trinity
TRINITY ALUMNI MAGAZINE summer 2010
the yes man
Forty years of volunteering
and George Fierheller
still can’t say no
Plus: Students who embody the spirit of service
provost’smessage
Strong Connections
Trinity has much to exchange with the wider world
It took a volcano from Iceland to remind us all how interconnected and thus how easily prone to disruption-through-eruption our ever-shrinking world has become.
As it happens, the site of the eruption is not far from a place close
to my own heart, where I spent nine consecutive summers as a
tour guide in the mountains. So every time a reporter butchered
the name Eyjafjallajökull (literally “glacier of the mountains of
the isles”), I recalled that long ago, the wider area was named
Landeyjrar (“land-isles”) because in that massive floodplain,
caused by earlier eruptions, every single dwelling stands out like
an island in an ocean. It’s a stubborn reminder of how humanity rightly refuses to be swept away. By the time you read this, it
may be that the neighbouring and much more vicious volcano
Katla (named for a vengeful troll-wife) has done her worst: one
day soon it seems she will. What then?
We all stand and fall by the connections we make, and while
others were stuck around the globe having an unexpected
volcan-ation, I was reminded of how much the world brings to
Trinity, and how much Trinity has to offer to the wider world.
Our strengths are international, as I was shown recently at the
Provost’s Lodge at the third and wonderfully multicultural gathering of the Faculty of Divinity’s Advanced Degree Students,
and again in hosting a lunch for graduands of our own fabulous
International Relations program (three IR students in the past
10 years have won Rhodes Scholarships).
Add to that the exciting news of a further fantastic benefaction from Peter and Melanie Munk, two of Trinity’s greatest
friends, which will not only expand the current Munk Centre to
the Munk School of Global Affairs, with a second site on Bloor
Street, but will also include a Trinity chair in IR. The motto of
the new school is “Join the global conversation,” and I am deeply
grateful to the President of the University of Toronto, David
Naylor, for including Trinity in the local conversation that was
a necessary precursor. The new school will be a jewel in the
2 trinity alumni magazine
combined and confederated crowns of Trinity, the U of T and
Canada in the years ahead.
This year we also had our first Roy McMurtry Community
Outreach Don, among whose activities was a highly successful
fundraising Coffee House in the Lodge in aid of Haiti, co-sponsored by the Trinity College Volunteer Society, and the third
year of the highly successful Humanities for Humanity program,
which has involved countless past and present students as mentors, lecturers and assistants. H4H (as we call it) is the brainchild
of Kelley Castle and John Duncan, and as Kelley heads off to be
the Dean of Students at Victoria College, we look forward to a
fruitful collaboration with Vic.
Like Iceland, Trinity is a small island, a lush, sometimes
louche, and occasionally lascivious island of learning in a wider
world, but one that punches well above its weight. Like Iceland,
we need to know that we have our own hidden fires and can
sometimes cause the world to pause.
When, in a book published exactly a century ago, E. M.
Forster wrote: “Only connect,” we can be sure that no one was
trying to friend him on Facebook, and that he knew few tweeting twits. These days it is perhaps too tempting and easy only
to disconnect. But he was right, and should be quoted more
fully: “Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be
exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer.” Fine words, and if I can fast forward a decade
or so from Howard’s End, I find myself agreeing with Molly
Bloom when it comes to connections; only a positive approach
is likely to be fruitful: “Yes I said yes I will Yes.” That’s the kind
of affirmative action I am happy to endorse. And that is the
strength and joy of Trinity and the whole of U of T: the connections continue.
ANDY ORCHARD
Provost and Vice-Chancellor
trinity
Summer 2010 Volume 47 Number 2
Features
12 View from the top
For George Fierheller, true
success comes from giving back
By Anita LI
18 Reaching out
Trinity extends its spirit
of public service
By Philip Lee-Shanok
20 Stepping up
Students are volunteering
to make a difference
By Randi Chapnik Myers
22 Freedom fighter
Cheryl Perera mobilizes
youth for youth
By Diana Cina
Departments
4 Y
our letters
Praise, grumbles and
other remarks
6 N
ota bene
Dispatches from campus
BY Stefan Hartmann
25 C
asual conversations
Prof. Ramin Jahanbegloo
26 Alumni at large
An education
22
By Andrew Comrie-Picard
28 C
lass notes
News from classmates
near and far
31 C
alendar
Things to see, hear and do in
the coming months
32 Trinity
past
Do you recognize these people?
Published three times a year by Trinity College,
University of Toronto, 6 Hoskin Avenue,
Toronto, M5S 1H8
Phone: (416) 978-2651; Fax: (416) 971-3193
E-mail: alumni@trinity.utoronto.ca
http://www.trinity.utoronto.ca
Trinity is sent to 13,000 alumni, parents, friends
and associates of the College.
Trinity College complies with the Ontario Freedom
of Information and protection of Privacy Act. We
protect your personal information and do not rent
or sell our mailing list.
If you do not wish to receive the magazine or wish
only to receive it electronically, please contact us.
Editor: Lisa Paul
Editorial Co-ordinator: Jill Rooksby
Art Direction and Design: Fresh Art & Design Inc.
Cover photography: Christopher Wahl
Publications Mail Agreement 40010503
yourletters
Praise, Grumbles and Other Remarks
Editor’s note
The decision to initiate a redesign of trinity magazine for the
fall 2009 issue was inspired by a few things: a desire to have the
best-looking alumni magazine around; a general consensus that
it was time for the mag to be refreshed; and my having been
in the editor’s chair for almost one year exactly. Though Karen
Hanley, my predecessor, did an amazing job for years, turning
out an award-winning publication, it seemed only appropriate
that a new editor usher in a new era.
I think Fresh Art and Design did an incredible job in carrying
out our vision for a modern, cutting-edge and highly stylized
new layout. But of course, looks are only one facet of a great
alumni magazine. Even more important is the content, which
you will notice we are slowly shifting, adding new departments
and reviving old ones. This shift will continue throughout the
next few issues as we try to perfect what we feel is the best balance of editorial material – features, fiction, profiles, columns,
op-eds and departments – to accomplish our goals. Look for an
increasing variety of each of these styles in future issues.
As an undergraduate College, we don’t have the luxury of
being able to draw on the original research of PhD students for
news stories. But we do have a wide-ranging network of profs,
fellows and associates who are leaders in their respective fields,
and showcasing that was the reason behind adding the Casual
Conversations department. Just as including more of your
stories, told by you, was the impetus for adding the Alumni
at Large department. And luckily for us, at Trinity there is no
shortage of grads with fascinating stories to profile.
We hope that through this new Your Letters section, we will
learn more about what you enjoy reading in each issue of the
magazine, and what you would like to see more of. Let’s work
together to ensure that trinity continues to reflect the high calibre
of its audience, and does its job in keeping you informed,
entertained and engaged with the wider College community.
LISA PAUL
Editor, trinity
Show and tell
In the spirit of “show, don’t
I just wanted to let you know
of the magazine looks great.
a sophisticated and contem-
that I think the new design
The crisp, clear style projects
porary image of the College.
tell,” it would be an effective
It’s always fascinating to read
way of demonstrating the intel-
about current students and
lectual bench strength
what alumni are up to.
and accomplishments of the
It would be intriguing,
the elephant
who stepped on
a land mine
however, to see the magazine
Journeying back to Sri Lanka, Randy Boyagoda
questions the way we respond to victims of civil war
Trinity community.
Perhaps this is outside
go beyond profiles and updates
the intended scope of an
to feature more original articles
alumni publication, though
highlighting research findings
I can’t see Trinity alumni
of Trinity professors and fel-
objecting to this type of
lows, opinion pieces on current
thoughtful engagement along
affairs written by alumni or
with news and updates from
students, and perhaps, from
the College.
time to time, works of fiction.
Anne Cobban ’85
IllustRatIon By sophIe Casson
the driver took no notice of the young soldiers patrolling the road outside the airport.
They were lolling about on push bikes, machine guns teetering on their laps. They
looked like bored children killing time.
