Chancellor

'A profound sense of responsibility': Wes Hall installed as U of T's 35th chancellor

rahul.kalvapalle — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 16:23:54 +0000

'A profound sense of responsibility': Wes Hall installed as U of T's 35th chancellor

rahul.kalvapalle Fri, 11/01/2024 - 12:23

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Wes Hall, centre, is officially installed as U of T’s 35th chancellor in a ceremony attended by two of his predecessors in the role, Rose Patten, far left, and Vivienne Poy, not pictured, as well as Governing Council Chair Anna Kennedy, second from left, and U of T President Meric Gertler, at right (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Rahul Kalvapalle

Topic

Our Community

Convocation 2024

Trevor Young

Wesley Hall

Rose Patten

Chancellor

Faculty of Arts & Science

Meric Gertler

Subheadline

“As the 35th – and the first Black – chancellor in U of T’s almost 200-year history, I feel both pride and humility in donning these robes”

He’s a giant of corporate Canada, a successful investor, respected philanthropist and popular TV personality, but Wes Hall describes serving as chancellor of the ��߲ݴ�ý as “the privilege of my life.”

Hall was officially installed as U of T’s 35th chancellor on Oct. 28 ahead of fall convocation ceremonies for students from the Faculty of Arts & Science.

As organ music filled the air, Hall was escorted into Convocation Hall by U of T President Meric Gertler and a bedel carrying U of T’s ceremonial mace.

He expressed a “profound sense of responsibility” in taking on the role.

Hall, wearing his honorary degree robes in advance of his official installation as U of T chancellor, is escorted into Convocation Hall by U of T President Meric Gertler and a bedel carrying U of T’s ceremonial mace (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“As the 35th – and the first Black – chancellor in U of T’s almost 200-year history, I feel both pride and humility in donning these robes,” Hall said. “My presence here is a testament to the progress we’ve made at U of T and in society as a whole, but it’s also a reminder of the work yet ahead of us.”

President Gertler described Hall as a “legendary figure on Bay Street” and a “dedicated philanthropist and community leader,” and welcomed him and his family members – Hall’s wife, children, father and step-mother were in attendance – to the U of T community.

Friedemann Krannich, a PhD student in mathematics, assists Hall during the robing ceremony (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“This is a very special morning for the ��߲ݴ�ý, one that occurs only rarely in our academic cycle – we simultaneously welcome our 35th chancellor and award degrees to graduates,” President Gertler said. “Members of this morning’s graduating class will therefore especially appreciate the importance of today’s installation for each of them and for all of us at the ��߲ݴ�ý.”

After donning the chancellor’s robes, assisted by his predecessor, Rose Patten, Hall embarked on his first official act in the venerable venue: proclaiming, in Latin, the conferring of degrees to graduating students.

Hall said he felt both pride and humility in donning the chancellor’s robes (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Later in the day, Hall and U of T announced the creation of the Chancellor Wesley J. Hall Journey of Dreams Scholarship. The scholarship will provide entrance awards to students starting at the university and, Hall said, advance U of T’s position as “a beacon of excellence, progression, and limitless possibilities.”

Hall’s track record as a business leader and philanthropist has exemplified progress, perseverance and a persistent social conscience. From humble beginnings in rural Jamaica, he rose to become one of Canada’s most influential business leaders as the founder of Kingsdale Advisors and WeShall Investments; a highly recognizable TV personality as a “dragon” investor on CBC’s Dragon’s Den; and an ardent philanthropist and anti-racism advocate as founder of the BlackNorth Initiative non-profit.

In 2021, he partnered with the Rotman School of Management to introduce the first Black entrepreneurship and leadership course in Canada, and he received an honorary doctorate from U of T in 2023. The author of the memoir No Bootstraps When You’re Barefoot, Hall also serves on the board of directors of the SickKids Foundation.

Hall poses for a photo with a graduate (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Monday’s installation included dignitaries from the university and beyond. Donette Chin-Loy Chang, chancellor of Toronto Metropolitan University and board member at BlackNorth, said Hall “has broken barriers and subsequently worked to remove barriers for others who follow in his footsteps.” She was followed by Corwin Cambray, president of the U of T Alumni Association, who said Hall’s life is a testament to his “perseverance, visionary leadership and a profound commitment” to the upliftment of others.

U of T Vice-President and Provost Trevor Young, speaking on behalf of faculty, highlighted Hall’s tireless efforts to expand access to opportunity for people from under-represented communities. “As the chancellor, you will now bring your many talents to champion higher education – perhaps one of the greatest opportunities that exists,” Young said.

Sydelle Mago, an undergraduate student, speaks to graduating students and other attendees while Hall looks on (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Jodie Glean, U of T’s executive director, equity, diversity and inclusion, described Hall as “a vocal champion” of people from marginalized backgrounds who “has demonstrated the impact EDI can have both within post-secondary institutions and across our local and global communities.”

For Sydelle Mago, an undergraduate student, Hall’s journey is a source of personal inspiration. “Chancellor Hall came to Canada from Jamaica and is a living testament to what hard work and perseverance can achieve,” Mago said. “His story motivates students like me to pursue our ambitions.”

Hall makes his way out of Convocation Hall following his official installation as U of T’s 35th chancellor (photo by Johnny Guatto)

At a reception to celebrate his installation at Hart House, Hall said he had been asked by some well-wishers if he was too busy to add the role of U of T chancellor to an already long list of responsibilities. He responded by sharing the example set by his grandmother Julia Vassel, who raised him – along with nine other grandchildren and an adult daughter with special needs – in a tin shack on a plantation worker’s wage.

