Canadian poet and teacher Barry McKinnon, who "is being remembered as a teacher and friend who helped create a northern British Columbia literary scene, that brought internationally acclaimed poets to town while mentoring generations of new writers," died October 30, CBC News reported. He was 79.
Born in Calgary, McKinnon moved to Montreal in 1965 to attend Sir George Williams University, then earned his master's from University of British Columbia in 1969. After graduating, he moved north to Prince George to become a founding faculty member at the newly opened College of New Caledonia.
McKinnon published countless poems and more than 20 books and chapbooks, including Governor General's Literary Award finalist The the. (1980) and the 1992 Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize winner, Pulp Log.
"But he was perhaps best known for the boisterous poetry readings he would create, bringing in visitors that over the years included Margaret Atwood, Al Purdy, Michael Ondaatje and dozens of others," CBC News wrote.
Early in his career, McKinnon acquired two printing presses, which he used to create handset poems he gave to visitors, and to publish work written by his students. Friend and colleague John Harris said he believes that seeing their words brought to life in this way served as a source of inspiration to many of McKinnon's students: "It really involved them."
McKinnon's son described his father as a "soft spot in a tough town," a sentiment Harris echoed.
Writer Rob McLennan wrote in his blog that it felt like McKinnon "was a poet who deserved far more attention than he received, and how moving north to Prince George to teach in 1969 put him on the outskirts of literature... despite the enormous amount of activity he encouraged, prompted and hosted during his time in the north."
Harris observed all he has to do is read one of McKinnon's poems and it feels like he is with him again: "We read his poetry and he comes right back to us."