Leonard Reginald (Reg) MacIntyre passed away peacefully at the Queensway Carleton Hospital in Ottawa on Tuesday, 24 February 2026 at the age of 89. Reg was born in Charlottetown PEI and moved to Ottawa in 1956 to pursue a career with the federal public service.
A colleague remembers…
Reg, or as he was known to his close friends “Sir Reginald,” joined IDRC in December 1972. At that time, IDRC was housed in the Pebb building. Coming from Fisheries and Oceans, he was responsible for developing the editing and publishing unit. Under his stewardship the unit grew to include a group of editors dedicated to improving science publishing in the developing world. Research results from IDRC projects were published and given international credibility and distribution. In addition, editors attended proceedings of international meetings and ensured the proceedings were published within 6 months of the meeting.
These publishing activities, along with translation services, public affairs, distribution, and audio-visual services were later combined to become the Communications Division. Reg was appointed Director of Communications in 1978. He worked tirelessly to expand the role of communications within IDRC. Reg initiated the expansion of communications staff to the Regional Offices, and, over time, their role grew to include the development of projects to enhance the science writing capabilities of developing world print and radio journalists, and to train science editors who would be able to publish research from the institutions at which IDRC funded research. For those who had the pleasure to work with Reg at IDRC, he was a supportive and encouraging mentor. He also had an uncanny ability to spot a typo as he glanced through a manuscript or proof!
After leaving IDRC in 1986, Reg continued to apply his skills as an editor and publisher to help strengthen developing world publishing. First, he worked at the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). Later he moved on to the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC), now known as the World Vegetable Center, in Taiwan, and to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines. In retirement, Reg pursued his interest in fiddle music and played at local events and retirement homes in the Ottawa area.
Michael Graham
Bulletin 80
April 2026