Douglas Fisher, a highly respected political columnist, died in Ottawa at age 89, CBC News reports.

Fisher, who began his career in the 60s as a freelance political columnist for the Toronto Telegram while he was an MP in Ottawa, has been praised by journalists and politicians alike since the news of his death was announced.

In 1965 he retired as an MP and became a full-time journalist. In 1971 he joined the Toronto Sun, where he remained as a columnist until he retired in 2006. He also had a television show called Insight with Doug Fisher.

Two of Fisher’s five sons currently work in Canadian journalism.