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Jean Bessie Lumb (née Toy Jin Wong), CM, community leader, restaurateur (born 30 July 1919 in Nanaimo, BC; died 17 July 2002 in Toronto, ON). Jean Lumb was the first Chinese Canadian woman and first restaurateur inducted into the Order of Canada. She is also best known for her role in successfully lobbying the federal government to change its discriminatory immigration policies that separated Chinese families. Lumb also led the Save Chinatown Committee to prevent further demolition of Toronto’s Chinatown in the 1960s.

By the 1870s, Allan's company, the Montreal Ocean Steamship Co (popularly known as the ALLAN LINE), also obtained government contracts to carry passage-assisted immigrants. Taking advantage of the Québec government's subsidies for colonization railways, Allan expanded into railway building.

Sir Byron Edmund Walker, banker (b in Seneca Township, Haldimand County, Canada 14 Oct 1848; d at Toronto 27 Mar 1924). After leaving school at the age of 13, Walker entered his uncle's private banking business in Hamilton as a discount clerk.

Heather Maxine Reisman, OC, entrepreneur, business executive (born 28 August 1948 in Montreal, QC). Reisman is best known as the founder, executive chair and CEO of Indigo Books & Music, Canada’s largest book and specialty toy retailer, and the co-founder of Kobo, a top global e-reader maker. She holds honorary doctorates from several universities and a bachelor’s degree in social work from McGill University. In 2022, Reisman was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Sir Samuel Cunard, merchant, shipowner (b at Halifax 21 Nov 1787; d at London, Eng 28 Apr 1865).

Stephen McNeil, business owner, politician, 28th premier of Nova Scotia, 2013–21 (born 10 November 1964 in Halifax, NS). Few observers expected much from refrigerator repairman Stephen McNeil when he was first elected to the Nova Scotia legislature in 2003. But he surprised pundits when he became leader of the Liberal Party, and was twice elected premier, winning majority governments in 2013 and 2017.

John James McLaughlin (a.k.a Jack), beverage manufacturer, pharmacist (born 2 March 1865 near Enniskillen, ON; died 28 January 1914 in Toronto, ON). McLaughlin developed and trademarked Canada Dry Ginger Ale during the first decade of the 20th century. (See also Soft-Drink Industry.)

Izaak Walton Killam, financier, philanthropist (born 23 July 1885 in Yarmouth, NS; died 5 August 1955 near Grande-Cascapédia, QC). Killam amassed a large fortune investing in power utilities, pulp and paper and other industries. His wife, Dorothy Johnston Killam, grew the wealth she inherited after his death. The couple left many millions of dollars to Canadian institutions. About half the funding that established the Canada Council for the Arts came from inheritance taxes on Izaak Killam's death. The Killams also endowed the Killam Prizes and Killam Research Fellowships for scholars in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, health sciences and engineering.

Arthur Meighen, lawyer, politician, businessman, prime minister of Canada (b at Anderson, Ont 16 June 1874; d at Toronto 5 Aug 1960).

Clarence Decatur Howe, engineer, politician (b at Waltham, Mass 15 Jan 1886; d at Montréal 31 Dec 1960). Howe was the most successful businessman-politician of his day, and provided a link between the Liberal Party and Canadian industry.

Bonnie Brooks, CM, retailer, department store executive (born 19 May 1953 in Windsor, ON). Brooks earned her MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University and also holds two honorary doctoral degrees. She is best known for her work modernizing retail department stores, including Hong Kong’s Lane Crawford, Canada’s Holt Renfrew and Hudson’s Bay, where she was the first woman to be appointed president and CEO. Brooks was later appointed as the first woman vice-chairman of the Hudson’s Bay Company.

Catherine Margaret (Trina) McQueen, television journalist and executive (born at Belleville, Ont 1943).

After working for several years in the Canadian retail industry, Brooks and her husband John opened the Unicorn in 1963 - a one-of-a-kind boutique in the heart of Toronto's shopping district. The shop featured apparel for women, housewares and unique pieces displaying Brooks' eccentric aesthetic.

Ross Rebagliati, snowboarder, businessman (born 14 July 1971 in Vancouver, BC). Rebagliati won the first ever Olympic gold medal in snowboarding at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano. However, soon after his victory, the International Olympic Committee announced that he had tested positive for marijuana and would be stripped of his medal. Within a week, the decision had been overturned by the Court of Arbitration in Sport and his medal reinstated. In 2013, Rebagliati founded Ross’ Gold, a medical marijuana business. The company promotes the medical and recreational use of marijuana for athletes.

Brandt Louie, business tycoon, philanthropist (born 5 July 1943 in Vancouver, BC). Louie is the president of the H.Y. Louie Company, a business started by his grandfather in 1903 that now includes London Drugs Ltd. and the IGA grocery store chain. In 2017, Louie was listed as Canada’s 47th richest person in Canadian Business magazine’s annual ranking, with an estimated fortune of $2.1 billion. Louie is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal and a Member of the Order of British Columbia.

In addition to practising law, Williams excelled at business. While attending Dalhousie's law school, he led a group of businesspeople to seek the first cable licence in Newfoundland and built Cable Atlantic into one of the largest communications companies in Atlantic Canada.

Maxwell William Ward, OC, aviator, businessman (born 22 November 1921 in Edmonton, AB; died 2 November 2020 in Edmonton). Max Ward was a bush pilot and aviation entrepreneur who founded and ran the airline Wardair.

Robert Samuel McLaughlin (a.k.a Colonel Sam), CC, industrialist, philanthropist (born 8 September 1871 in Enniskillen, ON; died 6 January 1972 in Oshawa, ON). R. Samuel McLaughlin was a pioneer in Canada’s automotive industry and was president of General Motors of Canada.