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Create AccountWilliam Macdonald Sobey, executive (b at New Glasgow, NS 9 June 1927; d at Salt Lake City, Utah 29 May 1989). As chairman of the board of Sobeys Stores Ltd, he continued the family control of the Nova Scotia-based chain of food stores founded in 1907 by his grandfather, John William Sobey.
Lise Bissonnette, OQ, journalist, businesswoman and author (born 13 December 1945 in Rouyn, Québec).
Camille Henri Thériault, politician, businessman, premier of New Brunswick 1998-1999 (born 25 February 1955 in Baie-Sainte-Anne, NB). Thériault served in the Cabinet of Liberal Premier Frank McKenna before briefly taking a turn as premier himself. After politics, he was chair of the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board, and served as CEO of the Mouvement des caisses populaires acadiennes.
This article was originally published in Maclean’s magazine on August 2, 1999. Partner content is not updated.
John Roth was not at all happy. For two months last winter, a Dallas-based advertising agency had been working on a hip new TV commercial for Nortel Networks Corp., the Canadian telecommunications giant of which Roth, 56, is chief executive officer.Paul Desmarais, financier (born 4 January 1927 in Sudbury, ON; died 8 October 2013 in Charlevoix, QC).
Luce Cuvillier, businesswoman and philanthropist (born 12 June 1817 in Montréal, QC; died 28 March 1900 in Montréal).
Rolf Georg Walter Meier, electronics designer, amateur astronomer (born 24 July 1953 in Goslar, West Germany; died 26 June 2016 in Ottawa, ON). Meier made unique discoveries of four new comets, all named after him.
This article was originally published in Maclean’s magazine on 8 March 1999. Partner content is not updated.
The big black Mercedes glides past the beds of gold- and wine-coloured chrysanthemums that spruce up Toronto's business district in early fall. Quickly and discreetly it transports Gerry Schwartz from his Onex Corp.Sir Clifford Sifton, PC, KCMG, KC, lawyer, politician, businessman (born 10 March 1861 near Arva, Canada West; died 17 April 1929 in New York City, New York). Sir Clifford Sifton was one of the ablest politicians of his time. He is best known for his aggressive promotion of immigration to settle the Prairie West. Under his leadership, immigration to Canada increased significantly; from 16,835 per year in 1896 to 141,465 in 1905. A Liberal politician of considerable influence and vision, he was also a controversial figure. Sifton promoted a single education system and opposed the public funding of denominational schools, largely disregarding the concerns of French Catholics. He also showed little interest in the Indigenous peoples of the Prairies; he oversaw cuts to Indigenous education and approved Treaty 8. His brother, Arthur Lewis Sifton, was premier of Alberta from 1910 to 1917.
Victor Li, business tycoon (born 1 August 1964 in British Hong Kong), studied at Stanford University in California earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil and structural engineering. He is the son of business tycoon Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong’s richest man, who has a net worth of US$31.8 billion, according to Forbes (March 2017). Li is best known in Canadian business circles as the co-chairman of Calgary-based Husky Energy, and also for his attempt to bail out Air Canada in 2004. He currently serves as the chairman of CKI, an infrastructure conglomerate with holdings in Canada, Europe, Asia, New Zealand and Australia. Li holds citizenship in both Canada and China.
Major General Bertram (Bert) Meryl Hoffmeister, OC, CB, CBE, DSO & Two Bars, ED, Canadian Army officer, businessman (born 15 May 1907 in Vancouver, BC; died 4 December 1999 in Vancouver, BC). During the Second World War, Hoffmeister commanded the Seaforth Highlanders in Sicily, the 2nd Infantry Brigade at Ortona (1943) and the 5th Canadian Armoured Division, which distinguished itself under his courageous leadership in Italy and later in North-West Europe. Military historian Jack Granatstein has referred to Major General Hoffmeister as one of “the best Canadian fighting generals of the [Second world] war.”When the war ended, Hoffmeister resumed his career in the BC forest industry and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1982.
This article was originally published in Maclean’s magazine on July 6, 1998. Partner content is not updated.
Filmmaking is a powerful form of cultural and artistic expression, as well as a highly profitable commercial enterprise. From a practical standpoint, filmmaking is a business involving large sums of money and a complex division of labour. This labour is involved, roughly speaking, in three sectors: production, distribution and exhibition. The history of the Canadian film industry has been one of sporadic achievement accomplished in isolation against great odds. Canadian cinema has existed within an environment where access to capital for production, to the marketplace for distribution and to theatres for exhibition has been extremely difficult. The Canadian film industry, particularly in English Canada, has struggled against the Hollywood entertainment monopoly for the attention of an audience that remains largely indifferent toward the domestic industry. The major distribution and exhibition outlets in Canada have been owned and controlled by foreign interests. The lack of domestic production throughout much of the industry’s history can only be understood against this economic backdrop.
This article is one of four that surveys the history of the film industry in Canada. The entire series includes: Canadian Film History: 1896 to 1938; Canadian Film History: 1939 to 1973; Canadian Film History: 1974 to Present; Canadian Film History: Notable Films and Filmmakers 1980 to Present.
Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, telegrapher, railroad executive, artist (born 3 February 1843 in Chelsea, Illinois; died 11 September 1915 in Montreal, Quebec.) In January 1882, Van Horne was appointed general manager of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), responsible for completing the transcontinental line. His leadership of the CPR led to a streamlined organization, new routes, rapid line construction, and its completion in 1885. Van Horne also initiated the creation of luxury hotels along the CPR line and the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company that linked Vancouver and Hong Kong. (See Railway History in Canada.)
Garth Drabinsky tucked his head down and drove forward into the crush of microphone-waving reporters at a Toronto hotel. When he finally reached the podium, he bit his lower lip and then launched into a dramatic rebuke of a series of U.S.
Mihal (Mike) Lazaridis, OC, O Ont, FRS, entrepreneur, business executive, philanthropist (born 14 March 1961 in Istanbul, Turkey).
William Gooderham, distiller, businessman, banker (b at Scole, Eng 29 Aug 1790; d at Toronto 20 Aug 1881). Migrating to Canada in 1832, Gooderham became involved in the Toronto milling trade with his brother-in-law James Worts, who died in 1834.
Samuel Michael Katz, businessman, mayor of Winnipeg 2004–2014 (born 20 August, 1951 in Rehovot, Israel). An entrepreneur and owner of the Winnipeg Goldeyes baseball team, Katz was elected Winnipeg’s first Jewish mayor in June 2004. The latter half of his administration was marked by controversy over city real estate deals.
Dwight Ball, pharmacist, businessman, premier of Newfoundland and Labrador 2015–20, leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador 2013–20 (born 21 December 1957 in Deer Lake, NL). Ball became premier at a time of economic crisis. After several years of prosperity, slumping oil revenues required his government to bring in unpopular austerity measures to fight a burgeoning provincial debt. Ball retained the premiership in 2019, when his Liberal Party won a minority government. On 17 February 2020, Dwight Ball announced his intention to resign as premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. He remained in that position until 19 August 2020, when Andrew Furey was sworn in as premier. (See also Politics in Newfoundland and Labrador.)
Joseph Gould. Businessman, choir director, editor, composer, b Penn Yan, NY, 28 Jan 1833, d Montreal 27 Mar 1913. He moved with his family to Montreal in 1848. About 1864, with Freedom Hill (previously associated with the Montreal branch of A. & S.
