Jim Coutts

James Allan Coutts, politician, businessman (born 16 May 1938 in High River, Alberta; died 31 December 2013 in Toronto, Ontario). Educated at the University of Alberta and Harvard University, Coutts took an interest in politics at university. After being defeated as a Liberal candidate in 1962, he worked as Prime Minister Pearson's appointments secretary 1963-66. After a period as a private consultant, Coutts returned to Ottawa in 1975 as Pierre Trudeau's principal secretary 1975-81. He ran unsuccessfully for Parliament in a by-election in 1981 and in the 1984 general election. Coutts was identified with the reform wing of the Liberal Party and was known for his interest in social-welfare causes. In 1985 he and Toronto developer Dan Casey formed Canadian Investment Capital Ltd, of which Coutts is chairman. In 1987 CIC bought the North American explosives interests of DuPont Inc.