Making full stops between each syllable,
he said his name was Hemasiri, and then,
without pausing for me to answer, asked if
this was our first time in Sri Lanka; whether
we were on holiday or business; did we find
it very hot. I had requested an Englishspeaking driver from the car agency, and
Hemasiri seemed keen to establish his suitability. I explained that I hadn’t been to Sri
Lanka in seven years and was returning
to introduce my American wife and our
daughter to my family’s origins, and also
to do some research for a novel. “Ah, right
sir,” he answered. “I’m also here,” I continued, using a standard euphemism for
Sri Lanka’s ongoing civil war, “to write
about the elephants, and how they’ve been
affected by the country’s situation.” Tentatively, he said he knew of a good place
to ride elephants, using another favoured
euphemism. “Very safe, sir, no trouble there.”
I didn’t know then that in the coming weeks,
I would spend more time with this man
than with anyone else except my wife and
daughter. A few minutes past the airport,
our car was hemmed in on all sides by traffic. We were idling. We were almost always
idling during our time in Sri Lanka.
After about 90 minutes of driving, from
one security checkpoint into the lineup
for another, this one sponsored by a local
Toyota dealership, the next one by a waterpump company, I asked Hemasiri to pull
over. There were mounds of bright red fruit
for sale along the side of the road and we
FaLL 2009 21
4 trinity alumni magazine
Unenlightened photography
Calling all critics
We had the pleasure of having
Trinity magazine is written for you, and to that end, we want to give
Alyson Barnett-Cowan attend
St. George’s Fair Valley,
trinity
TRINITY ALUMNI MAGAZINE wINTER 2010
in Coldwater, Ont., with her
you more of an opportunity to engage with it, and us, more fully.
Starting in this issue of trinity, we will be including a section called
Your Letters on a regular basis.
husband last year. Bruce
This is a space for you to tell us what you think – to share sug-
served as our interim minister
gestions, memories, thoughts, reactions, observations, wisecracks
for nine months or so.
– about the College, trinity’s new look, the magazine in general, or
It was great to see the article
the stories or departments within it.
on Alyson in the last issue of
Letters are encouraged and welcome, either by e-mail or snail
trinity. However, as a photographer, I take exception to the
mail. Please include your full name, as anonymous letters will
the peacemaker
alyson barnett-cowan is pushing the church forward
photographs of her, which seem
not be published, and grad year if applicable. Letters may be
edited for clarity or length, and we may not necessarily print all
breathing room for the archives • hope after copenhagen • a five-year plan
dark and foreboding.
It’s almost as if the pho-
submissions due to space constraints, though clearly that is not
an issue just yet.
tographer or printer got the
you should do her the credit
colour balance off. Alyson is
of another photograph in the
not at all a dark, foreboding or
future to show her lighter side!
that serious a person. I believe
David Kennedy ’73
Thank you to those who wrote in this time around. We look
forward to hearing from more of you before the fall issue!
E-mail your letters to:
lisanicole.paul@utoronto.ca
That’s the spirit Ringo!
Or mail them to:
Lisa Paul, editor, trinity magazine
A lifetime
of the Strachan Hall kitchen
Trinity College
bon appètit to
staff to please our palates as
Office of Development and Alumni Affairs
Ringo, our “sub-
best they could within budget.
6 Hoskin Ave.
master chef” in
Despite their fearful staff
the mid-1980s!
dodging the raucous dashes and
Or maybe we did employ the
flying food of “pooring-outs,”
more correct sous-chef term for
Ringo and Gerry respected
Ringo, but whatever moniker we
our reactions to menu items
used at Trinity College Meetings
and honoured our requests
during my reports as Food Com-
for increased frequencies of
mittee rep (1984-85), it was an
favoured long-table specialty
affectionate one.
spreads such as a yogurt bar,
Liaising weekly with Ringo,
salad bar, deli bar, and bagel bar
“Gerry the master chef,” and
– though we never did realize the
the unflappable Chaplain John
often-suggested “bar bar.”
Simons as Food Committee
Toronto, ON M5S 1H8
Congratulations, Ringo – you
Chairman, I, along with many
have obviously continued to serve
Men of College, became con-
up dollops of culinary service!
vinced of the sincere willingness
Adrian Cloete ’87
From Here
to e-trinity
Keep in touch!
e-trinity, our electronic newsletter, will
keep you up to date on College news and
events between issues of Trinity magazine.
To subscribe, send us your e-mail
address at alumni@trinity.utoronto.ca
Address update
e-mail alumni@trinity.utoronto.ca or go
to www.alumni.utoronto.ca/address.htm
Summer 2010 5
notabene
dispatches from Campus
RICK Chard
The Hon. Louise Arbour shares reflections with Bill Graham on a decade spent abroad, in Trinity’s Conversations with the Chancellor.
Wordly Words
“We are not ambitious enough in international
The evening’s event was the third in the
Yugoslavia, former justice of the Supreme
law.” So charges the Hon. Louise Arbour,
speakers’ series, in which Graham engages
Court of Canada, and former UN High Com-
president and CEO of the International Crisis
in candid discussions of contemporary issues
missioner for Human Rights.
Group in Brussels.
with influential Canadian policymakers. Previ-
On April 21 at Trinity College, Arbour –
Chancellor Bill Graham’s most recent guest
for the Conversations with the Chancellor
During her 90-minute conversation with
ous guests were Gen. (Ret’d) Rick Hillier and
the Chancellor, the range of topics included
former prime minister Paul Martin.
an evaluation of the status of bilingualism
Born and raised in Montreal, Arbour has
in Canadian law, modern war crimes law,
series – shared with an attentive audience her
held a variety of influential domestic and
the impact of international law on ongoing
reflections on a decade of experience spent
international positions, including former
conflicts, and the future of the International
abroad in the service of promoting human
chief prosecutor for the International Crimi-
Criminal Court.
rights and international law.
nal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former
6 trinity alumni magazine
On the subject of international law, Arbour
argued in favour of expanding its role, stating
that peace and justice are too intermingled
politically. “We should divorce justice from
political considerations,” she said.
Arbour also said she believes that the UN
Security Council “should have no role in the
process [of the execution] of international
law,” and that the execution of it should
be left to an independent prosecutor. She
discussed the capacity of international law
to stop conflicts, and noted that, while its
impact on nontraditional conflicts remains
unclear, its influence on conflicts involving
traditional armies is apparent.
“In traditional forms of warfare, armies
would not think of engaging in any manoeuvre without legal advice,” Arbour told the
audience. “I am absolutely persuaded that
the International Security Assistance Force
[in Afghanistan] is conducting operations
Pen Pals
The term “reading week” usually conjures up images of snowcapped mountains or golden beaches, but for 22 international
relations students, the week-long break in February was spent
in Brussels grappling with issues ranging from EuropeanCanadian relations to the prosecution of war crimes.
The trip took the students of a course called Global Governance, in the Trinity One IR program, to the European Commission, the European Council, where they participated in a
round-table discussion with Canada-EU relations experts, and
the headquarters of NATO, where they met Canada’s ambassador
to NATO, Robert McRae. With McRae, the group had a chance
to discuss NATO’s evolving role in international relations and
Canada’s current and potential roles within the organization.
Over the course of the week, the group also made several day
trips, including one to The
“The value of experiential
Hague in the Netherlands.
education is clear, and it
Students visited the Internais great that the university
tional Criminal Court and the
supports it”
International Criminal Tribu-
there in the same way that NATO operated
in Kosovo … I am sure that there were
not many manoeuvres undertaken without
legal advice as to proportionality, rules of
engagement, etc.”
Arbour proceeded to outline potential
challenges in the development of international law, highlighting the relative lack
of coercive measures in place to enforce
Trinity IR students at the hemicycle in the European Parliament.
human rights resolutions and decisions
made by international lawmaking bodies
such as the International Criminal Court or
the UN Human Rights Commission.
It is particularly difficult, she said, to
expand international law into areas dealing
with such issues as crimes of aggression,
and pointed out that arriving at a common definition of aggression is problematic
enough, never mind agreeing on who should
act as a “trigger” for war crimes indictment.
