Spring 2015 Canadian Gold Mining Legend and Philanthropist Robert Mcewen Named Scot of the Year 2015
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THE SCOTS CANADIAN Issue XXXX Newsletter of the Scottish Studies Society: ISSN No. 1491-2759 Spring 2015 Canadian gold mining legend and philanthropist Robert McEwen named Scot of the Year 2015 The Scottish Studies Society invites you and founder of Goldcorp Inc., your friends and family to a very special where he took the Tartan Day Celebration on Friday April 10, company from a market at The University Club of Toronto. capitalization of $50 During the evening we will be presenting million to over $10 our 23rd annual "Scot of the Year Award" billion. Rob is currently which was initiated in 1993 to honour the Chairman, CEO and individuals who have achieved distinction largest shareholder of through their contribution to Canadian McEwen Mining Inc. and Robert McEwen, CM society or the international community at Chairman of Lexam VG large. This year's recipient will be Canadian Gold Inc., exploring for The multidisciplinary field of gold mining legend and philanthropist gold, silver, copper, in Canada, USA, Regenerative Medicine includes several Robert McEwen. Mexico and Argentina. research areas, including stem cell biology, Rob has been associated with the mining Rob's philanthropic efforts are designed to cellular therapy and tissue engineering. industry for 29 years. His career began in the encourage excellence and innovation in Stem cells are undifferentiated, or investment industry, and then in 1990 he health care and education. In 2003, Rob and unspecialized, cells that are capable of stepped into the mining sector. Rob is the his wife Cheryl donated in excess of $25 renewing themselves indefinitely. Under the million to establish the McEwen Centre for proper conditions, they have a unique Regenerative Medicine in Toronto. Its aim is capability to give rise to specialized cell to be a world-renowned centre for stem cell types (e.g., muscle cells, neurons, heart cells, Scots Wha Hae biology and regenerative medicine. To etc.). a desire to nurture and preserve achieve this ambitious goal, a team of 15 They can be used to treat diseases such as scientists at five Toronto hospitals, as well as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s diseases, their heritage in Canada the University of Toronto, is working spinal cord injury, heart disease, diabetes or together to accelerate the development of are invited to join osteoarthritis. more effective treatments for conditions such But it’s not only medical research that has as heart disease, diabetes mellitus, been receiving Rob’s support, he has also respiratory disease and spinal cord injury. given $1.5 million to the Schulich School of The McEwen Centre is supported by Business at Toronto's York University and philanthropic contributions and collaborates $1 million to Red Lake Ontario's Margaret with many other research institutions Cochenour Memorial Hospital and a further throughout North America, Europe and the $0.7 million to two museums and a church. Asia/Pacific region. So we do hope you will be able to join us Its research is powered by a team of recent on April 10. As in the past we are planning a doctoral graduates recruited from around the magnificent evening of fine food and THE SCOTTISH STUDIES world, selected through a competitive entertainment with a Scots-Canadian flavour process that ensures the best applicants are and, of course, it’s a chance to dress up for FOUNDATION awarded a fellowship. Post-doctoral one of the most sophisticated events in the a charitable organization dedicated fellowships are a critical tool for supporting Scots-Canadian calendar. to actively supporting the the work of McEwen Centre and their investigations allow medical breakthroughs Scottish Studies Program to be found faster. For more information, please contact at Regenerative Medicine harnesses the David Hunter at 416-699-9942 or by power of stem cells to repair, regenerate or email at [email protected]. The University of Guelph replace diseased cells, tissues and organs. please visit our website Charitable registration Through it, McEwen’s scientists hope that www.scottishstudies.com which will be No. 119253490 RR0001 one day we will be able to reverse the effects updated as the project develops. www.scottishstudies.com of cardiovascular disease, or allow children with diabetes to live without insulin injections or pumps. his life, losing office Colloquium to commemorate for five years in the Sir John A. Macdonald 1870s over the Pacific Scandal (corruption in the financing of the his year’s Scottish Studies Spring Canadian Pacific Colloquium will be held on Saturday, Railway). After April 18, 2015 at Knox College at the regaining his position, T he saw the railroad University of Toronto and will be devoted to a theme of commemorating the 200th through to completion birthday of Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir in 1885, a means of John A. Macdonald, and his Scottish transportation and connections. freight conveyance that Sir John was the dominant figure of helped