David Fraser McTaggart (June 24, 1932 - March 23, 2001) was a Canadian-born environmentalist who played a central part in the foundation of Greenpeace International.
An excellent all-around athlete, as a young man he won three consecutive Canadian National Badminton Championships in men's singles (1956—1958) and represented that country in badminton's Thomas Cup (men's world team championship) competition. Prior to his involvement in Greenpeace he had prospered as a builder and developer.
In 1972, responding to an ad in the newspapers, he used his personal boat to protest the testing of nuclear weapons in the Pacific by the French Government. After getting his boat damaged and being physically hurt by the French Military, his protest succeeded in 1974 when the French announced the end of their atmospheric nuclear testing program. He became chairman and chief spokesman of Greenpeace in 1979, retiring in 1991 to live on an olive farm in Paciano, Umbria, Italy.
McTaggart continued to participate in Greenpeace forums after retirement for the rest of his life. Te Vaka dedicated its song "Sei Ma Le Losa" for McTaggart, who was killed in a car accident on March 2001 near his home in Italy.
Famous quotes containing the word david:
“We saw by the flitting clouds, by the first russet tinge on the hills, by the rushing river, the cottages on shore, and the shore itself, so coolly fresh and shining with dew, and later in the day, by the hue of the grape-vine, the goldfinch on the willow, the flickers flying in flocks, and when we passed near enough to the shore, as we fancied, by the faces of men, that the fall had commenced.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)