The issues explored by Graham and Arbour
are difficult ones, but the evening’s intelligent
discussion was enlightening and enriching.
nal for the former Yugoslavia, where they observed a portion of
an ongoing war crimes trial.
The trip was “an unparalleled experience,” says Johnny Henderson ’13, one of the trip’s student organizers. “The value of experiential education is clear, and it is great that the university supports it.”
Back in Toronto, the students put their experience to good
use by developing a policy paper that outlines roles for Canada
in several international organizations, and by speaking to local
high schools about what they learned.
As a token of appreciation to their high-profile hosts, the IR
students gave each of them a Trinity College pen. The gifts were
so well received, Henderson says, that people “have written back
saying they love the pens and use them frequently.”
Summer 2010 7
notabene
Dispatches from campus
Trinity Welcomes New Dean of Students
On April 1, Jonathan Steels was appointed
Trinity’s new Dean of Students, replacing
Kelley Castle, who, after just under six years
with the College, has moved on to work as
Dean of Students at Victoria College.
“I’m very excited to be here in this
capacity,” says Steels. “I am looking
forward to continuing to work closely with
students to develop more supportive programming at the College for commuting and
international students, as well as for senior
students who are making difficult decisions
about what direction to take in the next
phase of their lives.”
Steels’ own life direction was anything
but straightforward. In 2001, he earned a
B.Sc. with honours in biochemistry from
the University of Guelph, where he also
worked as a residence assistant – a role he
really enjoyed.
Steels decided to further this kind of
experience while pursuing his PhD in biochemistry (which he completed in 2008)
at the University of Toronto. He worked as
a teaching assistant for various departments, including biochemistry, dentistry
and medicine, but was eventually “drawn
to Trinity for its unique academic don program.” He became a don in 2004, and two
years later was named the College’s firstever Assistant Dean of Students, a position
he held until his recent promotion.
“Throughout my many years working
with students, I realized I had a real passion for providing guidance during a pivotal
time in their lives,” Steels says. “For many
students, it is during their first few years
of undergraduate studies that they live
away from home for the first time, and they
Henrieta Haniskova
may need help dealing with the challenges
of becoming independent. A supportive
environment ultimately allows students to
focus on the academic demands and to
achieve success.”
8 trinity alumni magazine
Creative Spaces
Divinity Doctorates
Karri North
After the victory, the paintbrush? Trinity students’
outstanding contributions
to the visual arts on
campus were showcased in
the College’s sixth annual
art show, which ran from
March 11 to 14.
More than 30 contributors, including a mix of
Trinity students and other
talented U of T artists, displayed their work in Seeley
Hall at the __go! Art show.
The event was organized
by Sophia Balagamwala ’10,
Shannon Garden-Smith ’11,
Elisa Pelaia ’09, Konstantine
Polyzois ’12 and Cara Sohn
’10, who wanted to make the
show “approachable [as in
years past], but serious,”
says Pelaia.
Many of the works dealt
with themes of space,
displacement, motion and
incongruence. The show was
well attended by the public,
and received coverage in The
Varsity student newspaper.
Four new high-profile community leaders recently joined the ranks of Trinity College’s
distinguished honorary degree recipients in divinity.
At this year’s Divinity Convocation, held May 11, James Kelsey McConica,
Meredith Norris Saunderson and William John Saunderson accepted a Doctor of
Sacred Letters, and Walter Garth Deller accepted a Doctor of Divinity.
James Kelsey McConica was nominated in recognition of his monumental
academic achievements both as an Erasmus scholar and in the history of ancient
universities, as well as for his weighty administrative responsibilities, including
his superb leadership of the University of St. Michael’s College and the Pontifical
Institute of Mediaeval Studies, from which he retired in 2008.
Meredith Norris Saunderson was nominated in recognition of a long career of
philanthropy and achievement. She has played an exceptional role with institutions
such as the AGO, the TSO, the National Youth Orchestra, the Stratford Festival and
the Parkinson’s Society of Canada.
William John Saunderson ’56 was nominated in recognition of his exemplary
career in business, government and philanthropic activities. Founder of Sceptre
Investment Counsel Ltd., one of Canada’s most successful investment firms, Saunderson also served as Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism in the
Ontario Provincial Government.
Walter William Garth Deller ’82, ThD ’89 was nominated in recognition of his
extraordinary contributions in scholarship and church music, particularly for his
Brian, by Lauren Peruzza.
work in advancing theological knowledge among lay people.
Summer 2010 9
notabene
Dispatches from campus
A Change
in Tune
In September 2009, Trinity
welcomed first-year music
student Rachel Mahon as
the College’s new Bevan
Organ Scholar. Mahon, whose
grandfather was cantor at St.
Mary Magdalene in Toronto from
1949 to 1977, comes from a
family replete with musicians.
“Rachel plays with an ear
to the musical phrase, a rare
asset to be found among organists,” says John Tuttle, the College’s organist and director of
music, adding that she has “a
passion for good music, which
she brings to her work with the
Trinity Chapel Choir.”
The Bevan Organ Scholarship is an endowed position
designed to allow one U of T
undergraduate music student
to work as an Anglican Church
musician for three years. The
scholar accompanies daily
liturgies in the Trinity College
Chapel, and accompanies and
conducts the chapel choir.
Mahon replaces Christopher
John Tuttle
Ku, who is currently studying
the music of Thomas Tallis
at Oxford.
Woven into Trin’s Tradition
In honour of the Scottish roots of Trinity’s founder, John Strachan, the College recently acquired its
own tartan, duly registered officially in the Scottish Register of Tartans at the National Archives of
Scotland in Edinburgh.
Designed by Bruce Barnett-Cowan ’75, MDiv ’78, the tartan is an attractive blend of the traditional colours of both Trinity and St. Hilda’s. Plans are afoot for the woven fabric to be made into a
small range of merchandise, including kilts and ties. Watch this space for more details!
10 trinity alumni magazine
High Five
Nepali Children’s Education
Project.
Gabriel De Roche ’09 is
past president of the International Relations Society,
president of the University of
Toronto Liberals, an analyst
with the G8 Research Group,
and editor-in-chief of The
Salterrae, Trinity’s newspaper,
and The Attaché, U of T’s
journal of foreign affairs.
Jasmeet Sidhu ’10 has kept
readers in the loop on climate change conferences as
a blogger for the Huffington
Post and the Toronto
Star. She was among the
initiators and developers of
the Green Roof project at
Trinity’s St. Hilda’s, and is
active in the Trinity Environmental Club, the Trinity
Environmental Protection
Committee and ReWire,
a U of T project that challenges students, staff and
faculty to reduce their
own energy consumption
through small behavioral
changes.
Sidhu also won a U of T
Award of Excellence, which
celebrates members
of the U of T community
who, through their individual
efforts and accomplishments,
have contributed to the
university’s vision of becoming a world leader in
teaching and research.
Creating Your Legacy
When Jack Whiteside ’63 sat down to draw up his estate plans,
the students of Trinity College were not far from his mind.
So remembering Trinity in his will was a natural extension of
his long-time commitment to the College.
A few years later, he realized how simple it could be to
build an even stronger relationship with Trinity and its
students during his lifetime – by accelerating his plans and
establishing a scholarship fund for the here and now.
Jack set up the John Harvey Whiteside Scholarships to
be endowed and awarded immediately, and is planning to
enhance and further secure the fund through his will.
This fall, the first scholarship will be awarded, giving Jack
the chance to realize his goal of helping deserving Trinity
Eric Forget
This year, five Trinity students were among those to
receive prestigious Gordon
Cressy Student Leadership
Awards, which were handed
out at a gala on April 15.
Established in 1994, the
Cressy awards are meant to
highlight outstanding extracurricular contributions students make to their faculty,
college or the university as a
whole. Here are the Trinity
winners, and a glance at their
accomplishments:
Joanna Dafoe ’10, a
student at the Centre for
Environment, is an
organizer of Canadian
groups’ participation in the
350.org International Day
of Action on Climate
Change, and a member of
the Canadian delegation to
the UN Commission on
Sustainable Development.