unite Canada as Canadian Confederation, his political career one nation. Macdonald spanning almost half a century during which is credited with he served 19 years as Canadian Prime creating a Canadian Minister. Confederation despite many Dr. James Fraser seen here with Dr. Heather Parker Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Macdonald obstacles, and expanding was a boy when his family immigrated to what was a relatively small Kingston in the colony of Upper Canada country to cover the northern half of North (today in eastern Ontario). He articled with a America. By the time of his death in 1891, Canada had secured most of the territory it Did you know that… local lawyer, who died before Macdonald qualified, and Macdonald opened his own occupies today. At the colloquium, speakers will include During the final negotiations of practice before he was officially entitled to Confederation at the London do so. After being successfully involved in David Wilson from the University of Toronto who will give a talk entitled Macdonald at Conference in December of 1866, several high-profile cases he quickly became Macdonald nearly died when he fell prominent in Kingston, enabling him to seek 200: The Perils of Presentism, which looks at the difficulties in applying current ideals and asleep with a candle still burning in his and obtain a legislative seat in 1844. He bedroom at the Westminster Palace served in the legislature of the colonial moral standards when interpreting historical figures and their actions. Patrice Dutil from Hotel. Various historical accounts say United Province of Canada and by 1857 had he woke up to the smell of his own become premier under the colony's unstable Toronto's Ryerson University will review the heritage Sir John has bequeathed to us in the charred flesh and that he was badly political system. burned by the flames, but kept it secret When in 1864 no party proved capable of paper Sir John A: New Reflections and New Legacies and in his paper Commemoration in through the final negotiations. governing for long, Macdonald agreed to a proposal from his political rival, George Historical Context, the University of Guelph's Alan Gordon will look at how Sir Macdonald and his political allies Brown, that the parties unite in a “Great showed up to a conference in Coalition” to seek federation and political John is remembered. The event will conclude with a discussion Charlottetown with $13,000 worth of reform. Macdonald was the leading figure in champagne in what was likely a the subsequent discussions and conferences, led by the new Chair of Scottish Studies, Dr. James Fraser, who arrived at the University gesture meant to impress political which resulted in the British North America leaders in Nova Scotia, New Act and the birth of Canada as a nation on of Guelph in January from the Department of History at the University of Edinburgh where Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and July 1, 1867. Newfoundland, who were meeting Macdonald was designated as the first he was a Senior Lecturer in Early Scottish History. James is looking forward to there to discuss a union of the Prime Minister of the new nation and served Maritime provinces. It may have in that capacity for most of the remainder of meeting as many Foundation members as possible then. worked because the conference yielded Registration is $25 for Scottish Studies an agreement that was an early Foundation members and for early-bird blueprint for a fledgling dominion. registrants on or before March 28 after which the price increases to $30. A student rate of Hugh Macdonald may have been the $10 is available. As always, lunch and coffee only surviving son of Isabella and Sir breaks are included. Details can be seen on John A. Macdonald, but son and father our website www.scottishstudies.com or you were never very close. According to can contact the Scottish Studies office at Library and Archives Canada, Hugh 519-824-4120, ext 53209 or by email at was raised mostly by his aunt. When [email protected] the Northwest Rebellion broke out, Hugh abandoned his legal studies against the wishes of his father to serve. He would eventually return to Manitoba after the rebellion to become the province's eighth premier. 2 The Scots Canadian A Little Breath of Scottish Studies “Oor Club” Scotland, Canada's longest still going strong after more continually running radio show celebrating its 50th than 20 years anniversary in October this year. Denis was born ack in 1994 when Scottish Studies in Glasgow, Scotland, Foundation President Bill Somerville came to Canada in 1964 B was looking for ways in which to and has lived in Oakville raise funds and engage people, a chance ever since. conversation with Scottish folk singer and His show first aired on artist Enoch Kent led to the formation of the October 21, 1965, as a Scottish Studies "Oor Club." Enoch, half-hour program on originally from Glasgow but who now CHWO Radio in Oakville, resides in the Toronto area, recalled hearing and the following week it about the original Oor Club that was formed was extended to an hour- long show, and has been back in the late 1700s.