“One of those kids that she worked so hard to raise is asked in the future to be the chancellor of the top university in Canada – and one of the top in the world – and that kid says, ‘I’m too busy.’ Could you imagine?” Hall said.

“I’m never too busy to put my hand up and say, ‘I want to be a part of change.’”

‘This is where change happens’: Wes Hall on becoming U of T’s 35th chancellor

rahul.kalvapalle — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 17:49:07 +0000

‘This is where change happens’: Wes Hall on becoming U of T’s 35th chancellor

rahul.kalvapalle Thu, 10/24/2024 - 13:49

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(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Topic

For much of his childhood, Wes Hall lived in a tin shack in rural Jamaica, where he and his siblings were raised by their grandmother.

At 16, he moved to Toronto to live with his father. Two years later, he struck out on his own, working various menial jobs to get by – including as a dishwasher and as a poultry company’s “chicken catcher.”

“For me to get through all those circumstances in life, I had to fight to be able to succeed,” Hall says.

And succeed, he did. Hall is now one of Canada’s most influential people – a major player on Bay Street, an investor and TV personality on CBC’s Dragons’ Den and a philanthropist dedicated to tackling systemic racism in the business world and beyond.

At an Oct. 28 convocation ceremony for graduates from the Faculty of Arts & Science, Hall will be officially installed as the 35th chancellor of the ��߲ݴ�ý. He will then proceed to confer more than 4,000 degrees to graduating students during 10 ceremonies in Convocation Hall throughout the week.

Hall says he’s honoured to serve as an advocate and ambassador for an institution committed to empowering the next generation of leaders and changemakers drawn from all sections of society.

“The ��߲ݴ�ý, in my opinion, is the biggest source of upward mobility in Canada,” said Hall, who began his term as chancellor on July 1, succeeding Rose Patten.

In particular, Hall cited the diversity of U of T's student body, with representation from 180 countries and territories, and the university's extensive student financial supports – which include a pledge that no student admitted to the university should be prevented from studying because of a lack of financial means – as key elements that are setting the stage for a brighter future.

“Think about the impact that will have on our society moving forward,” he says. “This is why I wanted to be a part of this university. This is where change happens.”

For Hall, change didn’t come quickly or easily. After he moved out of his father’s home, he worked during the day and took courses in the evening to earn a law clerk certificate. He began his Bay Street journey as a mailroom clerk and law clerk, before eventually landing his first managerial role at CIBC Mellon, as a relationship manager.

As a young Black man managing 11 employees, many of whom were much older and white, Hall said earning the respect of his team was far from straightforward, teaching him importance of leaving his ego at the door.

“I don’t necessarily want to be the smartest person in the room. I want to be the person who figures the room out and understands how people there operate,” he says.

Hall adds that figuring out what made his reports tick helped him turn his biggest detractors into powerful allies.

Years later, Hall would confront doubters again when he came up with a business idea for a service that provides strategic advice to shareholders on corporate governance matters. He pitched it to his then-employers. “They thought it was nuts,” he says.

Undeterred, he approached banks for a loan so he could build the company on his own. “And they go, ‘That’s so wacky, we’re not going to fund that.’”

Eventually, Hall convinced his wife to borrow $100,000, using their house as collateral. He used the funds to set up his firm, Kingsdale Advisors. That was in 2003. Today, Kingsdale is regarded one of Canada’s top shareholder services and advisory firms, while Hall is one of the most respected power brokers in Canadian business.

In recent years, his reputation has expanded beyond executive boardrooms into living rooms across the country as a sought-after investor on CBC’s Dragon’s Den, where he says he’s constantly inspired by the creativity and drive of Canada’s entrepreneurs. “Most people come up with ideas in their mind, but entrepreneurs actually act on them – even ideas that are far-fetched in a lot of cases – and make it happen in spite of naysayers telling them they can’t do it,” Hall says.

Hall says he’s passionate about using his platform to help uplift people from underrepresented backgrounds.

In 2020, following the killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, he set up the BlackNorth Initiative, an NGO that provides scholarships for students, mentorship and networking for entrepreneurs, and a homeownership bridge program to help Black families own a home.

“Home ownership allowed me to start Kingsdale and create the value that I have today,” Hall said. “I want to create that same pride and opportunity for as many under-served families as possible.”

Hall has also sought to contribute to the empowerment of entrepreneurs through WeShall Investments, a private equity firm dedicated to supporting BIPOC-owned ventures.

Hall is mindful of the fact that his success story – and those of other immigrants, people of colour and people from other underprivileged backgrounds – shouldn’t be used to downplay the scale of inequality in society.

“How many others are out there who have been deprived from fulfilling their true potential?” he asks.

A staunch believer in U of T’s mission to empower people of all backgrounds to flourish, Hall said he urges students to adopt a positive, forward-looking attitude to overcome obstacles.

He cited, as an example, Cree actor, artist and filmmaker Shirley Cheechoo, who said she preferred to be recognized as a “warrior” rather than a “survivor” of Canada’s horrific residential school system. She made the remark during a keynote address at a U of T event to mark Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which Hall attended.

“I was successful in fighting, and it’s now my job to show people that in order for you to go through things successfully, you have to be a fighter,” Hall says.