May Jeong ’10, also a
student at the Centre for
Environment, filed reports
for the Huffington Post from
December’s UN climate
change summit in Copenhagen, where she was a U of T
student delegate, and for the
Toronto Star from the 2007
UN climate meeting in Bali,
where she was a member
of the Canadian Youth
Delegation.
Ronan MacParland ’10 is
a director of French for the
Future, co-founder and program director of the Canadian Roots Exchange, and a
founding director of the
students. You can also have that same satisfaction and make
a life-changing difference for students through a planned
gift in your will.
Jack is proud to be the chair of the Gerald Larkin Society,
which recognizes and honours everyone who has made a
planned gift to Trinity. The size of your planned gift is your
personal decision. What is vitally important is that you consider supporting Trinity in this special way.
All bequests to Trinity, whatever the size, have a lasting
impact on the lives of future students. For more information on gift planning and the Gerald Larkin Society, contact
Meghan Whitfield in the Office of Development & Alumni
Affairs, at 416-978-8251.
Summer 2010 11
view from
the top
For George Fierheller, true success
comes from giving back
By Anita Li
Photography by Christopher Wahl
Just off the corner of Bay Street and King
Street West, in the heart of Toronto’s financial district, the imposing, black-walled Royal
Trust Tower stretches 45 storeys into the sky.
It is the end of a long workday, and the
tower is empty save for a few workers trickling out of the main doors. With each step, the
sound of their heels on the granite floor echoes
through the lobby.
Up on the top floor, George Fierheller ’55 is
still in his office. Despite his reputation as a leader
in Canadian business and charitable endeavours,
Fierheller, 77, is an unassuming man. With his
stooped shoulders and delicate handshake, he
reminds me of an affable grandfather one might
see at a local park.
The view from Fierheller’s office, however, is
a telling indicator of his extraordinary success.
From a wall-to-wall window overlooking City
Hall, “I can watch over the mayor,” he quips.
A sense of humour is just one of Fierheller’s
many winning traits, says Lucia Stephenson, director of United Way Toronto’s Tomorrow Fund.
“He has an incredibly dry wit. He is totally
accessible. He is an individual that you have an
instant rapport and comfort with,” says Stephen-
14 trinity alumni magazine
son, who has worked with Fierheller since 1993.
“Any organization that has the benefit of George
as a volunteer is definitely enriched by his understanding, his zeal, his passion and commitment.”
Fierheller agrees that his relaxed manner does
put people at ease. “I tend to look at things with
a bit of a twinkle in my eye,” he says. “And that’s
something I can thank my father for ... he passed
that on.”
But it was chance, rather than genetics, that led
him down a path of volunteerism and philanthropy.
After graduating from Trinity College with a
degree in political science and economics, Fierheller worked at IBM and joined the Toronto
Junior Board of Trade (now called the Board of
Trade Young Professionals), where he began to
volunteer on various committees. But it was his
move to Ottawa in the late 1960s that threw him
headfirst into nonprofit activities.
“That was when I really started to volunteer
because that was when I got involved in United
Way,” he recalls, adding that his “most rewarding” work has been with that charity. He would
eventually go on to chair United Way campaigns
in Ottawa in 1972, Vancouver in 1981 and
Toronto in 1991.
Summer 2010 15
Fierheller admits that, initially, his
motives for volunteering were less than
altruistic: “I was doing it just because I
was asked to do it, and the next thing
you know, I was doing it because I really
wanted to do it.”
Such candid statements reflect Fierheller’s frank nature, which is also evident
in his book, I Gave at the Office: Views on
Voluntarism, published in 2007. In it, he
cites his early incentives to volunteer: “sex,
career advancement and flattery.” Indeed,
Fierheller wrote the entire book with a
healthy dose of honesty and humour, but
insists that there is nothing wrong with
having a selfish reason to volunteer.
“What biases you toward doing certain things is probably your own interest
in them,” he says. “I have a great love of
music, so I would tend to be receptive if
somebody said, ‘Look, I really need some
help on the Toronto Symphony.’
“It’s a bit of a balance between total altruism on one end and a little self-interest on
the other, and that’s not bad,” he adds. “I
don’t think it’s a problem, because you’re
volunteering for things that will ultimately
benefit everyone.”
But as a self-described perfectionist, he says he is also driven to volunteer
because of a deep-seated need to better
everything around him. (“Much to the
It’s a bit of
a balance
between total
altruism on one
end and a little
self-interest on
the other, and
that’s not bad
chagrin of everyone around me,” he adds
with a laugh.)
Systems Dimensions Limited, a computer services company Fierheller founded
in 1968 after leaving IBM in Ottawa, was
born out of this desire for improvement.
“I got together with some friends of
mine, we had a few beers and said, ‘Hey!
We should do something like this. We
could do it better [than IBM]’ – and we
did!” he recalls.
Despite his entrepreneurial success,
Fierheller says he doesn’t consider himself
to be an ambitious person. “I don’t think
I ever had those kinds of goals: ‘I really
want to be something,’ ” he muses. “If I
had any goal, it was that I really wanted to
do some interesting and, hopefully, useful
things.” He calls himself “the world’s worst
career planner,” and attributes his achievements to “being in the right place at the
right time.”
Born in 1933, Fierheller grew up near
the end of the Great Depression, went to
school during the Second World War, and
entered the workforce in the post-SecondWorld-War boom.
“There was so much change going on in
those three distinct periods,” he says. “It’s
probably one of the things that influenced
me to like new things, or certainly not to
be afraid of them, anyway – almost to seek
them out.”
Fierheller’s curiosity was bolstered during his time at Trinity, where he developed
“a wide-ranging, eclectic interest in just
about everything.”
The diversity of his interests is apparent in his office decor. Different editions
of Canadian Who’s Who line his book-
The Unlikely Volunteer
As a young student at Trinity College, Elizabeth Wilson ’65 says
Associates Inc., a consulting business working exclusively in the
she “didn’t think of volunteering.”
not-for-profit sector, in 1993.
“It wasn’t until I was at home with small children, and not working
For Wilson, civic duty is both “a responsibility” and “a source
for a period of years, that I felt the need to do something more, and
of interest and achievement.” Aside from her continuing volunteer
got involved at that point in some civic projects,” she says. “Then I
work at Trinity, she dedicates her time to artistic and cultural orga-
realized the terrific amount of satisfaction to be had from it.”
nizations such as the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival and Magi-
The unlikely volunteer would eventually return to work at the
University of Toronto and go on to spearhead a massive fundraising campaign. In 1988, Wilson was appointed the university’s
director of development and raised $127.3 million – surpassing
cana, a charity committed to the study and advancement of magic
as a performing art.
Yet, despite her extensive involvement in the community, Wilson cautions against taking on more than one can handle – advice
the original target of $100 million. “No other institution of any
she herself is only beginning to heed. “I’m learning to say no,”
kind in the country had raised an amount like that at the time,”
she admits. “I’m pretty careful about the number of things I take
she says proudly.
on. I need to be convinced of the worth of an organization and its
Wilson describes the five years she spent working on the
mission.” Wilson’s desire for balance coincides closely with her
campaign as a “crash course in major gift fundraising,” adding
philosophy of volunteerism, which is: “not to over-commit, but to
that the experience inspired her to launch Elizabeth Wilson &
take it as seriously as you would any other task.” – Anita Li
16 trinity alumni magazine
shelves, aboriginal sculptures sit on his
desk, and contemporary paintings hang
on the walls. At home, he says, his personal library is filled with texts on medieval history, nuclear physics and business
management. Fierheller’s résumé of
volunteer activities shows a similar
range. Currently, he counts eight to nine
organizations in which he is regularly
involved, including the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, the Toronto
Symphony Orchestra and the Canadian
Opera Company.
When asked how he chooses which
charities to support, he says: “Most of
the time, I am chosen. A lot of the things
I got involved in I got involved because
somebody I respected asked me to.”
