Throughout these struggles he maintained his eclectic interests in folk and classical music, film, art and history, constantly sharing his insights and observations with a broad group of friends and colleagues around the world. He remained highly informed and cognizant regarding the many struggles for equality and
decency the world over and could always be counted on to offer a cogent, thoughtful and unique analysis of world events and of the way forward. On a personal level he was smart, funny and never polarizing in his many discussions over just the right cup of Mile End coffee.
He was a devoted father and provider to his four daughters, loving them and exasperating them in equal measure. He is survived by his four daughters (Marie-Laure Mahood, Juliana Mahood, Marjolaine Mahood in Montreal and Meaghan Hogg in California), their children (Margot, Dara, Babette, Sukie, Dervla and Aengus), his former wife Isidé Giuliani, and by his long-time companion and comrade Anita Marin, and her son Diego. He is also mourned greatly by his only sister, Sally Mahood, her partner John Conway, and his loving nephews and niece in Saskatchewan (Liam, Aidan, Kieran and Meara Conway) and their families.
In view of COVID, a celebration of his life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish can make a donation to Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU) via e-transfer to [email protected] or
320 Sylvio Mantha #101, Vaudreuil J7V 0N4, or to Independent Jewish Voices (www.ijvcanada.org).