“It’s all about us changing our mindset and being more positive. If we do that, we can walk through life appreciating every day, celebrating every accomplishment and never taking it for granted.”

U of T Chancellor Rose Patten celebrated for her exceptional leadership

bresgead — Fri, 31 May 2024 19:23:23 +0000

U of T Chancellor Rose Patten celebrated for her exceptional leadership

bresgead Fri, 05/31/2024 - 15:23

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U of T Chancellor Rose Patten and her husband Tom Di Giacomo attend a recent farewell reception at Hart House to celebrate her tenure as the university’s 34th chancellor (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Topic

President Meric Gertler

Rotman School of Management

Subheadline

“Rose and leadership go hand in hand. She wrote the book on the subject – literally"

Rose Patten’s name was a byword for leadership at a celebration marking the culmination of her distinguished tenure as the ��߲ݴ�ý’s 34th chancellor, with one speaker after the next taking to the stage to express their gratitude for her transformative influence on the university and its community of future leaders.

After more than 25 years of service to the U of T community, Patten is set to complete her second term as chancellor (the maximum length permitted) on June 30, leaving a legacy characterized by visionary leadership and her commitment to championing those who would follow her.

At a farewell reception at Hart House, President Meric Gertler praised Patten’s unparalleled ability to bring out the leader in each and every member of the U of T community.

“Rose and leadership go hand in hand. She wrote the book on the subject – literally,” said President Gertler, referring to Patten’s vade mecum, Intentional Leadership. “Leadership has been the central theme of her time as chancellor. It is the hallmark of her life and career, in business and in volunteer service.”

U of T President Meric Gertler said leadership has been a hallmark of Chancellor Rose Patten’s career (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

A major figure in Canada’s financial services sector, Patten’s long history with U of T has been defined by her prolific engagement in, and enhancement of, almost every aspect of university life, President Gertler said.

Her involvement began as a member of Governing Council, where she served for the full extent of her nine allowable years, culminating in three years’ service as chair.

From 2007 to 2010, Patten chaired the task force whose recommendations led to U of T’s current tri-campus governing structure.

Toronto-based portrait artist Brenda Bury, left, and Nobel Prize-winning U of T University Professor Emeritus John Polanyi, middle, pose for a photo with Chancellor Rose Patten (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

First elected as chancellor in 2018, Patten will have presided over 133 convocation ceremonies by the end of her six years in the position.

In addition to her ceremonial duties, Patten has been a constant presence on campus as chancellor, attending scores of university events each year.

Beyond her administrative roles, she has imparted her insights on leadership with the next generation as an adjunct professor at the Rotman School of Management, where she serves as co-director of the Executive Leadership Program.

Myriad senior leaders at U of T have drawn on Patten’s expertise, President Gertler said – including himself.

Chancellor Rose Patten shakes hands with Governing Council Chair Anna Kennedy as former Interim President Frank Iacobucci and Trinity College Provost and Vice-Chancellor Mayo Moran look on (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Anna Kennedy, chair of Governing Council, also counted herself among the beneficiaries of Patten’s knowledge and counsel.

“Rose has led with grace, wisdom and incredible generosity, providing insights and guidance to everyone she interacts with,” Kennedy said. “We’re very thankful and grateful to have had the opportunity to be able to work alongside and learn from such an accomplished leader.”

A former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, Frank Iacobucci said his 10-month tenure as U of T’s interim president was as memorable as any other part of his career largely because of Patten’s remarkable leadership.

From breaking the glass ceiling in business to steering U of T through uncertain times, Patten has converted challenges into opportunities throughout her distinguished career, Iacobucci said, but what sets Patten apart as a leader is her profound understanding that every organization is at its heart a human enterprise.

“A special talent Rose possesses is a respect for and fondness of people,” said Iacobucci. “Humanity is a companion for all that she says and does.”

Mayo Moran, provost and vice-chancellor of Trinity College, echoed this sentiment as she thanked Patten on behalf of the countless U of T community members who have benefited from her human-centred approach to leadership.

This is exemplified by Patten’s steadfast commitment to mentorship, particularly for women leaders, that has not only made her a role model, but also the namesake of the Rose Patten Mentorship Program, said Moran.

“The ��߲ݴ�ý is so much better for having had you at helm,” she said. “I also feel heartened … by the fact that you’ll continue, through your writing and your teaching, to shape generations who are going to go on and really exemplify the human side of leadership.”

U of T Vice-President and Provost Trevor Young, left, poses for a picture with Chancellor Rose Patten (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Following a video tribute, President Gertler announced that Patten recently made a new gift to the university, which, among other things, will enable the renewal of Convocation Hall’s grand, circular entrance hallway. That key space will now be called the Rose Patten Rotunda.

Additionally, a new scholarship at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine has been named the Rose M. Patten Graduate Student Scholarship.

Both Patten and her husband, Tom Di Giacomo are long-time donors to the university, President Gertler said, supporting a range of initiatives to bolster student financial aid and academic programs. As a result of Patten’s most recent gift, she and Di Giacomo are now members of the Chancellors’ Circle of Benefactors, the community of U of T’s most generous philanthropic supporters.

Chancellor Rose Patten and her husband Tom Di Giacomo are among U of T’s most generous donors (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

In her remarks, Patten said she was touched by the tributes and turnout to the reception, reflecting on how her relationship with U of T has deepened over the past quarter-century.