Kara Spence, former vice-president of
development at Trinity, is one such person. “I was looking at the list of alumni
who had done some wonderful things
in their careers, and George’s name, of
course, sprang off the page,” she recalls.
Spence asked him to chair Trinity’s
Spirit of Leadership campaign, which ran
from 1993 to 2000. “His passion is always
understated, but he doesn’t just talk about
it – he makes things happen.”
Since retiring in 1996, Fierheller claims
to have learned when enough is enough.
But he still maintains a hectic schedule
that he says his wife, Glenna, tolerates.
“After a while, I think she sort of threw up
her hands saying, ‘I can’t stop him. He’s
going to say yes to everything, so what the
heck. I may as well learn to live with it.’ ”
In view of her husband’s more than 40
years – and still counting – of volunteer
and philanthropic work, it appears that
Glenna has no choice.
“My goal is to be as useful as I can,” he
says earnestly. “I want to feel that when
I get up in the morning, I’ve got a whole
bunch of interesting things to do. I hate the
thought of getting up and saying, ‘What I
really want to do is go back to sleep.’ To
me, that would be devastating.”
Hands-on helper
Despite graduating from Cambridge University in 1963 with a
degree in history, Stephen Otto ’61, a Trinity graduate in com-
down and “connect to a gentler, simpler time.”
Emphasizing the need to protect places of historical signifi-
merce and finance, says he had no intention of pursuing a career
cance, Otto says, “It’s incumbent upon us to not let too many slip
in that field. “I graduated without ever having any expectation of
through our fingers.”
making my living at history,” he recalls. But his 35 years of work
As a hands-on volunteer, he keeps his own fingers very busy.
and volunteer experience in heritage preservation have proved
“I watch people around board tables who are very liberal with
decidedly otherwise.
Widely considered a leader in Toronto’s heritage movement,
Otto has defended dozens of local landmarks, including Fort
their advice, but then they don’t get involved – they expect everybody else to do it,” he says. “When you’re hands on, I think you
can make a significant difference.”
York, a national historic site in the city’s west end. Last year,
Passion is the driving force behind Otto’s commitment to
he donated $250,000 to support the Fort York Revitalization
preserving historic sites in Toronto and other Ontario cities. Civic
campaign.
duty, he says, is best expressed “through something you enjoy.”
“The city moves at quite a fast pace,” he says. His soft-spoken
“Not only are you doing what is right by the society that gives
voice becomes animated as he explains the importance of heritage
you the privileges that we have here, but you’re getting pleasure
preservation. He describes many of Toronto’s buildings as portals
out of it too!” Otto enthuses. “Then, my goodness, you’re really,
to the past, adding that these landmarks allow people to slow
really cooking.” – Anita Li
Summer 2010 17
reaching out
Trinity extends its spirit of public service
By Philip Lee-Shanok
Henrieta Haniskova
It could be tempting to chalk up the
appointment of Trinity College’s first-ever
Outreach Don to a desire to break out of
the ivory tower stereotype. But the man
who inspired the creation of the donship
says this position couldn’t be more in
keeping with the College’s core traditions.
Recently retired Ontario Chief Justice
Roy McMurtry ’54 says that while some
perceive the College as being cloistered and
exclusive, in reality community involvement and public service have always been
part of Trinity’s mission and values.
“Trinity has always had many community-minded individuals,” McMurtry says.
In 2007, while accepting an honorary
doctorate from Trinity, he spoke of the
College’s spirit of public service. In retrospect, he calls that speech the genesis
of the Roy McMurtry Community Outreach Donship.
In it, McMurtry recalled the summers
he spent as a Trin undergrad in the 1950s
volunteering at Frontier College, teaching
English to recent immigrant labourers.
“Even back in those ancient days, a
18 trinity alumni magazine
spirit of community service was encouraged at Trinity,” he says. “That was an
experience that stayed with me.”
McMurtry says the satisfaction he got
from serving the broader community
informed his career choices: his probono legal work as a lawyer, and his life
in politics and in the diplomatic service.
Inspired by that 2007 speech, an old
friend of McMurtry’s (who shall remain
anonymous) made a gift to Trinity and
established a fund, which was used to create the Community Outreach Donship in
McMurtry’s name.
“He seemed to be impressed by what I
had to say,” McMurtry notes.
While the bulk of the College’s residence dons are primarily tasked with
providing academic advice and life counselling to undergrads, this position differs
in that it aims to foster students’ involvement in the greater community.
International graduate student Serdar
Tekin was the first to take on the challenge this past academic year.
Tekin completed both his BA and
master’s degrees in political science at
Ege University in Izmir, the third largest
city in Turkey.
In consultation with student groups
looking for meaningful service opportunities, he helped facilitate a number of
events over the academic year, including
two major blood drives for Canadian
Blood Services: Blood Ties; and The Big
Save. The latter, a one-day mega-clinic
held at the College in March, resulted in
the donation of 438 units of blood.
Tekin says he’s glad the Roy McMurtry
Community Outreach Donship will continue on into future years.
Reflecting on his experience as the first
person to hold the position, Tekin says: “I
believe it went well for everyone,” adding,
“but I will not be returning myself.”
Close to completing his doctoral degree
in political science, Tekin is moving on,
having given Trinity College a good new
beginning to an old tradition.
Philip Lee-Shanok ’90 is currently working
as a national reporter for CBC News.
stepping up
Students are volunteering to make a difference
By Randi Chapnik Myers
Henrieta Haniskova
Megan McGinnis-Dunphy ’12 knows her
way around a soup kitchen. The first time
she volunteered at one, she was only eight.
“I was upset at seeing so many poor people,” she recalls of the Christmas dinner
served in a homeless shelter in Bakersfield, Calif., where she grew up. But as she
and her mom handed out toothbrushes
and shampoo, McGinnis-Dunphy realized that helping others felt good. “I
learned early that trying to help is the best
way to relieve sadness in the world,” says
the Trinity student.
Today, the young woman is president
of the Trinity College Volunteer Society (TCVS). This not-for-profit student
organization, with approximately 20
active members, organizes fundraisers
each year in addition to helping run six
ongoing, citywide outreach projects,
including pet therapy in hospitals, refugee tutoring, music lessons for disadvantaged kids, and soup kitchens.
The volunteers take the job of feeding the hungry very seriously, says the
20 trinity alumni magazine
Rev. Andrea Budgey, Trinity College’s
Humphrys Chaplain, who, for more than
a decade, has pitched in at the Out of the
Cold program, which the society runs
once a month from November to April at
St. Thomas’s Church in Toronto. “Not all
who come are homeless. But many can’t
afford both food and housing, so without
these meals, they would be out on the
street,” she says.
“Cooking for so many people is difficult,” McGinnis-Dunphy says. The first
step was coming up with nutritious menus.
Then came the shopping – two carts loaded
with ingredients to make dishes such as
chili, lasagna and sloppy joes – followed
by hours of chopping, seasoning, cooking,
and finally, at 6 p.m., serving the meals to
as many as 120 people.
“I look at volunteering as a way to
make the world look like it should,”
McGinnis-Dunphy says. She is proud
that a coffeehouse event the TCVS held
in March raised $1,000 for the Doctors
Without Borders’ emergency fund. “We
began planning the event in January, just
two or three days after the Haiti quake.
Watching the constant newsfeed and
being unable to do anything just makes
people ache, I think,” she says. “Due to
scheduling issues and our desire to hold
a really great event instead of just throwing something together, we planned for
about two months.”
The event featured guest speakers Provost Andy Orchard and former
Dean of Women Dr. Elizabeth Abbot,
as well as musical presentations by student performers.
Although busy working toward her
honours BA in international development
and peace and conflict studies, the president and her executive consider charity
part of their daily routine. “Humanitarian work is not just my passion, it’s my
calling,” McGinnis-Dunphy says. Indeed,
she sees herself working in the UN one
day, improving economic development in
Third World countries. “It’s just another
way to try to make a difference.”
freedom fighter
Cheryl Perera mobilizes youth for youth
By diana cina
Henrieta Haniskova
When you visit OneChild.ca, you are
immediately confronted with some disturbing facts, such as how much it costs
for a 15-year-old girl in Labasa, Fiji.
