Past Recipients

Community leader and environmental advocate Sonia Labatt is recognized nationally and internationally for her contributions to public life. A specialist in environmental economics, she is the author of books on the financial implications of climate change, and has taught at as an adjunct professor at U of T’s Centre for Environment. In the community, Labatt has served on the boards of arts, health and educational institutions. Along with husband Arthur Labatt, she has also provided founding support for a number of academic fellowships and institutes in health and the environment.

Journalist Michele Landsberg is one of Canada’s foremost feminists and social justice activists. She is best known for her former Toronto Star column, in which she chronicled the state of women’s and children’s rights in Canada and around the world. She is the recipient of two National Newspaper Awards and the YWCA Women of Distinction Award, as well as numerous other honours for her writing and work to advance the cause of women. She holds several honorary doctorates and is an in-demand speaker on progressive issues. She is married to Stephen Lewis (1959 UC), former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations.

Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Bora Laskin was one of the nation’s most distinguished jurists and academics. He excelled in his study of law but was unable to find employment as a practising lawyer due to the discrimination against Jews in the profession at the time. Laskin opted for a career in academia and taught at U of T’s Faculty of Law for more than 20 years. Subsequently, he was appointed to the Ontario Court of Appeal and then the Supreme Court of Canada. He was elevated to Chief Justice by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in 1973, a position he held until his death in 1984.

Internationally renowned anthropologist Richard Lee is an expert on hunter-gatherer societies. Early in his career, he worked at Harvard University, leading field expeditions to study and live among the !Kung San bushmen of the Kalahari. Lee joined the Department of Anthropology at U of T in 1972 and was promoted to the elite rank of University Professor in 1999. He is the author of more than 100 papers, and his authoritative book on the !Kung San people was named one of the most important works of the 20th century by American Scientist.

Lawyer Michael Levine has helped shape the entertainment landscape in Canada. An expert in the legal aspects of show business, he specializes in the financing and distribution of theatre, film, television, books and multimedia. Levine has lent his expertise to organizations such as the Canadian Film Centre, TV Ontario, Roy Thompson Hall and the Royal Ontario Museum. Currently, he is the scholar-in-residence at Ryerson University’s Faculty of Communication and Design.

Stephen Lewis is a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Ryerson University. He is the board chair of the Stephen Lewis Foundation. He served as the UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, as deputy executive director of UNICEF and as Canada's ambassador to the United Nations. Lewis was leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party (1970-1978), during which time he became leader of the Official Opposition. He holds 34 honorary degrees from Canadian universities and he is married to journalist Michele Landsberg (BA 1962 UC).

Television writer and producer Tim Long has made millions of people laugh. A former writer for Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher and head writer for The Late Show with David Letterman, Long is best known as a writer and producer for the hit animated series The Simpsons, the longest-running scripted show in television history. He is the winner of five Emmy Awards and the Annie Award for outstanding achievement in writing for an animated television production.

MacKenzie King was the 10th prime minister of Canada. He was in office for a total of 22 years, making him the nation’s longest-serving prime minister. The only prime minister to hold a PhD, he presided over sweeping changes to domestic policy and was named the greatest Canadian prime minister by a survey of national historians.

Award-winning journalist and author Heather Mallick is not one to mince words. Opinion pieces and lifestyle articles in her trademark, no-holds-barred style have appeared in the Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, the Toronto Sun and the Guardian, among other publications. The author of two novels, she currently teaches courses on politics and writing at U of T’s School of Continuing Studies and lectures on human rights and Canadian nationalism.

Distinguished scholar and academic leader Susan Mann is an expert in modern Canadian history. Notably, she has taught the history of English Canada in French and the history of French Canada in English. Known for her groundbreaking research into women’s issues, she is the founder of the women’s studies program at the University of Ottawa and a founding member of the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women. The former president of York University, Mann also served as director of TV Ontario.

Sociologist and academic leader Lorna Marsden’s influence has been felt in the classroom, the boardroom and the Red Chamber. She was appointed to the Senate by Pierre Trudeau, resigning to become vice-president of Wilfrid Laurier University and, later, president of York University. Marsden has sat on the boards of major corporations including Manulife Financial and SNC-Lavalin. She holds six honorary doctorates and has been recognized as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women. She also received the YWCA Women of Distinction Award and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal.

Diplomat Charles Vincent Massey was the first Canadian-born individual to be appointed Governor General. During his tenure, he sought to unite Canadians in their diversity and promoted bilingualism 20 years before it became official policy. A supporter of the arts, Massey was instrumental in the creation of the National Centre for the Arts and the Governor General’s Medal in Architecture. In retirement, he dedicated his time to stewardship of the Massey Foundation and its endowment to U of T in particular, creating Massey College and the Massey Lectures.