“I often speak about mentoring and volunteering, and I always say that we receive more than we give, or at least as much,” Patten said. “At U of T, it was especially true for me. And let me say, it was more.”

She highlighted her role in conferring degrees as a special privilege of her office, expressing what a joy it’s been to celebrate the milestone with graduating students and their families.

Patten said every commitment she’s made to U of T has enriched her, noting that everyone has a role to play in leading the university toward a brighter future.

“In this institution, there’s always more to know, more to learn, more to appreciate, more to think about,” she said. “It can make life not just a journey, but an adventure. I can’t imagine mine without my relationship with everyone here.”

Rose Patten re-elected to serve as chancellor of the ��߲ݴ�ý

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:59:17 +0000

Rose Patten re-elected to serve as chancellor of the ��߲ݴ�ý

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 03/05/2021 - 12:59

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(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

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Rose Patten, the trailblazing business executive, philanthropist and volunteer leader, has been re-elected for a second three-year term as the chancellor of the ��߲ݴ�ý, the maximum length of service in the position.

“I’m so deeply honoured, just filled with joy and inspiration to be able to do this now for a second term,” Patten says.

“It is a great privilege to be part of the exemplary journey that U of T has been on.”

Patten became the university’s 34^th chancellor in 2018. She is a longtime senior executive at BMO Financial group and a former chair of U of T’s Governing Council, on which she served for nine years. Patten is a member of the Order of Canada and holds an honorary degree from U of T, in addition to many other accolades.

In a memo announcing Patten’s re-election, U of T President Meric Gertler lauded her longstanding service and commitment to the university.

“Dr. Patten’s service as Chancellor has been distinguished by her extraordinary loyalty and dedication,” President Gertler wrote.

As the ceremonial head of the university, the chancellor presides at convocation ceremonies and acts as ambassador to U of T’s alumni and the wider community. The chancellor is also a key advocate for the university on the local, provincial, national and international levels.

Patten has maintained a heavy schedule of events and meetings with students, faculty, staff, alumni and donors.

She says the university’s response to the pandemic has only strengthened her resolve to contribute to its mission.

“I marvelled at the adaptability [and] the remarkable resilience that was mustered everywhere – not to mention the courage,” Patten says. “What I saw made the atmosphere at U of T even more motivating.”

Patten also continues to champion mentorship and leadership – two core tenets of her career in business and community volunteering. More than two decades ago, the university re-named its staff mentorship program in her honour.

Patten says she will focus on connecting with students and supporting inclusive excellence in her second term. She looks forward to the day when more members of the U of T community can safely return to campus and she can resume spontaneous, one-on-one conversations.

“As chancellor, I’ve seen in a new way how crucial our shared values are, in making U of T a global leader,” she says.

“Our commitment to inclusive excellence, and our efforts to keep building a caring community – these are so important to our success, individually and collectively. And they’re what makes our membership in the U of T community so inspiring.”

'A role model to us all': Remembering Michael Wilson

noreen.rasbach — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 21:08:34 +0000

'A role model to us all': Remembering Michael Wilson

noreen.rasbach Mon, 02/11/2019 - 16:08

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Michael Wilson and U of T President Meric Gertler at Wilson's last convocation as chancellor in June (photo by Steve Frost)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Rotman School of Management

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney credits the late Michael Wilson – his former finance minister and the ��߲ݴ�ý’s Chancellor Emeritus – for nothing less than laying the foundations of “a new Canada that we enjoy today.”

Mulroney says Wilson’s efforts as finance minister in the 1980s had a “transformative” impact and set the country up for decades of future success.

That includes everything from helping to negotiate the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and, later, the North American Free Trade Agreement, to deregulating Crown Corporations like Air Canada and Petro-Canada.

Often the policies Wilson pursued weren’t politically popular – including the creation of the GST, which replaced a costly hidden manufacturers’ sales tax that made Canadian exports uncompetitive.

“He and I agreed on pretty well everything,” Mulroney told U of T News in the wake of Wilson’s death on Sunday at age 81.

“But we agreed fundamentally on the following statement: We’re not going to act for easy headlines in 10 days. We’re going to act for a better Canada in 10 years.”

It was a principled, long-term outlook that seemed to guide Wilson in everything he did – both in and out of politics. An alumnus of Trinity College, Wilson was first elected as U of T’s 33^rd chancellor in 2012 and served a full two terms. In the role, he not only helped chart a course for the university’s international ambition, but acted as U of T’s ambassador to more than half a million alumni around the world and presided over scores of convocation ceremonies.

It was the part of the job he loved most,” U of T President Meric Gertler said during an interview on CBC today.

“We would see him just light up at convocation. He would relish that opportunity to have that private conversation with each graduate who came up to the stage.”

Read Michael Wilson's closing remarks to students at convocation ceremonies

Wilson also made an indelible impact in the realm of mental health, particularly after his son, Cameron, took his own life in 1995 at the age of 29.

At the time, it was rare for people of Wilson’s generation to speak openly about mental health and grief. But Wilson felt the need to do everything in his power to help.

“One of the things that was said to me is that, if I’m willing to tell my story, I will get a lot more exposure than someone who hasn’t spent 14 years in federal politics,” he told the Globe and Mail in 1999.

“If it will help make a difference, then I am willing to do this.”

Wilson first arrived at U of T in 1955 to study at Trinity College, earning a degree in commerce. Soon after, Wilson landed a job in Ottawa working in the finance department and then worked his way up the ladder on Bay Street.