OneChild, based in Richmond Hill, Ont., is
working to shed light on an industry many
people don’t even realize exists – the global
sex trade in children – and to mobilize
children and youth to lead the fight against
such exploitation. At its helm is president
and founder Cheryl Perera ’10.
Perera first learned about the issue
while working on a school project. “I was
angered by what I read, but I wanted to
channel the negative energy and put it
into action in a positive way,” she says.
Doing research wasn’t enough; Perera
asked her parents if she could take time
off high school to go to Asia to investigate. At first, they vehemently said no. But
ultimately, “through constant pestering,”
Perera won them over.
In 2002, the then 17-year-old set off for
Sri Lanka, the country from which her
parents had emigrated. Over the course
of two months, she received training from
local police. Then she ventured into the
red-light district to act as a decoy. Perera
spent an hour talking to a suspected
22 trinity alumni magazine
pedophile, who also happened to be a
high-ranking manager of a multinational
corporation – and a father – while police
waited nearby. “We talked, and he said
very graphically what he was interested
in. It was pretty disgusting, but I had to
keep my cool,” she recounts.
Luckily, the police made the arrest;
they celebrated their success with highfives. “But this victory was short-lived as
I began to reflect on the way the perpetrator viewed my childhood as a commodity,
and the way he spoke to me and looked at
me,” Perera says.
When she returned home, she was
inspired to do something more. Perera
rounded up nine friends, and founded
OneChild. First, the group produced an
amateur video that airlines could screen
to educate passengers about child sex
tourism. It was picked up by Air Canada.
Since November 2005, more than 21
million passengers on international and
domestic flights have viewed this, and a
second video.
But this still wasn’t enough. “We realized that what was needed was an organization that put young people at the
forefront of fighting child sex slavery, and
empowered them,” Perera says. “We knew
what young people were capable of, and
strongly believed that as an issue affecting
young people, young people ought to be
involved in combating it.”
OneChild’s mandate is to engage young
people in a global partnership, through
advocacy initiatives and public awareness
campaigns, and by supporting efforts at
prevention, rehabilitation and reintegration. It has partnered with the Casa de
Passagem in Brazil and the PREDA Foundation in the Philippines, both of which
house and rehabilitate young children
and teens who have been violated and
abused. Relying on donations and volunteers, many of whom include Perera’s
friends and family, OneChild is still headquartered in her parents’ basement.
Balancing university and OneChild
was difficult, Perera admits. She travelled frequently and often had to do her
schoolwork on a plane. But having just
completed her undergrad degree in ethics, society and law, and political science,
Perera says she plans to devote the next
year to OneChild. “In every way, we’re all
connected, and I know that even small
efforts can make a difference.”
The Friends of the Library Trinity College
35
book sale
th
annual
October 22-26 2010
Trinity College, 6 Hoskin Avenue
Seeley Hall, Second Floor
Information: (416) 978-6750
www.trinity.utoronto.ca/booksale
cash • cheque • debitcard • Amex • Mastercard • Visa
casualconversation
Getting to know Trinity’s fellows and associates
Prof. Ramin Jahanbegloo
Trinity associate 2009 to 2011; research fellow at the Centre for Ethics; recent recipient of
the 2009 Peace Prize awarded by the Association for United Nations in Spain
Society and Law program, which is
centred on non-violent initiatives and
strategies. Also, I’m very active at the
Centre for Ethics, organizing conferences,
and I do a lot of research here.
Why is studying non-violence important?
What it helps people to do is learn how
to listen to one another, learn from one
another, and later on, how to lead a society. If we want to have a “civilized society,”
we need to redefine what civilization is.
I always define it for my students and
say it’s not about progress in science or
technology, it’s about moral progress. It’s
when your conscience is civilized and
knows what is just and unjust, and based
on that, you take action.
It’s the responsibility of the citizen to
have a civic consciousness, and nonviolence is a part of that. If we educate
young people on that from the very
beginning, they will learn to think about
it on an everyday basis.
How did you become an associate?
I’ve been in touch with Trinity for a long
time. I started teaching at Trinity, and
I’ve been giving lectures here for the
past 10 years. Finally they said, since
you’ve been with us for so long, why not
become an associate? And of course I
said it would be a great honour.
What else do you do at the College?
I teach an annual course in the Ethics,
What do you consider the most rewarding part of teaching?
When I invite my students to read Martin
Luther King Jr. or Gandhi, some of them
come back to me and say, “You’ve changed
my life” – it takes the students toward new
horizons of thought, in which they redefine the concepts they have been working
with up until now, but did not know these
perspectives even existed.
Talk about the Peace Prize you just won:
It recognizes the work I’ve been doing for
the past 25 years – writing books, giving
talks, making contacts – on the subject of
bringing non-violence into everyday life.
I’ve travelled to more than 50 countries, met prime ministers and intellectual greats. I’ve met the Dalai Lama five
times, each time privately for one hour,
and it’s very interesting to engage with
him on different issues such as religion
and non-violence.
You were jailed for several months
without formal charges on your way to
a conference in Iran in 2006. How did
that experience change you?
It was the most important experience of
my life. Being imprisoned gives you a
strong sense of injustice, but at the same
time, if you have time to think about it,
it gives you a sense of justice, too. If you
are put into prison unjustly, you have to
think about what is justice? So when I got
out of prison, my conviction about nonviolence was tripled.
Name one book everyone should read:
Gandhi’s autobiography. In the past
30 years, I’ve read it maybe 12 times,
including four times in prison. It helped
me a lot when I was in solitary confinement. I believe what he says about each
one of us having our own experience
with truth.
Summer 2010 25
alumni@large
your voice, Your stories
An Education
Sitting on the start line of a race is nervewracking at the best of times. You’re
strapped into a quarter-million-dollar
race car, watching the hair-trigger start
lights as nearly 30 live TV cameras and
1.8 million viewers worldwide look on.
You know that as soon as ESPN comes
back from commercial they’ll start the
race, but you have no way of knowing
when that will be.
You can see out of the corner of your
eye the two-storey-high, 70-foot gap
jump where you will propel your car
over your competitor. It is enormous,
daunting, completely improbable. Something a car should never do, never mind
with someone inside. No more than 20
people, all of them X Games competitors
like yourself, have ever completed such a
jump. And when the start light goes out,
you will do it again.
To make matters worse, you know that
your car flies badly – nose down. And
you know that last year, in an attempt
to minimize the tendency to lawn-dart
the landing, you went five feet too short,
“cased” it, and flipped end-over-end in
one of the most sensational crashes in X
Games history – an event that became a
CNN “hit of the week.”
And still you sit there waiting for commercial to come to an end.
Sitting on the start line at the X Games
for the fourth consecutive year in 2009,
I think for a moment about what got me
here. Growing up in Edmonton and then
attending Trinity College at the University of Toronto, I had no idea that one
day I’d be in the Home Depot Stadium in
26 trinity alumni magazine
Los Angeles at ESPN’s X Games.
Life does work out in funny ways.
But then, I probably should have
expected this. During my time at Trinity,
and also throughout my total of 11 years
at university, I was always focused on cars.
Following the breakup of my first serious
romance, at Trinity, I took my car and
went down to the snowy Skydome parking lot (now condos) to burn off steam by
drifting perfect arcs around the light standards all night. Yes, I finished my degree,
“You may have to
walk away from a
smoking hulk of metal
that you’ve crashed
in the woods …”
and four others besides, but my first and
only true love was driving cars.
People say that to find your purpose in
life, you should recall what you wanted
to be when you were 12 years old, or
consider what magazines you pick up on
a newsstand. Well then, for me it’s obvious. I had always wanted to be a race-car
driver and an actor. But those professions
seemed like pipe dreams.
So I went to a good high school, then
Trinity, Toronto. Then Trinity, Oxford,
then McGill for law and MBA degrees.
