A former Liberal MPP and one time health minister who died following a fire accident at his home earlier this week is remembered for his “booming presence” and his “commitment to public service.”

Hundreds of mourners, including former premiers Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne, gathered at the Holy Blossom Temple on Bathurst Street on Sunday morning to remember David Caplan.

“David understood that there is something bigger than political stripe, that there is something bigger than partisanship,” McGuinty said outside the temple.

“David was more statesmen than he was partisan and he was recognized for that. People across the aisle were friendly to him, and he was friendly to them. He just understood the importance of finding common ground. Today compromise is kind of a dirty word but it never was for David.”

Caplan was first elected to Queen’s Park in 1997 and remained there through 2011, occupying a number of cabinet positions in the Dalton McGuinty’s governments, including infrastructure and health.

McGuinty said that Caplan was someone who “brought a tremendous amount of energy and commitment to public service” and whom in age of cynicism around politics and politicians ultimately “just wanted to give.”

Put simply, he said that Caplan was someone “who was in politics for all the right reasons.”

“We could be talking about something at a very high level, a difficult policy issue, and David would always say ‘Let me tell you how this is going to play at the door,’” McGuinty said. “He was grounded and he brought some wisdom into our discussions, which is really important. When you are working to the right thing you need to know how people are going to receive it.”

'A booming presence'

Caplan was elected to Queen’s Park a total of four times, mostly by lopsided margins.

Speaking prior to the funeral, Wynne described her former colleague as someone with a “booming presence” who truly cared about everyone he came into contact with.

She said that his death at such a young age "is a hard thing to accept."

“He had so much of his life ahead of him so it just a huge human tragedy,” she said. “There will be a big Liberal family here but he was very much a g part of his community and will be missed way beyond the political realm.”

Wynne said Caplan was someone who could always "cut through the nonsense" and get to the heart of any issue.

She said that he was also someone who got things done, particularly as infrastructure minister when the Liberals returned to government in 2003.

"He got buildings started around the province," she said.

Caplan died on Thursday from injuries sustained during a “tragic fire accident” at his Don Mills home the previous night, his family has said.