Barb McLintock, longtime investigator and spokesperson for the B.C. Coroners Service, has died at the age of 68.
According to chief coroner Lisa Lapointe, who released a statement Saturday, McLintock died in Victoria in the early morning of Dec. 29 due to complications of recently diagnosed thyroid cancer.
“We fondly remember Barb and her knack for storytelling, her incredible sense of duty and public service, as well as her kindness and thoughtful acts. She will be truly missed,” Lapointe said.
McLintock was well-versed in the world of reporting, first working as a legislative reporter for Postmedia from 1982 until 2003. In 2004, she became an investigating coroner until 2011 when she spearheaded the strategic programs department for the provincial coroners service.
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McLintock retired from her full-time role in February 2017, returning a few months later on a part-time basis to assist and support the strategic communications office.
But that wasn’t before she left a mark on journalists across B.C.
“Barb was on a first-name basis with virtually every experienced journalist in the province, as well as most of the politicians,” Lapointe said. “She collaborated with health authorities and other stakeholders on a number of committees and brought immense expertise and a solid common-sense approach to all of her interactions.”
As spokesperson, McLintock’s role focused on some of the province’s deepest tragedies. In her last year before retiring, McLintock’s work focused heavily on the staggering number of overdose deaths being seen in the province.
“On a personal level, Barb was someone I trusted implicitly to have the best interests of the coroners service at heart,” Lapointe said. “Her advice was always honest, informed and valuable.”
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