Tom Renney, president and chief executive officer, on behalf of Hockey Canada:

“It is with great sadness that we learned of Jim Prentice’s passing today. On behalf of my colleagues at Hockey Canada and our Board of Directors, I would like to extend our condolences to his many friends, and especially to the Prentice family.

“Jim had a passion for the game of hockey - likely born from his father’s early career as a professional player, and grown through Jim’s own experience playing the game. When his hockey career was cut short due to injury, Jim turned to the law and, eventually, a career of public service at the federal and provincial levels.

“Jim understood the link between sport facilities and the building of strong communities, and strong, healthy Canadians. As a Member of Parliament and Minister of Industry, Jim was instrumental in supporting the WinSport plan to build a centre of excellence at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary – which led to a federal funding commitment that resulted in the construction of the facilities that Hockey Canada, its national teams, and a number of national sport organizations and their high-performance athletes now call home.

“Canada has lost a great Canadian, and we join the nation in honouring his service to our country, and mourning his loss.”