Robert J. Foster, B.A, M.A. (Economics), CFA, is Founder, President and CEO of Capital Canada Ltd., an independent investment banking firm. Mr. Foster has provided years of successful support to Canadian companies and entrepreneurs in the aviation, sports and entertainment industries. As rewarding as his professional career has been in helping to finance Toronto’s Sky Dome, a Rolling Stones tour, or a small Canadian east coast helicopter company which grew into the largest helicopter company in the world, Mr. Foster’s passionate avocation has always been his volunteer work in Toronto’s arts and cultural community. Mr. Foster is currently Chair of Artscape, which in 2012 opened the extraordinary Daniels Spectrum, a 60,000 square foot cultural centre in Regent Park. He serves on the boards of the Harbourfront Foundation, Luminato, The Mayor’s Task Force – Arts & Theatre, The National Arts Centre – Ontario Scene and The Toronto Theatres Working Group. In 2011, Mr. Foster was the lead Co-Chair for a year-long examination of Toronto’s cultural capacity and priorities, which resulted in the Creative Capital Report for the City of Toronto. This has been embraced by City Council and is a guiding document for the city’s cultural funding and growth moving forward. Robert Foster was named co-recipient of the Rita Davies and Margo Bindhardt Cultural Leader Award at the Mayor’s Lunch on June 27, 2013. This award is presented biennially to an individual who has demonstrated cultural leadership in the development of arts and culture in Toronto. Over his lifetime, Robert Foster has generously donated his time, expertise and financial support to more than 30 city and country building initiatives and organizations. He is proud of his wife Julia Foster and four grown children, who all also contribute to the enrichment of our community.

Dr. James D. Fleck, C.C., earned a B.A. from the University of Western Ontario and a D.B.A. from Harvard, before returning to Canada to help found the Faculty of Administrative Studies at York University. He has had a distinguished career in the private and government sectors as well as academia, serving as Secretary of Cabinet for Premier William Davis in the Government of Ontario. He is the founder and former CEO of Fleck Manufacturing Co. and has served on many corporate boards. An emeritus professor and recipient of an Honorary Degree from the University of Toronto, he was the President of the Art Gallery of Ontario and is Vice Chair of the Museum of Civilization, founder of the Toronto Music Garden and the Power Plant, and Chairman of the Harbourfront Foundation. Dr. Fleck received the Edmund C. Bovey Award for Leadership Support of the Arts in 2003 and was honoured with the Angel Award for Philanthropy in the Arts by the International Society of Performing Arts in 2009. Jim also received the Governor General’s Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts in 2009.

Hon. Henry N.R. Jackman, O.C., has a distinguished record of support and involvement with the arts and served as Chair of CBAC from 1996-1998. During his term as Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, he created and funded the Lieutenant-Governor’s Awards for the Arts, the largest annual cash awards for the arts in Canada, providing $300,000 in prize money to Ontario arts organizations each year. He is the Honorary Chairman of the Empire Life Insurance Company, former Chairman of the Ontario Arts Council and has served as President of the Canadian Opera Company and the Ballet Opera House Corporation, as well as on the boards of many other arts and charitable organizations. He received the Philanthropist of the Year Award in 1995 from the National Society of Fund Raising Executives (now the Association of Fundraising Professionals).

Donald K. Johnson, O.C., LL.D, is Chairman Emeritus of Business for the Arts. He is currently a Member, Advisory Board, BMO Capital Markets, after serving as Vice Chairman of BMO Nesbitt Burns and President of Burns Fry. When Chairing a Capital Campaign for the National Ballet Company in the 1990’s, he began a 12-year campaign to convince the federal government to eliminate the capital gains tax on charitable gifts of listed securities. The government removed the tax in its 2006 budget and since that time, charities have received over $1 billion each year in gifts of stock. He has received a number of awards, including the 2007 Edmund C. Bovey Award for leadership support of the arts, and Honorary Doctor of Laws Degrees from the University of Western Ontario and the University of Manitoba. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2004, an Office of the Order of Canada in 2009 and was named Nation Builder of the Year for 2007 by the Globe and Mail. He serves as a volunteer board member of five not-for-profit organizations and is Chairman of a public Company, easyhome Limited.

Anthony R. Graham, LL.D., is President of Wittington Investments, Limited and is also a director of several corporations including George Weston Limited, Graymont Ltd., Grupo Calidra, Loblaw Companies Limited, Power Corporation of Canada, Power Financial Corporation, Selfridges & Co., Ltd., De Bijenkorf B.V., Holt, Renfrew & Co. Limited, Brown Thomas & Co. Limited and Victoria Square Ventures Inc. Anthony is active in the art and business community as a Board Member of the Ontario Arts Foundation, the Art Gallery of Ontario, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, St. Michael’s Hospital and Luminato. He is former Chairman of both Branksome Hall School and the Shaw Festival, and is presently Chairman of each of their foundations. He is also a Member of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives and the World Presidents’ Organization (WPO). He is also the Honorary Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Canada. In 1995, Anthony was recognized by The Financial Post as one of “Canada’s Top 40 Under 40” and in 1998 he was awarded the Government of Ontario Volunteer Service Award. In June 2007, he was awarded an Honourary Doctorate of Laws Degree from Brock University.