��߲ݴ�ý mourns death of Michael Wilson

Heartfelt tributes to Michael Wilson recount his compassion, leadership and advocacy

Mulroney says he first crossed paths with Wilson in the 1970s.

“We were just about the same age,” Mulroney recalls. “I was starting the practice of law in Montreal and he was starting at Dominion Securities in Toronto.”

While the two may have started off as acquaintances, it wouldn’t be long before their lives would become intertwined on the national stage. After being elected to Parliament in 1979, Wilson ran for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party in 1983, challenging Mulroney and a half dozen other contenders.

Wilson ultimately stepped aside and threw his support behind Mulroney and was rewarded with his senior cabinet post as finance minister. He would also serve as a minister for international trade and a minister of industry, science and technology.

“I was extremely grateful to him, obviously, but he then went on to play an extremely indispensable role in the government of Canada,” Mulroney says.

Michael Wilson addresses reporters at Toronto's Gerstein Crisis Centre in 2004. Wilson supported short-term safe houses for people with mental health issues and was behind the Edmond Yu Project, named after Yu, a mentally ill person who was shot by police in 1997 for wielding a hammer at police in a TTC streetcar (photo by Rene Johnston/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

Joe Martin, an adjunct professor at U of T’s Rotman School of Management, cites the creation of the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, or OSFI – Canada’s banking regulator – under Wilson’s watch as a yet another signature achievement.

During the 2008 financial crisis, when the world’s financial institutions were imploding, “the thing that saved the Canadian markets was the fact that we had OSFI in place,” Martin says.

Wilson had a front row seat during this period, too, having been tapped by Stephen Harper’s government to serve as Canada’s ambassador to the United States, a position he held for more than three years.

On a personal level, those who knew Wilson well describe him as a person of principles and integrity, and someone who placed a high value on education.

“Michael fundamentally believed in the value of education and learning,” President Gertler told CBC. “He used to say at our convocation ceremonies that students should use their learning throughout the rest of their lives to make the world a better place – and to leave every situation they came into contact with in better shape than it was when they found it.

“For him, learning was at the core of his very being.”

Similarly, Tiff Macklem, the dean of the Rotman School of Management, called Wilson “a role model for us all to aspire to in business, in politics, and in building better communities for everyone.”

For those working in the field of mental health, meanwhile, Wilson’s legacy is described as nothing short of game-changing.

Until he came along, it was difficult to get people in the corridors of power to pay attention, says Dr. Paul Garfinkel, a professor and former chair of U of T’s psychiatry department.

In his role as CEO of the Clarke Institute, one of the facilities that merged into the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Garfinkel says he struggled to find donors and people to join the hospital’s board.

“You can’t imagine how lonely it was. We could have board meetings in a phone booth,” Garfinkel says.

Wilson opened the door to glass tower boardrooms in Toronto and Montreal as well as government offices in Ottawa. When he spoke, people around the table listened, Garfinkel says – in part because most already knew him.

Wilson would speak movingly of his son’s death and go on to describe current research. “He had an amazing mind,” Garfinkel recalls. “You could brief him on the way into the meeting and he could go bang, bang, bang with every fact accurately.”

Wilson led multimillion-dollar fundraising campaigns, served on provincial task forces on mental health and, in 2015, became board chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

“He was a real mentor and I learned so much from him,” says Louise Bradley, the president and CEO of the commission.

Read Michael Wilson's poignant last op-ed for the Toronto Star

Under his tenure, the board was restructured to include more people with backgrounds in finance, law and a lived experience of mental illness. He also helped increase the representation of Indigenous people, Bradley says.

“He wasn’t a figurehead by any stretch of the imagination.”

At U of T, Wilson was instrumental in finding support for a chair in depression studies named in memory of his son. Dr. Robert Levitan, a professor of psychiatry and physiology in the Faculty of Medicine and senior scientist at CAMH, currently holds the chair. He’s an expert on atypical subtypes of mood disorders characterized by depressed mood and eating behaviour.

U of T psychiatry Professor David Goldboom preceded Wilson as chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. “The thing about Michael is he had such an aura of gravitas,” Goldbloom said. “Here was a guy who was accomplished in so many spheres of public life… The fact that he made this his cause of choice carried weight.”

Wilson could be blunt and didn’t sugar coat the need for change, Goldbloom says. “I think Michael definitely thought we were making progress.

“But he was enough of a realist to know there was a long journey ahead.”

Heartfelt tributes to Michael Wilson recount his compassion, leadership and advocacy

Romi Levine — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 17:34:42 +0000

Heartfelt tributes to Michael Wilson recount his compassion, leadership and advocacy

Romi Levine Mon, 02/11/2019 - 12:34

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Michael Wilson was first elected chancellor of U of T for a three-year term in 2012 and renewed for a second term of three years in 2015 – the maximum allowed by the ��߲ݴ�ý Act (photo by Tim Fraser)

Topic

Michael Wilson’s leadership in business and politics, advocacy for mental health awareness and compassion as a colleague and friend are being remembered today by everyone from prime ministers to members of the ��߲ݴ�ý community.

