Former Liberal cabinet minister Diane Marleau dies of cancer at age 69
OTTAWA - Longtime Liberal MP and former cabinet minister Diane Marleau has died.
The 69-year-old had previously been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
Marleau was a former municipal councillor and a member of Parliament for Sudbury, Ont., during a political career that spanned nearly three decades.
She held several portfolios in former Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien's cabinet in the 1990s, including stints as minister of health, public works and international co-operation.
She became an outspoken critic of her own government after being dumped from cabinet in 1999.
Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae called Marleau a loving and enthusiastic woman who dedicated her life to the betterment of others.
