by FAISAL MOOSA, Charlatan Staff
The Ottawa activist community is feeling the loss of an individual
who friends and family say selflessly dedicated his life to the
betterment of others.
Terry Cottam’s sudden death at his downtown apartment building
Nov. 5 has called attention to his worldwide influence of compassion
and commitment.
Cottam, who ran many of his campaigns out of the Ontario Public
Interest Research Group (OPIRG) at Carleton University, was well
known to many students and staff.
A memorial web site set up for Cottam illustrates the impact
he had upon the world. Messages of sympathy are pouring in from
people around the world, who have been affected and inspired
by Cottam’s work.
Sometimes referred to as a ‘peaceful warrior,’ the
41-year-old worked tirelessly to promote human rights and equality
around the world, say friends.
“He was a man of sharp intellect and great generosity, ready
to give his time and love to his beliefs,” says Penny Sanger,
a longtime friend.
“He challenged authority to think outside the box,”
says Jean-Marc Hachey, a close friend and a former employer.
Cottam contributed often to local newspapers and to a book about
working abroad. He had many letters published in the mainstream
press.
“People know about these issues because of Terry and others
like him,” says Dillon.
A guaranteed presence at most protests and rallies in Ottawa,
Cottam often neglected himself.
“Others took care of him while he took care of the world,”
Hachey says.
According to his mother, Kazimira J. Cottam, Cottam suffered
from depression and was not keeping well near the end. He was
working on his latest project regarding Y2K at the time of his
passing.
Born in Montreal in 1958, Cottam lived in Toronto and Poland
before settling with his family in Ottawa 25 years ago. Upon
graduating from high school, Cottam studied at Algonquin College
and received a diploma in Computer Technology. He also lived
in Indonesia and travelled in Thailand and Malaysia.
After his trip to South Asia, Cottam got involved with various
groups in Canada to promote the causes of Burma and East Timor.
Cottam also realized that he really enjoyed helping those in
need.
“The more he tried, the more he found enjoyment in helping
others,” reminisces his sister, Kathy Dillon.
Cottam preferred to work part-time so that he could have more
time to research and volunteer.
Even at an early age, Cottam showed signs of the activism that
was to come. At 12, he wrote an anti-smoking poem that was a
source of pride for his mother, who is also an activist. “He
recited the poem with such gusto,” she says. “I was
very proud of him.”
Known for his technical ability and strategic planning skills,
the soft-spoken Cottam initiated many campaigns that reached
the international level. These campaigns usually questioned the
exploiters of power and at the same time inspired the marginalized.
“Most of his campaigns were successful and made a major
impact on the world,” adds a teary-eyed Hachey.
Cottam worked on issues such as the boycotts of Pepsi-Cola and
Petro-Canada to raise awareness of their activities in Burma,
the MAI-Not! Campaign against the Multilateral Accord on Investments,
Election Rights, the Ottawa-wide barter and exchange system called
LETS and Y2K community preparedness.
Even after his death, Cottam’s message prevails. Instead
of flowers, people who attended the funeral were asked to donate
to the Canadian Friends of Burma and to volunteer time with a
human rights or environmental organization. Just like he would
have asked.
Those who wish to read and contribute to the memorial web site
for Cottam can visit the site at www.paulgross.com/terrycottam.
