Pat McGeer
Encyclopedia
Patrick Lucey "Pat" McGeer, OC
, OBC
, FRSC
(born in Vancouver
, June 29, 1927), is a Canadian
physician, professor and medical researcher. He is regarded as a leading authority on the causes and prevention of Alzheimer's disease
and is the principal author of the inflammatory hypothesis of the disease, which holds that Alzheimer's is an inflammation of the cortex
. Formerly, he was a Canadian
basketball
player who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics
, a politician who represented the constituency of Vancouver-Point Grey
in the British Columbia legislature
from 1962 to 1986, and a member of the British Columbia cabinet
from 1976 to 1986.
from 1942 to 1944, playing on basketball teams that were British Columbia provincial champions. Following a year as a player for the University of British Columbia
Thunderbirds
, he was immediately invited to join the Vancouver Lauries, who then won the Western Canadian championship before losing in their bid for a national championship. McGeer was the co-winner of the high-scoring trophy at the Pacific Northwest championships in 1945/46, which UBC won. That year's team also beat (42-38) the Harlem Globetrotters
on their visit, with McGeer as high scorer. In 1948, McGeer was unanimous allstar choice for the Pacific Northwest Conference and tied for the scoring championship. That year he was winner of the Bobby Gaul memorial trophy, the top award given to the UBC athlete who contributes most to his team. That team went on to win the Canadian University championship. The Canadian Olympic team was a hybrid from the Canadian University championship team and the Canadian national amateur championship team. McGeer was a member of the UBC contingent on the Canadian basketball team, which finished ninth in the Olympic tournament
. McGeer then retired from basketball, holding the career scoring record for the Thunderbirds. He was later inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame, and the UBC teams he played on were inducted into the British Columbia, UBC, and BC Basketball Sports Halls of Fame.
in 1948 with a first class honours in chemistry, then went on to Princeton
for his Ph.D (1951). After graduating from Princeton, McGeer went to work as a researcher at DuPont
, where he met a fellow researcher, Edith Graef. They married in 1954 and returned to British Columbia, where he earned an M.D. in 1958, while Edith went to work at the Kinsmen Laboratory for Neurological Research in the Faculty of Medicine at UBC. In 1959, Pat joined Edith as a professor at the UBC Faculty of Medicine. The two of them rapidly became a formidable research team, building the Kinsmen Lab into a premier neurochemistry facility with a particular focus on the degenerative neurological diseases of aging. Though they have long since officially retired (Edith in 1989 and Pat in 1992), they remain active. Both continue to research and publish in brain-related research, particularly on Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease
, ALS
and Multiple sclerosis
, with more than 800 papers and three books.
team led by Dr. Murray Newman that, in 1964, accidentally captured the killer whale Moby Doll
. The Aquarium wished to obtain a dead killer whale in order to construct a model for display, and McGeer wished to study the brain of such a whale because of its anticipated size. A misdirected harpoon went through a whale's soft tissue, permitting it to be towed to a North Vancouver dry dock where the harpoon was removed. Prior to this time, the killer whale (Orcinas Orca) had been the most feared of all ocean predators, with many anecdotal reports of attacks on humans. The Aquarium team soon learned that Moby Doll adapted to captivity, was a quick learner and lived on a diet of fish. Unfortunately, the whale died from an infection, but worldwide attitudes to this remarkable mammal were radically changed.
Now killer whales are a protected species in the wild, and are a spectacular attraction at numerous aquaria around the world. The scientific description can be found in Zoologica Vol 51, Issue 2, pp59–69, 1966: Newman, MA and McGeer, PL. "The capture and care of a killer whale Orcinas Orca in British Columbia." McGeer was also a member of Vancouver Public Aquarium expeditions to the Canadian Arctic
in 1968 and 1970 to study narwhal
s. Five were captured and transported to Vancouver but all died of infection. So far, narwhals have not been successfully brought into captivity.
for a vacant seat in the riding of Vancouver-Point Grey, under the banner of the Liberal Party of British Columbia. McGeer won re-election as a Liberal in the elections of 1963, 1966, 1969 and 1972. McGeer was elected leader of the Liberal Party in 1968, and led the party in the provincial election of 1969
. McGeer resigned the leadership in 1972, but continued to defend his seat. After the election of the New Democratic Party
to power in the 1972 election
, McGeer led the Liberal Party caucus into the rebuilt Social Credit Party of British Columbia for the 1975 election
. McGeer won re-election to the legislature as a Social Credit member in the provincial elections of 1975, 1979
and 1983
. Following Social Credit's overwhelming victory in 1975, he became a member of the provincial cabinet, serving in various portfolios until 1986. McGeer was primarily known for fiscal reforms to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
and for strengthening the science and engineering programs at British Columbia's universities. McGeer established the Advanced Research Institute of British Columbia to provide university science and engineering funding, so-called Discovery Parks as technology startup incubators on B.C. university campuses, and the Open Learning Institute
to provide distance education
to British Columbia's far-flung rural population. McGeer was the minister responsible for the British Columbia Pavilion at the 1986 Vancouver World's Fair
, Expo 86
.
