Communists globally mourn the passing of Comrade Michael Lucas in Toronto
Known to friends of the Soviet Union as the editor of the Northstar Compass, Michael was a selfless and dedicated internationalist.
The Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist) was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Comrade Michael Lucas in Canada. Our party held Comrade Michael in high regard and we send our sincere condolences to his family.
Our fraternal bonds with Michael Lucas stretch back many years, through his work in the worldwide anti-revisionist and pro-Soviet movement. In recent years, one of our party members was able to work closely with Michael during a prolonged spell of work in Toronto.
We reproduce his words below and fully associate ourselves with his glowing tribute to a true proletarian internationalist.
Central committee, CPGB-ML
*****
It is with great sadness that I learned of the recent passing of Comrade Michael Lucas. My thoughts and condolences are with his family, with whom he was always very close.
I had the pleasure of working with him for some years in Toronto. By the time I met him, Michael had reached the grand age of 90, yet still remained an extremely hard-working and driven man, dedicated to upholding the glorious memory of the Soviet Union and its people, and to promoting friendship and solidarity between the Canadian people and those of the former USSR.
A true internationalist, Michael took great interest in and maintained contact with progressive people and parties throughout the world.
Michael was a leading member of the International Council for Friendship and Solidarity with the Soviet People and was editor of its paper, the Northstar Compass, throughout the 25 years that it was published.
It was a source of great inspiration to see his selfless work in preparing and editing the magazine, a task he undertook almost singlehandedly. I recall that he would often sleep in the office in order to get it to print on time.
He was also in charge, along with his wife Helen, of the wonderful Friendship House building in Toronto. Many congresses of the International Council were held there, in addition to regular meetings of the NSC editorial board and social events celebrating such key dates as International Women’s Day, Victory Day and the Great October Socialist Revolution, which were always well attended and highly enjoyable.
As ever, Michael played the leading role in organising these events and ensuring their success. Friendship House also housed an extensive library of Marxist-Leninist literature, along with photographs from the former USSR – a magnificent resource for local communists.
Michael was a keen and talented artist, and many of his works decorated the walls of Friendship House. A very generous man, he would often give his away paintings, professionally framed, as gifts to comrades, friends and visitors.
Michael led a highly rewarding life, dedicated to the cause of the working class and the people of the Soviet Union. His legacy and contribution to the cause of socialism will live on for years to come.
Red salute to Comrade Michael!
