I have sad news to impart: On June 2, 2014, Don Whiteley passed away. See his obituary in the Vancouver Sun. He was a great ally from the journalistic community, and he will be greatly missed.
See also some of his articles:
The accidental Kenyan: What would happen if the African nation copied U.S. tax policy?
@BCBusiness Gets the Canadian #FATCA Capitulation story right! By Don Whiteley
Will Canada’s hard line on Eritrea’s ‘diaspora’ tax apply to the U.S.?
I am so sorry to read this. I really appreciated Don’s participation and I will miss him. My condolences to his family.
How very, very, sad, indeed, that we have lost Don and that he did not live to see the end of FATCA and CBT which he fought so valiantly against. His pen was a mighty weapon in this battle and his words will be immortalized on this site and in our hearts. My deep condolences to his family and those close to him.
Oh man. How sad. He was great. That accidental Kenyan article was absolutely stupendous.
So sad we lost such a great ally.
This tragic news hits many of us who corresponded with him in the gut. Don Whiteley is what journalism should be, not what it is.
My deepest condolences to Don’s family and friends. He fought bravely both CLL and the overreach of US tax law into Canada, both for many years. My heart weeps.
Thank you, Mr. Whiteley for all you did on our behalves. Rest in peace.
Very, very sad news indeed. Don was a great patriot and a good man. He will be sorely missed. Memory eternal!
This is very sad. Back in 2012 when FATCA/CBT injustice/insanity was hardly getting any press at all, Don (Arrow) Whiteley came through for us with an article in the Vancouver Sun. I credit Don-Arrow for starting the snowball down the mountain and now sometimes we can barely keep up with all the articles coming out. I am so grateful that he was part of Brock and feel deep sympathy for his family, friends and colleagues.
I’m very saddened by this news. Don will be missed. My condolences to his family and all those who knew him.
It was so great to have a journalist who actually understood first hand the issues we’ve been grappling with for several years. I always looked forward to his contributions and learned a lot from his articles and his posts on this website.
About one month ago Don sent me an email which he said I could share. I won’t share that email because he wasn’t feeling well at the time, but Don ended the email with:
“Good luck to all of you. You’ve done so much for Canada.
Don Whiteley”
Damn.
He was a wonderful man and did some very kind things for me. We had a few exchanges about our different cancer paths and he was so encouraging. When I was trying to write an editorial he volunteered to be my editor and he literally worked magic with the piece. We met finally at the Vancouver Brockstock. What a day that was with Don and Kermit and Bubblebustin (we even met Just Me on the way up). And we sat in the sun and talk and talked…It was a day to remember. If anyone who was there that day has a photo it would be wonderful to post it here.
(And for some reason as I was writing this a poem by Robert Desnos came to mind. For those who like such things, here it is http://www.feelingsurfer.net/garp/poesie/Desnos.TantReve.html)
Oh goodness… this is so sad to hear… my condolences to his family and friends… I enjoyed reading his articles and posts because I learned something new… he never tried to speak down.. always laid it out so we can all understand… We have lost a journalist and good man.
That is so sad to hear. Thanks for letting us all know. I had high hopes that he would be improved enough this spring for hikes up around Mt Baker. I know he loved tramping in the mountains…
I am sick at heart. I remember he more-or-less warned that he was going to undergo a very difficult treatment. Everyone hoped against all odds, that he would come out of that okay. Very, very sad to hear this news and hoping he did not suffer.
Thank you, Stephen. OMG. Those precious words from Don Whiteley must spur us on in this fight.
Don’s death puts an Arrow right through my heart.
I knew things were not going well for Don, but I had no idea the end was so near. I wasn’t expecting to hear this news so soon.
Arrow (Don) was here at Brock in the very early days. It was from him I learned the term “spiritual draft dodger” and that a woman couldn’t take lipstick into the Vancouver Consulate.
How very sad that we learn of his death on the very day we expect the FATCA Act to be passed. We will fight on.
We loved you Don.
@Don
If you can see this from the afterlife above, I salute you!
Strength and Honor!
FTW
Truly a man who cared about his job and is fellow Canadians. I’m sending up a prayer for his family and friends. May all his effort and work in his articles pay off in the end for Brock to succeed in getting rid of this albatross that is hanging about. Rest in peace, Don and thanks for taking a stand.
I had lunch with Don last summer along with a few Brockers in Vancouver and he seemed fine. I would have never suspected this. He was an excellent writer for our cause and I will miss him and wish his family the best.
Thank you for recalling that very pleasant afternoon the few of spent together, Victoria. Don was a very kind man and I admire his courage through must have been tremendously difficult times. I’ll miss his contributions which were often the only encouragement we had to keep fighting. Thank you Don. Rest in peace.
Don’s ‘Accidental Kenyan’ article lifted my spirits in dark times. It was the only piece of journalism about the plight of overseas “Amercians” that struck home with people I know living in the States. Here was something they could understand! A brilliant piece of writing. I will remain indebted to him.
Very sad news. I always looked forward to hearing what Don/Arrow had to say. I wish I had met him.
Condolences to those who knew him.
Its very sad to hear this. Don helped out myself and others a lot behind the scenes during the early days of IBS.
This is such sad news. I had a few email exchanges with Don. What a terrible loss this is. My heart goes out to his family today.
Besides the articles Don wrote and his thoughtful postings here, I especially appreciate his sharing of the affidavit used by his wife, Diane, when she applied for a backdated CLN. That affidavit helped me greatly in preparing for my own relinquishment, which I sailed through. Thanks Don!
Don’s piece titled “The Accidental Kenyan” really put the absurdity of CBT into perspective. It deserves to be republished in his honor.
RIP Arrow
I hope, if someone in Don’s Family reads this, you take this message with you and your family forever. In the journey of our lives, we learn every day. I have learned of good and bad in my life. I have seen greed in people and I have also had the fortune to have had good people come into my life. I am now learning about greed vs fairness and greed vs equality. The time we give this fight is given from us to help and protect the good people in life. The last thing I am learning about here is true life hero’s. Don is one of mine. May god be with you Don. Thank you for coming into our lives.