During the oil crisis of the 1970s, McGeer became the first public figure to suggest using methane
as a vehicle fuel, collaborating with Princeton
engineering professor Enoch Durbin on a monograph: "Methane: Fuel for the Future". McGeer led the effort to develop natural gas
outlets in service stations in the Vancouver area, and a number of Vancouver vehicle fleets converted to run on natural gas. McGeer himself drove a natural gas car through the 1980s. He is a very public advocate for the idea of a Strait of Georgia
bridge and other projects. Though a neuroscientist by training, his scientific interests are broad and often original, in one case designing a working satellite dish
made of two pieces of carefully cut plywood, slots in which used a refraction effect to focus the signal.
in 1966.
In 1995 McGeer and his wife were honoured for their lifetime contributions to science and technology with a special award from the Science Council of British Columbia. Their research in the study of the function of neurotransmitters in the brain has been pivotal to the pathology of Parkinson's disease
and Alzheimer's disease. Their textbook with Nobel Laureate Sir John Eccles, "Molecular Neurobiology of the Mammalian Brain" (ISBN 0-306-42511-4) was a classic in its day.
In 2004 he was the recipient of the Wisniewski Award for extraordinary contributions to Alzheimer's disease research. He and his wife Edith have been life-long partners in neurological research and Pat considers that she has made the major contribution to most of their scientific publications. In 1995, he and Edith were inducted as Officers of the Order of Canada
. In 2002 they were jointly inducted as Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada
, and in 2005 they were jointly inducted into the Order of British Columbia
.
, and Ada McGeer (née Schwengers), a reporter and columnist for CBC Radio
and the Vancouver News Herald. McGeer was a grandson of "Big Jim" McGeer and a nephew of Gerry McGeer
a famous "old warhorse" of the British Columbia Liberal Party
who was twice the Mayor of Vancouver, later elected a Member of Parliament
and, eventually, appointed Senator.
McGeer has three children. Patrick ("Rick"), born 1957, is a mathematician and computer scientist, currently a researcher with HP Labs
in Palo Alto, CA. Brian ("Tad"), born 1958, is a roboticist and aeronautical engineer, who designed the first unmanned aeronautical vehicle to fly across the Atlantic Ocean
. He is founder and president of Aerovel, Inc., of Bingen, Washington. Victoria ("Tori"), born 1960, is a professor of philosophy at the Centre for Human Values, Princeton University, and is an expert on autism
.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, OBC
Order of British Columbia
The Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour...
, FRSC
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
(born in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, June 29, 1927), is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
physician, professor and medical researcher. He is regarded as a leading authority on the causes and prevention of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
and is the principal author of the inflammatory hypothesis of the disease, which holds that Alzheimer's is an inflammation of the cortex
Cerebral cortex
The cerebral cortex is a sheet of neural tissue that is outermost to the cerebrum of the mammalian brain. It plays a key role in memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, language, and consciousness. It is constituted of up to six horizontal layers, each of which has a different...
. Formerly, he was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
, a politician who represented the constituency of Vancouver-Point Grey
Vancouver-Point Grey
Vancouver-Point Grey is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. It first appeared on the hustings in the general election of 1933. It and the other new Vancouver ridings in this year, Vancouver-Burrard, Vancouver Centre and Vancouver East, were...
in the British Columbia legislature
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
from 1962 to 1986, and a member of the British Columbia cabinet
Executive Council of British Columbia
The Executive Council of British Columbia is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
from 1976 to 1986.
Athletics
McGeer attended Magee Secondary SchoolMagee Secondary School
Magee Secondary School is one of the first public high schools located in the Kerrisdale neighbourhood of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Magee is fed by the surrounding elementary schools in its catchment area. They include Maple Grove Elementary School, Dr. R.E. McKechnie Elementary School,...
from 1942 to 1944, playing on basketball teams that were British Columbia provincial champions. Following a year as a player for the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
Thunderbirds
UBC Thunderbirds
The UBC Thunderbirds are the athletic teams that represent the University of British Columbia in the University Endowment Lands just outside the city limits of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They are one of the most successful teams in the CIS, though a few of their teams are members of the U.S...
