By Darren Rathwell

Turner Passes

Colleagues mourn MH city councillor after sudden death

Sep 22, 2021 | 5:57 PM

Colleagues of Medicine Hat city councillor Jim Turner are reflecting on his impact on the city and the business community following his sudden death last night.

Turner was a two term councillor who was seeking re-election in the upcoming municipal election next month.

“The last time we saw Jim was at the council meeting two weeks ago. He seemed fine at that time. He was his usual self; being stubborn, saying his viewpoint, jokin’ behind the scenes,” Medicine Hat city council candidate Brian Varga said.

Both Varga and Turner served on council together in the last two terms.

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There has been no official word on Turner’s cause of death, but mayoral candidate Ted Clugston believes Turner suffered a fatal heart attack, noting Turner had a heart attack eight years ago and was in hospital for three months.

Clugston says the incident led to a closer relationship between himself and Turner.

“I convinced him to start walking. And we used to challenge each other, you know, with steps, to do 10,000 steps a day,” Clugston said.

Varga says Turner “was all about the city and making the city better.”
He managed the old IGA store in the Southview Mall and when it comes to city initiatives, Varga says Turner was firm in his beliefs.

“The waterfront (project) was a big deal (to him). We’d talk about it all the time. He’s a big guy with economic development and helping businesses. As a councillor he was hardnosed and tough and hard on situations and said his piece, and that’s just the way he was,” Varga said.

The Medicine Hat city council candidate is mourning the loss of his friend and colleague.

“I don’t know if (how Turner died) matters.. because he’s gone now and that’s the hard part,” Varga said.

And Clugston added the loss of his friend is devastating noting Turner devoted his time to serving others for the betterment of our community.

“When he owned the Southview Sobeys he used to sleep on the roof of the building to help raise money and I think he even got really sick one time, y’know, with pneumonia, and he was always raising money when he was with the food bank, ” Clugston said.

Staff at the Medicine Hat & District Food Bank posted online about Turner today, saying they hope to continue to make the former executive director proud of the work they do.

As well, Monarch Corporation Chairman Bill Yuill issued a statement about the city councillor today, noting Turner had joined his company’s executive team in October 2017.

“(Turner) has been an influential resource over the past 4 years.. He was a trusted corporate officer, with a warm caring personality. He brought a friendly smile to the office day after day. He is known for his extensive interest in numerous community organizations, as well as his time on City Council. We share the grieving with his mother, his wife Wendy, his sons Jason, Justin and Steve, as well as his extended family,” Yuill’s statement reads.

In recent months Turner was an outspoken skeptic of the advice of the medical community regarding COVID-19 measures and advocated for alternative forms of treatment.