Here are some of the messages and memories shared online:

Justin Trudeau meets with Michael Wilson in the Prime Minister’s Centre Block office in 2016 (photo by Adam Scotti)

“Michael Wilson’s dedicated service to Canadians – including his important work as Minister, Ambassador, and passionate advocate for mental health – will leave a lasting impact on our country. We’ve lost a truly great Canadian. My condolences to his family and friends.”
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Former prime ministers share their condolences

“This is a sad day. Michael Wilson served Canada with exceptional skill and dedication. From the Cabinet table to serving our country with dignity and wisdom as Ambassador in Washington, Mike embodied the best of public service. Laureen and I extend our heartfelt condolences.”
- Stephen Harper

Michael Wilson with Brian Mulroney, the former prime minister, in 2017 (photo by Vince Talotta/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

“I think Canada has just suffered a major loss. Michael Wilson was an outstanding minister of finance, a highly admired ambassador to the United States, and a principled and visionary leader in the field of research into mental health in Canada – and also in education, with his role as chancellor of the ��߲ݴ�ý.”
- Brian Mulroney to U of T News

Read: U of T community mourns death of Chancellor Emeritus Michael Wilson

“Michael Wilson was one of Canada’s most able, upright, accomplished, highly principled and inspirational citizens, in public life and private example. I mourn and regret his death and celebrate his friendship and his life.”
- Joe Clark

On CBC News, Paul Martin said that Wilson was a “tremendous finance minister," and that "he took mental health out of the shadows and he took it into the mainstream and he did it with huge compassion.”

Wilson’s mental health advocacy remembered

“Michael Wilson talked about his son’s suicide at a time when very few, especially at his stature, talked about suicide. He became a powerful advocate for ending stigma around mental illness. A great legacy.”
- Matt Galloway, host of CBC's Metro Morning

“Very saddened by the passing of @UofT Chancellor Emeritus Michael Wilson – a remarkable person and a champion for mental health. He leaves behind an incredible legacy at #UofT & beyond.”
- Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Trevor Young

“A Canada without Michael Wilson is a smaller place. #Citizen #Leader #Advocate #MentalHealthIsHealth”
- Catherine Zahn, CEO of CAMH

'A truly nice person in a world that often wasn’t'

“Michael Wilson was one of the most intelligent, decent people I have ever met, inside or outside of politics and public life… if it's possible he may have contributed even more in his life after politics when he became a pioneer in raising awareness of mental illness and for his incredible contributions to post secondary education through the ��߲ݴ�ý. Michael Wilson was a gentle, considerate giant in business, in public life, as a diplomat in Washington, & in our community. He will be sadly missed & on behalf of the people of the City of Toronto, I express sincere condolences to his wife Margie & the entire Wilson family.”
- Toronto Mayor John Tory

“We have lost an outstanding Canadian today with the passing of Michael Wilson. Former Minister, Ambassador to the [U.S.], Companion of the Order of Canada, and tireless mental health advocate, Mr Wilson will be missed by many. Sincere condolences to his family, friends & colleagues.”
- Julie Payette, Canada’s governor general

Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland with U of T Chancellor Michael Wilson in April (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

“My thoughts are with the family and loved ones of Michael Wilson. Michael was a distinguished MP, Minister and diplomat, who negotiated the first NAFTA. More recently, he did outstanding work as a tireless mental health advocate and Chancellor of @UofT.”
- Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s minister of foreign affairs

“Michael Wilson was not only an incredibly dedicated politician, he was also an exemplary and tireless advocate for mental health. My sincere condolences to his family and friends. "We need to shore up the belief that sickness isn't weakness."
- Catherine McKenna, Canada’s minister of environment and climate change

“Sad to learn that the ranks of U.S.-Canada ambassadors lost a beloved member yesterday. Michael Wilson was a tireless champion for Canada and will be remembered as one who strove to bring our two countries ever closer together. My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”
- U.S. Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft

“Michael Wilson will be remembered for his countless contributions to Canada. An incredibly capable Minister and former Ambassador, he will also be remembered for his groundbreaking work bringing mental health out of the shadows. My deepest condolences to his wife and family.”
- Ontario Premier Doug Ford

“I covered Michael Wilson’s first nomination meeting back in the late 1970s. The attention was on him because he was Joe Clark’s ‘star candidate’ for the next election. He was nervous but you could tell he was special. A truly nice person in a world that often wasn’t.”
- Peter Mansbridge

��߲ݴ�ý mourns death of Chancellor Emeritus Michael Wilson

noreen.rasbach — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 23:46:11 +0000

��߲ݴ�ý mourns death of Chancellor Emeritus Michael Wilson

noreen.rasbach Sun, 02/10/2019 - 18:46

Cutline

Michael Wilson, in June at his final convocation as Chancellor. His message to graduates that day: "Give back" (photo by Steve Frost)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Meric Gertler

Trinity College

Michael Wilson, the ��߲ݴ�ý’s 33^rd chancellor who had an accomplished career in the private and public sector – serving as Canada’s minister of finance and ambassador to the United States – has died. He was 81 years old.

“The ��߲ݴ�ý community deeply mourns the loss of our Chancellor Emeritus, the Honourable Michael Wilson,” said U of T President Meric Gertler. “A proud and accomplished Commerce alumnus and a Trinity grad, he was our tireless advocate and our global ambassador.

“A ‘triathlete’ par excellence – in public office, business, and volunteer work – he was a great Canadian who improved the lives of so many. From spearheading public policy of the highest significance to publicly confronting the challenge of mental illness, Michael Wilson was a true champion.”

Wilson was first elected chancellor for a three-year-term in 2012 and renewed for a second term of three years in 2015 – the maximum allowed by the ��߲ݴ�ý Act.