, he was immediately invited to join the Vancouver Lauries, who then won the Western Canadian championship before losing in their bid for a national championship. McGeer was the co-winner of the high-scoring trophy at the Pacific Northwest championships in 1945/46, which UBC won. That year's team also beat (42-38) the Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
on their visit, with McGeer as high scorer. In 1948, McGeer was unanimous allstar choice for the Pacific Northwest Conference and tied for the scoring championship. That year he was winner of the Bobby Gaul memorial trophy, the top award given to the UBC athlete who contributes most to his team. That team went on to win the Canadian University championship. The Canadian Olympic team was a hybrid from the Canadian University championship team and the Canadian national amateur championship team. McGeer was a member of the UBC contingent on the Canadian basketball team, which finished ninth in the Olympic tournament
Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics was the second appearance of the sport as an official medal event. A total number of 23 nations entered the competition....
. McGeer then retired from basketball, holding the career scoring record for the Thunderbirds. He was later inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame, and the UBC teams he played on were inducted into the British Columbia, UBC, and BC Basketball Sports Halls of Fame.
Academics
McGeer graduated from University of British ColumbiaUniversity of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
in 1948 with a first class honours in chemistry, then went on to Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
for his Ph.D (1951). After graduating from Princeton, McGeer went to work as a researcher at DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
, where he met a fellow researcher, Edith Graef. They married in 1954 and returned to British Columbia, where he earned an M.D. in 1958, while Edith went to work at the Kinsmen Laboratory for Neurological Research in the Faculty of Medicine at UBC. In 1959, Pat joined Edith as a professor at the UBC Faculty of Medicine. The two of them rapidly became a formidable research team, building the Kinsmen Lab into a premier neurochemistry facility with a particular focus on the degenerative neurological diseases of aging. Though they have long since officially retired (Edith in 1989 and Pat in 1992), they remain active. Both continue to research and publish in brain-related research, particularly on Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
, ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a form of motor neuron disease caused by the degeneration of upper and lower neurons, located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and the cortical neurons that provide their efferent input...
and Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
, with more than 800 papers and three books.
Marine mammal research
McGeer was a member of the Vancouver Public AquariumVancouver Aquarium
The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre is a public aquarium located in Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In addition to being a major tourist attraction for Vancouver, the aquarium is a centre for marine research, conservation and marine animal rehabilitation.The Vancouver...
team led by Dr. Murray Newman that, in 1964, accidentally captured the killer whale Moby Doll
Moby Doll
Moby Doll was the first captive orca displayed in a public aquarium exhibit.The 15 foot long, 1-ton male was captured in 1964 near East Point, Saturna Island in British Columbia. A sculptor, Samuel Burich, had been commissioned by the Vancouver Aquarium to kill an orca in order to construct a...
. The Aquarium wished to obtain a dead killer whale in order to construct a model for display, and McGeer wished to study the brain of such a whale because of its anticipated size. A misdirected harpoon went through a whale's soft tissue, permitting it to be towed to a North Vancouver dry dock where the harpoon was removed. Prior to this time, the killer whale (Orcinas Orca) had been the most feared of all ocean predators, with many anecdotal reports of attacks on humans. The Aquarium team soon learned that Moby Doll adapted to captivity, was a quick learner and lived on a diet of fish. Unfortunately, the whale died from an infection, but worldwide attitudes to this remarkable mammal were radically changed.
Now killer whales are a protected species in the wild, and are a spectacular attraction at numerous aquaria around the world. The scientific description can be found in Zoologica Vol 51, Issue 2, pp59–69, 1966: Newman, MA and McGeer, PL. "The capture and care of a killer whale Orcinas Orca in British Columbia." McGeer was also a member of Vancouver Public Aquarium expeditions to the Canadian Arctic
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
in 1968 and 1970 to study narwhal
Narwhal
The narwhal, Monodon monoceros, is a medium-sized toothed whale that lives year-round in the Arctic. One of two living species of whale in the Monodontidae family, along with the beluga whale, the narwhal males are distinguished by a characteristic long, straight, helical tusk extending from their...
s. Five were captured and transported to Vancouver but all died of infection. So far, narwhals have not been successfully brought into captivity.
Political career
In 1962, McGeer won a by-electionBy-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for a vacant seat in the riding of Vancouver-Point Grey, under the banner of the Liberal Party of British Columbia. McGeer won re-election as a Liberal in the elections of 1963, 1966, 1969 and 1972. McGeer was elected leader of the Liberal Party in 1968, and led the party in the provincial election of 1969
British Columbia general election, 1969
The British Columbia general election of 1969 was the 29th general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on July 21, 1969, and held on August 27, 1969...
. McGeer resigned the leadership in 1972, but continued to defend his seat. After the election of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
to power in the 1972 election
British Columbia general election, 1972
The 30th general election for the Canadian province of British Columbia was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on July 24, 1972, and held on August 30, 1972...
, McGeer led the Liberal Party caucus into the rebuilt Social Credit Party of British Columbia for the 1975 election
British Columbia general election, 1975
The British Columbia general election of 1975 was the 31st general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on November 3, 1975, and held on December 11, 1975...
