Past Recipients

Arnold Smith was the first secretary-general of the Commonwealth. A Rhodes scholar, he held diplomatic appointments in the United States, England and Cambodia. He served as Canadian ambassador to Egypt and to the USSR, the latter during the height of the Cold War. He was also instrumental in the development of the Commonwealth flag.

Community titan Mary Alice Stuart was a driving force in education, health care, business and the arts. She fulfilled important roles in various public and private organizations and notably served as chair of Canada’s first-ever $100-million-plus fundraising campaign. Stuart was the first woman president of the Canadian Club of Toronto, the founding chair of the board of Jazz.FM91.1, and a director of the Bank of Montreal and of S.C. Johnson and Son, Canada.

Award-winning writer and broadcaster Margaret Visser’s chosen subject matter is the history, anthropology and mythology of everyday life. Her best-selling books, including Much Depends on Dinner and The Gift of Thanks, have been translated into six languages. She appears frequently on radio and television and has lectured extensively in Canada. She taught Greek and Latin at York University and delivered the CBC Massey Lectures in 2002.

For more than five decades, Patrick Watson has played a key role in the development of Canadian television as producer then host of several groundbreaking public affairs programs. Best known for pushing the boundaries as host of This Hour Has Seven Days, Watson is also a prolific author, actor and outspoken commentator. He is the former chair of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and has been recognized by many for his innovative and substantive contributions to television journalism.

Economist and higher education leader Leonard Waverman is an expert in the productivity impact of telecommunications. The former chair of the London Business School, he is currently dean of the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary, where he has introduced a focus on ethical leadership, entrepreneurship and energy. Waverman has also been named one of the 50 most influential leaders in the telecommunications industry by Global Telecoms Business magazine.

Legendary comedian Johnny Wayne is remembered as the madcap half of the iconic Canadian comedy duo, Wayne and Shuster. Along with classmate and fellow UC Follies alumnus Frank Shuster (BA 1939 UC), he is credited with founding the great Canadian tradition in sketch comedy. Their signature, literate slapstick style of comedy provided the basis for an enormously successful career on radio, stage and television that lasted nearly five decades.

University administrator, social worker and philanthropist Rose Wolfe has worked tirelessly to improve public life. The founding president of Canadian Jewish News, she is a dynamic presence on the boards of numerous health-care, religious and cultural organizations. Wolfe is the former chancellor of the University of Toronto, where she established a chair in Holocaust studies, as well as scholarships for Indigenous students.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Kay Worthington is an example of perseverance and dedication. As a student at UC, she trained for the Canadian national rowing team while studying international relations. She attended three Olympic Games, striking gold in the women’s four and eight in Barcelona in 1992. After her competitive athletic career, she became a trader in Manhattan and served as the director of the Princeton rowing association.

Television personality Elwy Yost was best known as the avuncular host of TVO’s Saturday Night at the Movies; he hosted more than 1,000 episodes over 25 years. He studied sociology at UC, and with a classmate, made a movie called In Between, one of the first independent films in Canada. A classic cinema enthusiast, he interviewed several movie stars for television and was the author of four books about film.