Family, friends, colleagues and residents of Durham are mourning the loss of former MPP Dr. Charles Morris Godfrey, one of North America’s oldest practising doctors. Joining us today is David Warner, Speaker during the 35th Parliament, and watching from home is his son, Mark Godfrey.

Dr. Godfrey loved life and was famously quoted in 2020 as saying that the trick to aging gracefully is staying interested in life. His other secret was to stay away from TV and to focus on things that mattered.

Born in Philadelphia in 1917, Dr. Charles Godfrey moved to Toronto at a young age. According to a profile published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in 1987, he remained in Canada for the rest of his life. His father encouraged him to pursue a life in medicine, but he was also inspired by the Clark Gable movie Men in White.

After serving in the Canadian military for over five years during World War II and qualifying as a physiotherapist while in service, he enrolled in the University of Toronto school of medicine. He paid for his schooling by working as a janitor and scrapyard worker before graduating in 1953.

He joined the royal college of physicians in 1958 and became the medical director of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Toronto East General Hospital. Later, he split his time working at Sunnybrook and Toronto Rehabilitation Centre.

Dr. Godfrey married his wife, Margaret, who shared his passion for medicine and helping people. For over 20 years, Dr. Godfrey and his wife would spend six weeks per year as volunteers travelling to developing countries on lecture tours, on behalf of CARE, an international humanitarian agency delivering emergency relief and long-term international development projects. From 1983 to 1985, he chaired CARE, and he later served as chairman of CARE’s international health advisory committee. In 1986, he was awarded the distinguished service award by the organization.

He was invested as a member of the Order of Canada in 1989, and he received the Order of Ontario in 1996.

He was later elected to the Ontario Legislature, representing Durham West as a member of the New Democratic Party of Ontario, from September 18, 1975, to June 8, 1977. He was a member of the 30th Parliament. He ran because he did not want a new international airport built near him. He organized People or Planes in 1975, which grew to an astounding 8,500 members. Two days after being elected, the airport plans were cancelled. He later joked with reporters, “I don’t think there’s another politician in the world who can say he accomplished his political goals as fast as I did.” He later left politics, saying politicians have too many bosses, but he encouraged people to stand up and stick to their convictions.

Dr. Charles Godfrey died at his home in Madoc, Ontario, on July 24, just weeks short of his 105th birthday. He had continued to practise medicine up until age 102.

The university said, “He possessed a remarkable longevity in his practice, supported by his enduring love for medicine and incredible care for his patients.”

Mark Godfrey, his son, said, “He was the smartest guy in the room, all my life, any room we were in.”

Dr. Charles Godfrey was a renowned physician, a true pioneer, and a leading community member.

Thank you, Dr. Godfrey, for all your great contributions to the Durham community and to the medical field.