Jan 27, 2015
Ottawa, January 27, 2015 – The Canada Council is deeply saddened at the news of the passing of our Chair, Mr. Joseph L. Rotman. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and all those who benefited from his leadership.
He was appointed Chair of the Canada Council for the Arts in 2008, with his mandate renewed for a second term in 2013. Mr. Rotman was fond of saying that he came to the Board of the Canada Council not as an artist or arts administrator, but as a businessman with a deep appreciation of the arts. From his perspective, he saw that artists were uniquely positioned to contribute not only to Canada’s culture, but to the strength and vitality of the nation.
“On a personal level, Mr. Rotman – Joe, as he asked me to call him – was a mentor to me, an advisor, a guide and a friend from our first meeting in August 2008, when he convinced me to serve a second term as the Vice-Chair of the Canada Council,” said Simon Brault, Director and CEO of the Canada Council. “He possessed an infinite curiosity, boundless energy and an irrepressible desire to transform situations and organizations for the greater good of all – making him a great leader.
“He made a lasting impression on the trajectory of the Council. From a place of personal passion and belief, he advocated tirelessly for the role of the arts in our individual lives, as well as in the economy, in the development of our communities and at the heart of this country, which he loved. The Council was privileged to have benefited from his leadership at such a crucial moment in our history, and we will honour his memory and his ambitious aspirations by continuing to follow the path he has set us on.”
Mr. Rotman was chair of Roy-L Capital Corporation, a private family investment company. He was an officer of the Order of Canada and Chancellor of Western University. In 2009 he was appointed Chair of Grand Challenges Canada, a global health organization founded by the federal government. After co-leading a major review of the state of brain research in Ontario he was appointed chair of the Ontario Brain Institute in 2010. In the arts he has been a benefactor of the Art Gallery of Ontario, Israel Museum, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Canadian Opera Company, National Ballet of Canada and Toronto International Film Festival.
Under the Canada Council’s governance policy, Vice-Chair Nathalie Bondil will assume the official duties of the position until a new Chair is appointed by the federal government. Ms. Bondil is Director and Chief Curator of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
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Tara Lapointe, Head, Marketing Communications, (613) 566-4414 ext. 4159
