Former Canadian cabinet minister and world-champion figure skater Otto Jelinek dies at 86

Otto Jelinek, a former world-champion figure skater and federal cabinet minister in Canada, died on Saturday at the age of 86. His younger brother Henry confirmed the death on Sunday, describing Jelinek as “quite the ambitious guy” and a proud Canadian who worked to support the country.
Born in Prague in 1940, Jelinek fled Czechoslovakia’s communist regime with his family, arriving in Canada in 1952. He and his sister Maria represented Canada in pair figure skating at the 1960 Winter Olympics, then won a gold medal at the 1962 World Championships in Prague. The siblings later toured with the Ice Capades, while Jelinek worked as a sports commentator for CTV and founded a company producing hockey and figure skates.
Jelinek entered federal politics in 1972, serving 21 years in Parliament. He held portfolios including national revenue minister under Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, as well as sport and multiculturalism. Known for his outspoken views, he once suggested the government may have taxed Canadians too aggressively and criticized hyphenated Canadian identities, stating, “I for one resent being referred to as a hyphenated Canadian.”
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