Premier Gordon Campbell’s statement on the death of Donald Rix said the 78-year-old doctor and businessman was a “great friend to our province.”

Rix was also a great friend of the British Columbia Liberal Party, giving at least $133,885 since 2005 either personally or through his companies, MDS Metro Laboratory Services Ltd., Rix Clinical Laboratories Ltd., Rix Industrial Laboratories Ltd. and Southlands Equities Ltd..

Rix’s main business was providing the laboratory work for medical tests.

Obituaries noted gifts including $9.5 million to the University of British Columbia and $400,000 to Junior Achievement of B.C.

Premier Campbell called Rix “a truly great British Columbian . . . whose generosity has left a lasting legacy for our province.”

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.