I became a lawyer in New York, and got
what most would consider the dream law
job: I was an entertainment lawyer in one
of the most prestigious of such practices
in America. I had a supermodel as a client. Stephen Sondheim was in the office
regularly. It should have been perfect.
And yet, I knew that it wasn’t right. I
took all of my disposable income – and
then some – and bought better race cars,
campaigned at higher levels. After three
years, I began getting sponsors and had
to make the tough decision: stay with the
predictable and comfortable career, or
hang it out and give racing a go.
Well, I’m on the start line now.
But it’s been a long ride. Forget the
uncertainty of whether it will work out.
Learn to weld. Learn to mount tires.
Learn to program engine-management
computers. Learn how to build those
engines yourself. Learn how to shim the
taper bearings of the gearbox so you can
shift without the clutch.
Use every skill you’ve ever developed
in client management at the law firm
to seduce sponsors, to service them,
to write press releases, to deal with the
media. Come to grips with the uncertainty that you may have to walk away
from a smoking hulk of metal that you’ve
crashed in the woods, which represents
all of your net worth and all of your time
over the past three years.
This has been the ultimate exercise in
brinksmanship.
Often in interviews, I’m cast as quirky.
Comrie-Picard’s infamous X Games nose-dive crash; “Just another bad day at the office,” he says.
Most racers started at age 16 and built up
their experience and skills to get where
they are. Of course, for every one that
succeeded, hundreds failed. But that’s
how it typically works.
Not with me. The media loves that I
went to Oxford. They love that I was a
lawyer. Great! That means more media
for me, my sponsors and my effort. But
the real insight is that the education I got
– and I mean education in the broadest
sense – is what allows me to be a competitive racer today.
Think sitting on the start line sounds
hard? How about walking into a Lit
debate terribly late, not really knowing
the resolution, and having the Speaker
say, immediately, “Ah, the Member from
Comrie-Picard, a speech from crossbenches please.”
And now ESPN is finally back from
commercial, and the start light goes out.
Andrew Comrie-Picard ’93 was the host of
Ultimate Car Buildoff on Discovery Channel
and War of the Wheels on Global Television
in Canada. He is the 2009 North American
Rally Champion and a four-time ESPN X
Games athlete. He stunt drives for film,
television and commercials. At Trinity, he was
the news editor of Salterrae, and a frequent
debater at the Lit. He lives in L.A. You can
follow him at acpracing.com, “ACP Racing”
on Facebook, and @ACPRacing on Twitter.
Summer 2010 27
classnotes
News from classmates near and far
book it!
life she “tries to find time to pay
If you have published a book in the past six months, or have one coming out soon,
e-mail the editor: lisanicole.paul@utoronto.ca.
Peter T. Marsh ’58 has published The Chamberlain Litany:
Letters Within A Governing Family from Empire to Appeasement. Bereft of a mother, and with a largely absent father,
the children of Joseph Chamberlain clung to each other as
they grew up, and maintainied a lifelong correspondence.
Marsh says reading their letters is “like eavesdropping” –
and reading them as a whole sheds light on the stories that
the Chamberlains told themselves about their place in the
world, and about their own future and that of their country.
attention to an 18-year-old son,
a 16-year-old daughter, a large
mutt and three cats.”
David Johnson ’78 completed
the Canadian Ski Marathon, in
the “bronze class,” at Montebello, Que., on Feb. 13 and 14.
In this marathon, the world’s
longest cross-country ski event,
participants cover nearly 160
kilometres in 20 hours over two
days. “Not bad for a middleaged man,” says Johnson, who
thanks Malcolm McKenzie ’78
for being the original inspiring
force for this activity.
Susan Margaret Chapman ’66, a retired teacher-librar-
1980s
ian, published her first children’s picture book in February.
Too Much Noise in the Library (Upstart Books) is a twist on
an old folktale with a humorous theme: that things could
always be worse.
The Rt. Rev. Dennis P.
Drainville ’78, MDiv ’82
was installed as the 12th Lord
Bishop of Quebec on Pentecost
Sunday 2009, and received a
news
Doctor of Divinity at the Conchaplaincy. His contract, which
years of service in exotic post-
vocation of Montreal Diocesan
started Feb. 11, is for a period
ings such as Nairobi, Washing-
Theological College on May 10.
of three years.
ton, Manila, Paris, Hong Kong
Kevyn Nightingale ’85
Jo-Anne Billinger was
Ian Shaw ’63 has joined the
and currently, Wellington, New
is now a partner with Meyers
awarded the Kirubai Scholar-
Lake Victoria Mining Company’s
Zealand. She and her husband,
Norris Penny’s U.S. Taxation
ship, given annually to a Trinity
Board of Directors, where he
Tony Burger ’67, plan to travel
practice in Toronto.
College divinity student, at the
will also serve as chairman of
for six months before returning
Jane Lister ’87 obtained her
Bishop’s Company Dinner at the
the company’s independent
to Ottawa.
doctorate from the University
Diocese of Toronto on May 5.
audit committee. He is currently
Joanne Cook ’77 is now
of British Columbia in June
1960s
working as chief financial officer
the executive assistant to the
2009, and is currently a
of Richmond Minerals Inc., and
Minister of Community Services
postdoctoral fellow at UBC’s
The Rev. Canon Harold
is also managaing director of
of Nova Scotia, reporting to
Liu Institute for Global Issues,
Nahabedian ’63, MDiv ’66,
Shaw & Associates and a direc-
the Premier’s Office of the new
researching corporate social
Stb.’70 has resigned as Trinity
tor of Pelangio Exploration.
NDP government under Darrell
responsibility in global forestsector supply chains.
is the escort to the chancellor.
1970s
Dexter. She says Community
Services takes her back to her
He has moved to Strasbourg,
Pamela Deacon ’70 is retir-
1970s and 1980s roots in pov-
1990s
France, and is working as the
ing from the Department of For-
erty issues, social housing and
Kevin Goldthorp ’91
priest-in-charge of the Anglican
eign Affairs and Trade after 34
tenant rights. In her personal
stepped into a new role as
College’s Esquire Bedell, which
28 trinity alumni magazine
vice-president (external) of the
Globalization, will be published
University of Western Ontario
this summer by Gorgias Press.
and is charged with helping
the university to reinvigorate
its major fundraising campaign, with the goal of raising
marriages
correction
In the last issue of Trinity magazine – Winter
2010 – we published an incorrect notice stating that Ann Barclay (Blake) Galbraith ’53 had
died. We did so after receiving information
that we believed at the time to be reliable. We
deeply regret the mistake and are happy to
report that Ann Galbraith is alive and well.
$500-million by 2014.
Alison Ross ’96 and Matthew
Natalie Derzko ’91 has
Eckford: May 6, 2009, near
been promoted to “of counsel”
St. Andrews, Scotland.
within the office of Covington
Anne McConville ’95 and Chris-
& Burling LLP in Washington,
tian Pratte: Nov. 28, 2009, in
D.C. She practises in the areas
Ottawa.
of intellectual property, strategic
Craig Steeves ’93 and Rocio
counselling, due diligence,
Villalvazo Sandoval: Feb. 6 in
patent prosecution, patent
Ciudad Guzman, Mexico. Also in
Bradford, Ont., a little sister
(Houston) ’32, Jan. 29 in
litigation, intellectual property
attendance were Robert ’93 and
for Brooke.
Athens, Greece.
policy and law reform. The
Katherine (Payton) Klosa ’93.
Alexander ’03 and Serafima For-
Maybee: Arthur Ryerson ’50,
Washington Smart CEO has
Katherine Brasch ’90 and James
syth: a son, William Lucas, April
Dec. 27, 2009, in Castlegar, B.C.
also recognized her as a mem-
Silburn: Dec. 13, 2009, in
16 in Toronto, grandson of Ian
Pettem: Margaret A.
ber of its Legal Elite.
Hamilton, Ont.
’70 and Nancy ’70 Forsyth.