“During his six years of incredibly dedicated and energetic service as our ceremonial head, he helped launch tens of thousands of ��߲ݴ�ý graduates into the next stage of their lives – leaving each one with a warm personal word of congratulations and encouragement,” President Gertler said.

Wilson was a Trinity College alumnus, graduating in 1959 with a degree in commerce and beginning a career in finance. He was elected to Parliament in the late 1970s, and served seven years as finance minister, beginning in 1984. He was named Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. in 2006.

Heartfelt tributes to Michael Wilson recount his compassion, leadership and advocacy

Beyond politics and Bay Street, Wilson was a profoundly dedicated advocate for mental health, becoming chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada in 2015. His advocacy was intensified in response to tragedy when his son, Cameron, took his own life after suffering from depression.

Wilson was a champion of U of T, working tirelessly to promote the university in Canada and the rest of the world.

“It is one of the great privileges of my life to have worked closely with Michael Wilson in the advancement of the University and the causes he cared about so deeply,” President Gertler said. “In his comprehensive excellence, his unassuming generosity and his quiet compassion, he will remain a model for us all. He bore the title, “the Honourable,” by virtue of the public offices he held. But the description came spontaneously to all who had the good fortune to know him.”

The ��߲ݴ�ý flag will fly at half-mast on all three campuses until the day of Wilson's funeral. Members of the U of T community can sign a Book of Condolences in the Simcoe Hall lobby this week, starting at 1 p.m. Monday.

Read President Gertler's full statement about Michael Wilson

'It's pretty inspirational': Watch Rose Patten be installed as U of T's 34th chancellor

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 08 Nov 2018 17:13:33 +0000

'It's pretty inspirational': Watch Rose Patten be installed as U of T's 34th chancellor

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 11/08/2018 - 12:13

Cutline

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

Rose Patten was officially installed as the ��߲ݴ�ý’s 34^th chancellor during this week’s fall convocation.

An influential businesswoman and a former chair of U of T’s Governing Council, Patten plans to use her new role to further the university’s mission as one of the world’s top research and academic institutions.

“I get the opportunity to be an advocate for all the university does,” says Patten, who is an Officer of the Order of Canada and has been lauded for her efforts to champion women in leadership roles.

“It's pretty inspirational – pretty exciting.”

Watch as Patten prepares for her big day and talks about the importance of learning, dealing with setbacks and the obligation and responsibility that come with success.

'Diligence, focus and passion': Rose Patten is installed as U of T's 34th chancellor

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 15:24:49 +0000

'Diligence, focus and passion': Rose Patten is installed as U of T's 34th chancellor

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 11/06/2018 - 10:24

Cutline

Rose Patten enters Convocation Hall with U of T President Gertler in advance of the robing ceremony. Her husband Tom Di Giacomo is second from the left (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Topic

Undergraduate Students

It was shortly after 11 a.m. when Rose Patten clasped – with both hands – the outstretched palm of the first graduate to cross the stage at the ��߲ݴ�ý’s 2018 fall convocation.

Patten, who was installed as U of T’s 34^th chancellor only a few minutes earlier, would go on to repeat the ritual during the ceremony at Convocation Hall – the first of two scheduled for Monday.

Each time the gesture was accompanied with a warm smile and a few words of encouragement.

“You have the potential to be among the most impressive leaders of your time,” Patten said during an address to the hall, which was also packed with family and friends, “and you are pursuing your dreams at a time when leadership has never been more important.

“When great leadership is present we always see critical thinking and technological innovation.”

Rose Patten shakes hands with a graduate in U of T's Convocation Hall (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Leadership, of course, is a quality with which Patten is intimately familiar. She’s spent three decades working in the highest echelons of Bay Street and, at one point, simultaneously held the positions of vice-president of business strategy and executive vice-president of global human resources at BMO Financial Group.

To this day, she continues to be a special adviser to the bank’s CEO and other senior executives, and is sought out for expertise on issues such as leadership development, strategy execution and succession planning.

Patten also has a long history at U of T, having served on Governing Council for nine years – including three years as chair. She chaired the task force on governance structure, whose 2010 report included recommendations on the university’s current tri-campus governance structure. Patten, who holds an honorary degree from U of T, is also an executive-in-residence and adjunct professor in executive leadership programs at the Rotman School of Management, a member of Massey College and a member of the university’s Boundless campaign executive.

“She knows us better than we know ourselves,” U of T President Meric Gertler joked before he introduced Patten to a crowd of over 200 people during a luncheon event at Rotman to celebrate Patten’s investiture.

“But she also applies to her new role all of her characteristic diligence, focus and passion in the advancement of our shared mission.”

For Patten, that mission includes being a source of transformative innovation in fields ranging from computer science to medicine, while simultaneously acting as a defender of the human values on which true, sustainable progress depends.

“We are exploring not just the ‘what’ and the ‘how,’ but also the ‘why’ in response to the great questions of this and every age,” Patten said during her Convocation Hall remarks.

A book commemorates Patten's installation as U of T's 34^th chancellor (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Patten’s first day as chancellor began in her office at Simcoe Hall. Representatives from across the university, including its various colleges, schools and administrative offices, crammed into the tiny room and modest anteroom – all of them wearing academic robes and other regalia.

They were later joined by President Gertler, the vice-presidents and principals of U of T Scarborough and U of T Mississauga – Wisdom Tettey and Ulrich Krull, respectively – as well as President Emeritus David Naylor, Chancellor Emeritus Hal Jackman and outgoing Chancellor Michael Wilson.