. McGeer won re-election to the legislature as a Social Credit member in the provincial elections of 1975, 1979
British Columbia general election, 1979
The British Columbia general election of 1979 was the 32nd general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 3, 1979...
and 1983
British Columbia general election, 1983
The British Columbia general election of 1983 was the 33rd provincial election for the province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 7, 1983. The election was held on May 5, 1983...
. Following Social Credit's overwhelming victory in 1975, he became a member of the provincial cabinet, serving in various portfolios until 1986. McGeer was primarily known for fiscal reforms to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia is a provincial crown corporation in British Columbia created in 1973 by the NDP government of British Columbia. The original purpose of ICBC was to provide universal public auto insurance in British Columbia...
and for strengthening the science and engineering programs at British Columbia's universities. McGeer established the Advanced Research Institute of British Columbia to provide university science and engineering funding, so-called Discovery Parks as technology startup incubators on B.C. university campuses, and the Open Learning Institute
Open Learning Agency
The Open Learning Agency was a Crown Agency of the province of British Columbia, Canada.Its primary function is the management of the Knowledge, a public television station in BC, although it once played a larger role in education and a university function, before being scaled back by the BC...
to provide distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
to British Columbia's far-flung rural population. McGeer was the minister responsible for the British Columbia Pavilion at the 1986 Vancouver World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
, Expo 86
Expo 86
The 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication, or simply Expo '86, was a World's Fair held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from Friday, May 2 until Monday, October 13, 1986...
.
During the oil crisis of the 1970s, McGeer became the first public figure to suggest using methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
as a vehicle fuel, collaborating with Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
engineering professor Enoch Durbin on a monograph: "Methane: Fuel for the Future". McGeer led the effort to develop natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
outlets in service stations in the Vancouver area, and a number of Vancouver vehicle fleets converted to run on natural gas. McGeer himself drove a natural gas car through the 1980s. He is a very public advocate for the idea of a Strait of Georgia
Strait of Georgia
The Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait is a strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is approximately long and varies in width from...
bridge and other projects. Though a neuroscientist by training, his scientific interests are broad and often original, in one case designing a working satellite dish
Satellite dish
A satellite dish is a dish-shaped type of parabolic antenna designed to receive microwaves from communications satellites, which transmit data transmissions or broadcasts, such as satellite television.-Principle of operation:...
made of two pieces of carefully cut plywood, slots in which used a refraction effect to focus the signal.
Recognition
McGeer was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of ScienceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
in 1966.
In 1995 McGeer and his wife were honoured for their lifetime contributions to science and technology with a special award from the Science Council of British Columbia. Their research in the study of the function of neurotransmitters in the brain has been pivotal to the pathology of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
and Alzheimer's disease. Their textbook with Nobel Laureate Sir John Eccles, "Molecular Neurobiology of the Mammalian Brain" (ISBN 0-306-42511-4) was a classic in its day.
In 2004 he was the recipient of the Wisniewski Award for extraordinary contributions to Alzheimer's disease research. He and his wife Edith have been life-long partners in neurological research and Pat considers that she has made the major contribution to most of their scientific publications. In 1995, he and Edith were inducted as Officers of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. In 2002 they were jointly inducted as Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
, and in 2005 they were jointly inducted into the Order of British Columbia
Order of British Columbia
The Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour...
.
Family
McGeer is the son of James McGeer, a provincial court judgeProvincial Court of British Columbia
The Provincial Court of British Columbia is a trial level court in British Columbia that hears cases in criminal, civil and family matters....
, and Ada McGeer (née Schwengers), a reporter and columnist for CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
and the Vancouver News Herald. McGeer was a grandson of "Big Jim" McGeer and a nephew of Gerry McGeer
Gerry McGeer
Gerald Grattan McGeer was a lawyer, populist politician, and monetary reform advocate in the Canadian province of British Columbia...
a famous "old warhorse" of the British Columbia Liberal Party
British Columbia Liberal Party
The British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
who was twice the Mayor of Vancouver, later elected a Member of Parliament
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
and, eventually, appointed Senator.
McGeer has three children. Patrick ("Rick"), born 1957, is a mathematician and computer scientist, currently a researcher with HP Labs
HP Labs
HP Labs is the exploratory and advanced research group for Hewlett-Packard. The lab has some 600 researchersin seven locations throughout the world....
in Palo Alto, CA. Brian ("Tad"), born 1958, is a roboticist and aeronautical engineer, who designed the first unmanned aeronautical vehicle to fly across the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. He is founder and president of Aerovel, Inc., of Bingen, Washington. Victoria ("Tori"), born 1960, is a professor of philosophy at the Centre for Human Values, Princeton University, and is an expert on autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
.