Canadian envoy who hid Americans during hostage crisis dies

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

TORONTO (AP) — Ken Taylor, Canada's ambassador to Iran who sheltered Americans at his residence during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, has died. He was 81.

Taylor's wife, Pat, said Ken died Thursday after a two-month battle with colon cancer.

Taylor kept the Americans hidden at his residence and at the home of his deputy, John Sheardown, in Tehran for three months. He facilitated their escape by arranging plane tickets and persuading the Ottawa government to issue fake passports.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/c78240ae71aa42988912ed2540547052/canadian-envoy-who-hid-americans-during-hostage-crisis-dies

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[mr goodbeer]

1. "Argo" was a Crock of Shit

[NCjack]

2. Canada, thank you!

[sharp_stick]

3. I remember meeting him

When I was a little kid and he came to talk to our school. What an adventure it sounded like.

[applegrove]

4. I remember the whole question period in parliament played up the closing of the embassy as a

political issue during the debate that day to help mask the caper.

[laundry_queen]

9. Cool. I didn't know that

I was too young at the time to take notice (around 4-5 years old). But that's very cool.

[applegrove]

10. Clark was pm. He knew and Trudeau in opposition did

too. Ed Broadbent was kept out of the loop and he went on attack against Clark for closing the embassy. They replayed it on the nightly news after the story broke. Poor Ed.

[laundry_queen]

11. I like Ed

but yeah, poor Ed. However, it probably gave it a real air of authenticity.

[applegrove]

12. Oh yeah. I think that's why he was left out of the loop. To make it real.

[potone]

5. R.I.P., Mister Taylor

He did a very brave and selfless thing. I am sorry that the movie "Argo" didn't give him and the other Canadians who were involved due credit.

[Dont call me Shirley]

6. Ken...

[dembotoz]

7. hard to imagine the pure courage displayed by this man and his wife.

[elmac]

8. Thank you Mr. Ambassador

R.I.P.