While Patten posed for photographs and chatted with colleagues, Claire Kennedy, chair of U of T’s Governing Council, and Wilson rehearsed their roles in the official robing ceremony that was about to take place on Convocation Hall’s stage.

After a quick group photo outside, the procession split in two and entered Convocation Hall, where Patten was officially installed.

“Few people have contributed as much energy to the well-being of this university than Dr. Rose Patten,” said York University Chancellor Greg Sorbara, a former provincial finance minister who spoke on behalf of Ontario universities.

He was followed by Scott MacKendrick, the president of the ��߲ݴ�ý Alumni Association. MacKendrick called Patten, whose role includes acting as ambassador to U of T’s more than half million alumni around the world, “a model U of T citizen and one of our fiercest champions.”

Speaking on behalf of faculty members, Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr praised Patten for encouraging “each and every one of us to attain excellence as leaders and strategically work to make the university, our communities and the world a better place,” while Governing Council member P.C. Choo, said, on behalf of staff, he’s confident Patten will continue to serve the university with distinction in her new role.

Perhaps the most inspiring remarks – fittingly, given it was a convocation ceremony – were delivered on behalf of the student body.

After talking about the importance of resilience, undergraduate student Price Amobi Maka said Patten’s career as a business leader, philanthropist and champion of women in leadership made her an ideal role model for U of T students.

“Even after a serious car accident, when doctors said she would likely never walk again, she did not allow anyone to determine her fate,” he said, referring to a 1983 incident that involved Patten being struck by a car on University Avenue.

“She exemplified the true values of U of T and overcame all adversities to become the champion we see here today.”

U of T recognizes outstanding volunteers at Arbor Awards

geoff.vendeville — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 12:51:51 +0000

U of T recognizes outstanding volunteers at Arbor Awards

geoff.vendeville Tue, 10/16/2018 - 08:51

Cutline

For the first time in its 29 years, the Arbor Awards were hosted off U of T property at the Carlu in downtown Toronto (photo by Gustavo Toledo Photography)

Topic

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Music

Innis College

Linguistics

President Meric Gertler

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

Thousands of students graduate from the ��߲ݴ�ý, Canada’s largest university, each year. The readers who invite students up to the stage to receive their degree have a formidable task – to correctly pronounce the names of students from 150 different countries around the world.

Helping them with that task is Elizabeth Cowper, a professor emerita of linguistics. Years ago, Cowper, faculty colleagues and staff in the Office of Convocation created a training program and guide for university readers, providing them with tips on how to pronounce names with roots in different languages.

“Some students come from other countries. There are new Canadians. We don't want them to be othered and we don't want them to be made to feel like their names are weird,” Cowper told U of T News. Most of all, she felt for these students' parents who may be in the audience. “If the person reading the name totally blows it, then the parents get the idea that we don't know who their kid is. And that just makes me feel bad.”

“Overall, we have seen the quality of reading gradually come up,” said Cowper, who has continued to volunteer her time more than four years since retiring.

For their efforts, Cowper and her colleagues in the reader program – Christina Kramer, a professor of Slavic linguistics, and Michael Patrick Albano, an associate professor at the Faculty of Music – received Arbor Awards. The award recognizes university volunteers who are generous with their time and talent, embodying the values of U of T's Latin motto, velut arbor aevo (may it grow as a tree through the ages).

“By your example, you remind us of how the U of T community plays an outsized role in making our world a better place,” said U of T President Meric Gertler (photo by Gustavo Toledo Photography)

President Meric Gertler thanked the recipients of this year's Arbor Awards on Monday evening at a ceremony at the Carlu, an Art Moderne event space at Yonge and College. “Through your dedication, wisdom and enthusiasm, you are touching the lives of countless members of our U of T community,” he said, “opening new horizons for our students, championing the work of our scholars and helping rally other alumni and friends to support our shared goals.”

Barbara Dick, assistant vice-president of alumni relations, extended thanks to the families of recipients, noting that every minute they volunteered at the university is one not spent with their loved ones. “We know that every minute and hour our Arbor Award recipients give to us is one they don't share with their family,” she said.

Each of the more than 100 award winners – from Ryan Ackers, U of T's alumni representative in Calgary, to Morgan Wyatt, an Innis College alumnus and mentor – was called up to the stage to receive acknowledgement.

Chancellor

'A profound sense of responsibility': Wes Hall installed as U of T's 35th chancellor

‘This is where change happens’: Wes Hall on becoming U of T’s 35th chancellor

U of T Chancellor Rose Patten celebrated for her exceptional leadership

Rose Patten re-elected to serve as chancellor of the ���߲ݴ�ý

'A role model to us all': Remembering Michael Wilson

Heartfelt tributes to Michael Wilson recount his compassion, leadership and advocacy

Former prime ministers share their condolences

Wilson’s mental health advocacy remembered

'A truly nice person in a world that often wasn’t'

���߲ݴ�ý mourns death of Chancellor Emeritus Michael Wilson

'It's pretty inspirational': Watch Rose Patten be installed as U of T's 34th chancellor

'Diligence, focus and passion': Rose Patten is installed as U of T's 34th chancellor

U of T recognizes outstanding volunteers at Arbor Awards

Rose Patten re-elected to serve as chancellor of the ��߲ݴ�ý

��߲ݴ�ý mourns death of Chancellor Emeritus Michael Wilson