(Stilwell) ’52, Jan. 6 in
Emil Lee ’91 had the “honour
Toronto, wife of Douglas
births
deaths
cross-country relay leading up to
Eric Breton ’91 and Christine
Blackstock: Gordon, Dec. 28,
Thomson, Mary, Jan. 20 in
the Olympic Games.
Minas: a daughter, Anastasia, in
2009, in Toronto, former
Ottawa, wife of the Venerable
2000s
June 2009.
husband of the late Mary
David Thomson ’50, Div ’52,
Frank Sawyer ’94, Div ’97 and
(Manning) Blackstock
mother of the late Michael
Alison Frank ’03 has
Ginnelle Elliott ’97: a daugh-
’45, and father of Brenda
Treadwell ’64 and Naomi
received a D.Phil in Modern
ter, Philippa Rose, Feb. 11 in
Blackstock ’75 and Gerald
(Thomson) Hunter ’82, and
Languages from the University
Augusta, Ga.
Blackstock ’87.
grandmother of Christopher
of Oxford. The title of her thesis
Kathryn (Andruchuk) ’95 and
Carruthers: William Rhys ’38,
Treadwell ’99.
was Surrealism in Cinema: The
Dean Hegan: a son, Joshua Cole,
Feb. 8 in Toronto.
Turner: Nancy “Nan”
Hybrid Object & its Subversive
March 12 in Calgary.
Edwards: Stanley, May 12 in
(Marlow) ’49, Jan. 21 in
Effect. She currently lives in
Christine (Brown) ’97 and Jiro
Toronto, father of Paul Edwards
Pacific Palisades, Calif.,
London, England.
Shirota: a son, Callum Ken, Jan.
’74 and James R. Edwards ’79.
wife of Roderick Turner ’49.
Matthew Coomber Div ’05
2 in Barrie, Ont.
Fell: Catherine P. (Bliss) ’46,
Wansbrough: Mary Jane
completed his PhD in bibli-
Mary Sum ’01 and Alex Nichol-
March 14 in Thunder Bay, Ont.
(Palmer) ’61, Dec. 18, 2009,
cal studies at the University
son: a daughter, Ella Catherine,
Kennedy: Norah (Leake) ’49,
in Montreal.
of Sheffield in England. He is
Feb. 19 in Toronto, a niece for
April 21 in Vancouver, wife of
Watt: Lucienne, Feb. 8 in
a visiting scholar at Concordia
Gisele (Sum) Bush ’91.
the late James Kennedy ’49
Toronto. Lucienne was a
College in Moorhead, Minn.
Andrea (Brooks) ’02 and Christo-
and sister of the late Margaret
valued donor and supporter
His dissertation, Re-Reading
pher Wappel: a daughter, Lanna
Bocking ’52.
of the College, in particular
the Prophets through Corporate
Joy Caris, Dec. 5, 2009, in
Mackenzie: Margaret “Molly”
of the library.
and privilege” of carrying the
Olympic Torch in Chilliwack,
B.C., on Feb. 7, during the
Pettem ’52, and mother of
Kate Pettem ’84 and Anne
(Pettem) Fullerton ’86.
Summer 2010 29
The
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small class sizes to the academic support of the
Writing Centre to personal tutoring from an
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As we continue to raise funds for the most
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eventcalendar
things to see, hear and do in the coming months
All events are free unless a fee
College organist and director of
College and St. Thomas’s Angli-
of the Gerald Larkin Society,
is specified, but please phone
music. St. James Cathedral, 65
can Church. George Ignatieff
will host the members of
416-978-2651, or e-mail us at
Church St., 4:30 p.m.
Theatre, 8 p.m. Reception to
the society and their guests.
follow. To reserve a spot:
Combination Room, noon. For
416-978-2651; or
information: 416-978-2707;
alumni@trinity.utoronto.ca.
or julia.paris@utoronto.ca.
college
Friday, Nov. 12: Provost’s
Committee Event
alumni@trinity.utoronto.ca to
confirm time and location, or to
reserve a spot.
book
launch
lectures
Wednesday, Oct. 27: Keys
Lecture – Dr. Jack Szostak
Dr. Jack William Szostak is a
For donors of $1,000 or more.
By invitation. The evening will
professor of genetics at
Thursday, Oct. 28: Annual
Meeting of Corporation
Monday, Sept. 27:
Celebratory Launch
Harvard Medical School. He
George Ignatieff Theatre,
with alumni friendship and a
was awarded the 2009 Nobel
noon. For more information:
sumptuous buffet of interna-
Celebrating Penguin’s Allen
Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
416-946-7611; or
tional foods. For information:
Lane imprint in Canada and
Walter Hall, Edward Johnson
jwillard@trinity.utoronto.ca.
416-978-2707; or
the new 12-volume History of
Building, 2 p.m. To reserve a
Canada series. Editors Margaret
spot: 416-946-3346.
Polish-British biologist and
MacMillan and Robert Bothwell
julia.paris@utoronto.ca.
Thursday, April 28, 2011:
Spring Meeting
of Corporation
Ignatieff Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 18: Margaret MacMillan Lecture in
International Relations
Reception to follow. To reserve
Prof. Alan Taylor, Department
416-946-7611; or
a spot: 416-978-2653.
of History, University of Cali-
jwillard@trinity.utoronto.ca.
will be joined by authors Tim
Cook and Dan Snow. George
choral
music
fornia, Davis. Prof. Taylor will
discuss The Civil War of 1812:
A North American History. His
research interests include early
George Ignatieff Theatre,
noon. For more information:
donors
Sunday, Dec. 5: Advent
Lessons and Carols
of pre-Confederation Canada.
Thursday, Sept. 23:
Salterrae Society
Annual Dinner
George Ignatieff Theatre, 5 p.m.
For donors who have given more
Trinity College Chapel Choir
Reception to follow. To reserve a
than $100,000. By invitation.
under the direction of John
spot: 416-946-3346.
For more information: 416-978-
American history; history of
the American West; and history
2707; julia.paris@utoronto.ca.
Tuttle, organist and director
of music. Trinity College
Monday, Feb. 14 and
Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011:
Larkin-Stuart Lectures
combine intellectual stimulation
reunion
Friday to Sunday,
May 27 to 29, 2011:
Spring Reunion
Calling all Grads! Reunion years
end in a 1 or 6. All alumni are
welcome. For more information:
416-978-2707; or
julia.paris@utoronto.ca.
family
Sunday, Oct. 24: Halloween
Party for Children
Wear a costume and come
Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011:
Trinity Service at St.
James Cathedral
Erna Paris on Justice, Justice,
Wednesday, Oct. 5:
Luncheon for the Gerald
Larkin Society
Shalt Thou Pursue: The Inter-
For alumni and friends who
and friends. The Buttery and
national Criminal Court and the
have included Trinity College in
the George Ignatieff Theatre,
Evensong with the Trinity Col-
Return of Universal Law. Paris
their estate plans. By invita-
2 to 4 p.m. To reserve a spot:
lege Chapel Choir under the
is a prize-winning Canadian
tion. Provost Andy Orchard and
416-978-2707; or
direction of John Tuttle, Trinity
author. Co-sponsored by Trinity
Jack Whiteside ’63, chairman
julia.paris@utoronto.ca.
Chapel, 4 p.m.
prepared for crafts, treats
and skits. $5 per person for
children, parents, grandparents
Summer 2010 31
trinitypast
Do You Recognize These People?
Often while sorting through our stores of artefacts in Trinity’s archives, we come across unidentified photographs – no dates, no
names – such as the image above. All we know about this one is that the man on the far left, presumably giving a lecture, is the
revered Prof. Philip Albert Child.
A Trinity grad of 1921, Child later returned to the College to teach, and was made Chancellor’s Professor in 1942. He was also
a novelist and poet, winning the Governor General’s Award for his novel Mr. Ames Against Time in 1949. Child died Feb. 6, 1978.
Perhaps one of you can identify the students in this photo; perhaps one of the students is you. Maybe there’s a story waiting to
emerge from this picture, and you can tell that story. Please contact Rolph-Bell Archivist Sylvia Lassam if you have any information
to share: 416-978-2019.
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