‘Canadian Caper’ Architect Ken Taylor Has Died

Helped Americans Escape Iranian Hostage Crisis

Prime Minister Harper says Ken Taylor represented the very best that Canada’s foreign service has to offer. The former Ambassador to Iran has died at age 81. Taylor was instrumental in getting six Americans out of Iran during the hostage crisis in the late 70s – hiding them, arranging plane tickets and persuading Ottawa to issue fake passports. His actions during the hostage crisis were portrayed in the 2012 movie Argo. But Taylor and others, including former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, were not impressed. They felt the film downplayed Canada’s role in the operation.