Choking back tears during Sunday’s memorial service for her father, Michelle Derman compared the late Saanich councillor Vic Derman to the Rock of Gibraltar that she and he had climbed during a recent European family vacation.
“While tourists flocked to the cable cars to reach the top, my dad, as always, his determination and sense of adventure kicked in, and we did the whole hike together,” she said “That is how I will always remember him. Standing on top of that rock. My dad, my rock.”
Derman’s tribute was the undeniable high point of an emotional Sunday afternoon during which hundreds of people from all corners of the Greater Victoria region had gathered in the Victoria Conference Centre to remember Derman as a person of integrity and ideas, who had dedicated his life to his community, students and family.
At times solemn, at times light-heartened, the event featured seven official tributes from friends and families, as well countless stories shared among attendees, which in their totality painted a picture of a person, who had lived a full life without compromises, while dedicating himself to the people around him.
“He was a model of the kind of official we hope for in public life,” said Derman’s former student Sean Holman, who served as master of ceremonies and now teaches journalism in Calgary, during opening remarks. “He was a model for the kind of teacher, we hope for in our schools. And he was a model for the kind of person we should also strive to be.”
A former teacher, Derman died on March 17 at the age of 72, halfway through his fourth term on Saanich council, leaving behind his wife and daughter. First elected in 2002 after four unsuccessful tries, Derman used his time on council to promote policies that encouraged urban sustainability and discouraged the use of fossil fuels, often counter to the prevailing Zeitgeist.
“Who among us had the foresight to install a solar hot water heater in 1981?” said Holman, drawing laughter from an estimated audience of some 400 people.
They included among other countless friends, former students and a cadre of local politicians including Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps, as well as provincial and federal representatives. Kristin Ronse, accompanied by her mother Tina on piano, sang two songs in tribute for Derman: Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, with which Derman relaxed after long council meetings, and I Hope You Can Dance by Len Ann Womack, a reference to Derman’s avidness for dancing.
Saanich Mayor Richard Atwell praised Derman as a personal inspiration, who like no other person championed the ideals of making Saanich a better place. “Vic touched so many people over the years, his personal values have since become embedded community values, thanks in no small part to Vic’s famed tenacity,” said Atwell.
Saanich South MLA Lana Popham said Derman shaped her understanding of politics as a process designed to bring about long-term changes rather than winning the next election. “I thought about that a lot and it has motivated me to plug along,” she said.
Popham said Derman’s political advocacy on behalf of the environment was not always easy to maintain. “Vic was ahead of his time and that was his greatest challenge,” she said. “To sustain his commitment and to continue the good fight in the face of nay-sayers, sometimes took a toll,” she said. “I could tell when it was wearing on him and I could hear his frustration. But that never seemed to last long.”
Praising various efforts on memorialize Derman, Popham said the best way to honour Derman would be elect to what she called “progressive decision-makers” to the council table. “So when faced with a tough decision, they’d would ask themselves what would Vic do?”
Haji Charania, president of the North Quadra Community Association and a long-time friend, remembered Derman as a passionate advocate for his neighbourhood, who was prepared to walk away from development deals if they did not meet community needs.
“He wrote well, he spoke well and he articulated his vision with passion,” he said. “He was a strong debater, believe me,” he said, drawing knowing laughter.
In fact, the afternoon featured several lighter moments as speakers touched on Derman’s affinity for cycling, customs and cats.
“I consider myself a pretty avid cyclist and twenty years younger than Vic was, but I could keep barely keep up with him,” said Popham. “I used to smile, watching him barrel past the crowds on the Galloping Goose.”
Derman’s niece Marika Smith still remembered when she and friends were watching Watcher in Woods during a birthday party. “And during a pivotal point in the movie, when the scary music was rising and the mist was swirling, in bursts Vic in a full guerrilla suite. His intention, we later learned was to sing Happy Birthday. But he did not have a chance as 14 hysterical girls went steam-rolling past him out of the door.”
Michelle Derman said over the years, her family acquired collection of rescue animals and her father always encouraged her to pick the older, less adoptable cats whenever they went to the animal shelter.
“Later in life, I recognized the significance of all this and how it related to his character,” she said. “These animals in need were like people in need. My dad was always there for them.”
More updates to follow