A lawyer by training, Andrew Molson is chairman of RES PUBLICA Consulting Group, a Montreal-based holding and management company for two leading professional services firms, NATIONAL Public Relations and Cohn & Wolfe | Canada.

A seventh-generation member of the Molson brewing family, he sits on the board of directors of the Molson Coors Brewing Company. He is also a member of the board of directors of Groupe Deschênes Inc., The Jean Coutu Group (PJC) Inc., Dundee Corporation and the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club.

Andrew serves on several non-profit boards, including the Institute for Governance of Private and Public Organizations, the Concordia University Foundation, The Banff Centre, the evenko foundation for emerging talent and the Molson Foundation.

He is also chairman of the Montreal General Hospital Foundation and of Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal Archeology and History Complex.

Tim is the CFO for the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan where he is responsible for financial and management reporting; taxation; valuation, risk analytics and model valuation; financial operations; and strategic finance initiatives.

Tim has more than 20 years of senior management experience in financial management and global investments. He was most recently Group Controller and Global Chief Accounting Officer at Manulife. Previously he was CFO of Manulife’s Global Wealth and Asset Management businesses and held other senior executive roles across Finance, Risk, Strategy and Operations. Prior to Manulife, Tim was a director at PwC LLP in the Global Capital Markets Group based in Toronto and London.

Tim is a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (FCPA), a U.S. Certified Public Accountant and earned a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University.

David Aisenstat is a leading Canadian businessman and philanthropist who has spent a lifetime in the restaurant business and his passion for it shows. In addition to being the owner and CEO of The Keg Steakhouse & Bar, Canada’s premier casual dining brand, his restaurant collection includes KI modern Japanese + bar, Hy’s Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar, The Shore Club, and Gotham Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar. David also has a passion for art and design that is evident in the look and feel of his restaurants. This keen interest was highlighted in his past role as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Vancouver Art Gallery. A key element in all of David’s endeavours is a strong focus on giving back. In 2001, he established The Keg Spirit Foundation to help charitable organizations that develop and mentor young people. The $5.5 million distributed since The Foundation’s inception is a source of great pride for all those involved. Most importantly, the Foundation has been an inspiration for thousands of Keg staff to give back to those less fortunate both in their communities and around the world.

Suzanne Anton QC has recently served as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice for BC, where she led the most innovative Justice Ministry in Canada. This followed two terms as an elected member of City Council in Vancouver, and one on the Vancouver Park Board.

Suzanne entered politics with a passion for public facilities, cultural and recreational, and an interest in getting things done. Her extensive knowledge of people, places and institutions in the city, province and country has connected her to the many communities in our multicultural mosaic.

She is a board member of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and Frontier College, and keeps involved in politics by way of the frequent political campaigns in BC. She has served on numerous boards in the past, including Translink, Pavco (BC Pavilion Corp), Federation of Canadian municipalities, Metro Vancouver, and many not-for-profit and community boards.

Suzanne is a former crown prosecutor and mathematics teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (UBC) and Bachelor of Mathematics (UVic, with distinction). She received her Queen’s Counsel in 2013.

Fabienne Colas, who has an Executive MBA from McGill University and HEC Montréal, is an entrepreneur, filmmaker, producer, award-winning actress and sought-after speaker, who works tirelessly and passionately to support and promote Diversity off and on screen around the globe. 

She is the ‘Queen of Festivals’ who created and manages 12 successful festivals in Canada and internationally, including the Montreal International Black Film Festival, and the Toronto Black Film Festival. Through the Fabienne Colas Foundation (FCF), she supports, awards grants and promotes independent films and Black artists. One of the Foundation’s most impactful accomplishments is the FCF’s Being Black in Canada program – Canada’s largest incubator dedicated to Black Filmmakers presented by Netflix in collaboration with National Bank. She also currently sits on the NSCAD University Board of Governors.

Fabienne Colas is the recipient of the 2019 Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women award, named 2018 Canada’s Top 40 under 40, Personality of the Year (Arts & Culture) by La Presse newspaper in 2018 and recipient of Prix Mercure Relève Femme d’exception from Quebec’s Federation of Chambers of Commerce (Les Mercuriades). She was awarded a Medal from Quebec’s National Assembly recognizing her leadership and contribution in the fight against racism and discrimination in Quebec, as well as the Harry Jerome Arts & Culture Award in Toronto. In 2018, Femmes en Cinéma, Télévision et Médias Numériques (FCTMN) paid tribute to Fabienne for her exceptional contribution in the Quebec Film Industry.

www.fabiennecolas.com

Winnipeg, Canada 

Dorothy Dobbie was a member of Parliament from 1988 to 1993. She served as parliamentary secretary and co-chaired the Joint House Senate Committee on the Renewal of Canada. She is immediate past president of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians and current president of the International Peace Garden.

She is a writer and owner of Pegasus Publications Inc., publisher of magazines and tabloids, among them Beyond the Hill for the Former Parliamentarians. After hosting a garden radio show for 20 years, she and some partners recently started Lifestyles 55 Digital Radio. 

Mrs. Dobbie was the first woman president of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, was chair of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the National Arts Summit, is a past member of the Nature Conservancy Canada, former chair of Tree Canada among many community volunteer roles. 

She is a member of the Order of Canada, among other awards and honours.