Former Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor Dies At 81

A former Canadian ambassador lauded for helping to shelter American diplomats after the USA embassy in Tehran was stormed in 1979 – inspiring the hit movie “Argo” – died Thursday.

Taylor died Thursday afternoon in a New York hospital after battling colon cancer.

Taylor was the architect and driving force behind the protection and eventual escape of six American Embassy workers during the violent Iran Hostage Crisis in 1979. He facilitated their escape by arranging plane tickets and persuading the Ottawa government to issue fake passports.

Taylor gave Canadian passports to the Americans so they could pass through customs, while the Central Intelligence Agency forged exit visas and sent an agent, Tony Mendez, to aid their flight.

Taylor’s contributions were widely recognized upon the Americans’ safe return in 1980.

An armed man brandishes his weapon, February 14, 1979, in Teheran, as a couple crouches low during a dash to cross the street near the U.S. Embassy. Unbeknownst to the Iranians, another six Americans – four diplomats and two wives – managed to reach the Canadian embassy.

Recently, Taylor came out criticizing the movie saying that Canada’s role in the movie was minimized for dramatic effect.

Taylor eventually left the foreign service and worked in the private sector, first as an executive handling government affairs for food conglomerate Nabisco, later establishing the strategic public affairs consultancy Taylor Ryan.

Especially offensive was the postscript in text at the end of the movie, just before the final credits, savouring the supposed irony that Taylor received 112 citations for the escape, with the implication that he didn’t deserve them.

When he heard about the controversy, Affleck phoned Taylor and told him: “If you have issues, I’ll address them”.

After Mr. Affleck’s movie was released, Mr. Taylor was thrust back into the spotlight after critics complained that the film nearly entirely erased the Canadian involvement.

At Affleck’s invitation, the Taylors flew from New York to Los Angeles and attended a private screening of Argo, which they had not seen.

Taylor’s wife, Pat, was by his side when he died, said Lean.

Joe Clark, Canada’s prime minister in 1979, called Taylor a Canadian hero and a valued friend. A generous soul to the last, his son Douglas told The Globe and Mail that he never ceased to think of others before himself. “In considerable pain, but wouldn’t let anybody know”.