Founders' Award

Fraser Institute Founders' Award
In Recognition of T. Patrick Boyle and Michael A. Walker

About the Award

Vancouver Founders' Award dinner

The Fraser Institute Founders’ Award, named after our founders T. Patrick Boyle and Michael A. Walker, is the Institute’s highest honour. The award is presented annually to individuals in recognition of their exceptional entrepreneurial achievements, generous philanthropic endeavors, and dedication to competitive markets. These individuals are role models for the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders.

Pat Boyle

T. Patrick Boyle served in the Air Force Signals Corps during the Second World War and then went on to complete his business administration studies before embarking on a highly successful business career that spanned more than 25 years in the U.S. and Canada. He served as MacMillan Bloedel’s first worldwide corporate controller before retiring in 1977 to devote his energy to the Fraser Institute. As founding chairman and long-time vice-chairman of the Institute’s Board of Directors, Mr. Boyle played a pivotal role in ensuring that the Institute’s founding principles continue to guide it to this day. After some years of illness, Pat passed away on November 25th 2015 at the age of 97, leaving behind three children and six grandchildren. A memorial service was held for Pat at the Fraser Institute’s Vancouver office on January 14th, 2016.

 
Michael Walker

Michael A. Walker, Ph.D., was the Executive Director of the Fraser Institute from its inception in 1974 until September 2005. As an economist, he has authored or edited 45 books on economic topics. His articles on technical economic subjects have appeared in professional journals in Canada, the United States, and Europe, including the Canadian Journal of Economics, the American Economic Review, the Journal of Finance, the Canadian Tax Journal, Health Management Quarterly, Weltwertschaftliches Archiv, and Health Affairs. His primary concern as the Institute’s founding Executive Director was to promote the examination and use of competitive markets as a method for enhancing the lives of Canadians. He is the co-founder, with Milton and Rose D. Friedman, of the Economic Freedom of the World project, which is now a collaboration of institutes in 91 countries and territories producing the annual Economic Freedom of the World Index. The index is one of the most widely cited such measures in current academic literature.

The Fraser Institute Founders’ Award in Recognition of T. Patrick Boyle and Michael A. Walker (formerly known as the T. Patrick Boyle Founder’s Award) has been sponsored since its inception by a grant from the Donner Canadian Foundation and by generous corporate sponsorships. Revenue generated by the tribute dinners, held to honour the selected individuals, funds Fraser Institute research activities.

Locations


For event questions please contact Danielle Fleck at [email protected] or (604) 688-0221, ext 529.


2023 Honourees

Mike Rose

Mike Rose

2023 Calgary Founders' Award Honouree

Jim Pattison

Jim Pattison

2023 Vancouver Founders' Award Honouree

Earle O'Born

Earle O'Born

2023 Toronto Founders' Award Honouree

Jean-Guy Desjardins

Jean-Guy Desjardins

2023 Montreal Founders' Award Honouree

Past Honourees

The titles listed here are those that our honourees held when receiving the awards.

2022

Lawrence Stevenson
Managing Director, Clearspring Capital
Retired Chairman, SNC Lavalin
Founder and Former CEO, Chapters

Louis Vachon
Partner, J.C. Flowers & Co. and Former President and CEO, National Bank of Canada

Brian Hill
Founder and Executive Chair, Aritzia Inc.

Shaw Family
Shaw Communications and Corus Entertainment

2021

Michael Audain
Founder and Chairman, Polygon Homes Ltd.

Jay Westman
Chairman and CEO, Jayman Built and JWI Investments

2019

Norm Francis
President, Boardwalk Ventures Inc. and Co-founder and former Chairman & CEO, Pivotal Corporation

Al Monaco
President and Chief Executive Officer, Enbridge

The Wheaton Family

Robert Deluce
Executive Chairman, Porter Aviation Holdings Inc. and Porter Airlines Inc.

Guy Laliberté
Founder of Cirque du Soleil, ONE DROP Foundation and Lune Rouge

2018

Gerry Price
Chairman and CEO, Price Group of Companies

Shaun C. Francis
Chair and Chief Executive Officer, MEDCAN Health Management, Inc. and Chair, True Patriot Love Foundation

Michael Tims
Vice Chairman, MATCO Investment Ltd., Retired Chairman and previously President and CEO, Peters & Co. Ltd.

Jim Hewitt
Chairman and CEO, Hewitt Group Inc.

David Hewitt
President, Hewitt Group Inc.

Gordon Diamond
Chairman, West Coast Reduction Ltd. and Austeville Properties Ltd.

2017

Mac Van Wielingen
Founder, ARC Financial Corp. and ARC Resources Ltd.

Edward Sonshine
Cheif Executive Officer, RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust

Ian Telfer
Chairman of the Board and Director, Goldcorp

Stephen A. Jarislowsky
Founder, Director and Chairman Emeritus, Jarislowsky, Fraser Limited.

2016

Richard Jaffray
Founder and President, Cactus Club Café

The Honourable Brad Wall
Premier of Saskatchewan

Serge Godin
founder & Executive Chairman of the Board, CGI Group

Linda Hasenfratz
Chief Executive Officer, Linamar Corporation

Jim Jarrell
President & Chief Operating Officer, Linamar Corporation

2015

Ryan Beedie
President, Beedie Development Group

Keith Beedie
Chairman and CEO, Beedie Development Group

Frederick P. Mannix
Chairman / Director, Mancal Corporation

Ronald N. Mannix
Founder and Chairman, Coril Holdings Ltd.

Emanuele (Lino) Saputo
Chairman of the Board, Saputo Inc.

Lino A. Saputo, Jr.
CEO and Vice Chairman of the Board, Saputo Inc.

Jack L. Cockwell
Group Chairman, Brookfield Asset Management Inc.

2014

Dennis (Chip) Wilson
Founder of lululemon athletica and Co-founder of whil

Clive Beddoe
Chairman, WestJet Airlines

Alain Bouchard
President & CEO, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

Peter Gilgan
Founder & CEO, Mattamy Homes

2013

Eric Sprott
CEO and Chief Investment Officer, Sprott Asset Management

Brandt C. Louie
Chairman and CEO, H.Y. Louie Company and Chairman of the Board, London Drugs

Nancy C. Southern
Chair, President and CEO, ATCO Ltd. and Canadian Utilities Ltd.

2012

Ned Goodman
President and CEO, Dundee Corporation

Jonathan Wener
Chairman and CEO, Canderel Management Inc.

George Melville
Co-Chairman and Owner, Boston Pizza International and the T&M Group of Companies

Jim Treliving
Co-Chairman and Owner, Boston Pizza International and the T&M Group of Companies

Clay Riddell
President and CEO, Paramount Resources

2011

Frank Stronach
Founder and Honorary Chairman, Magna International Inc.

Darren Entwistle
President and CEO, TELUS Communications Inc.

Hal Kvisle
former President and CEO, TransCanada Corp.

2010

Peter Munk
Founder and Chairman, Barrick Gold

Allan Markin
Chairman, Canadian Natural Resources

Norman Keevil
Chairman, Teck Resources

2009

Anthony S. Fell
former Chairman, RBC Capital Markets

Peter Brown
Chairman, Canaccord Financial

Harley Hotchkiss

2007

The Honourable Anson Chan
former Chief Secretary for Administration, Hong Kong

The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney
former Prime Minister of Canada

2005

Gwyn Morgan
former President and CEO, Encana Corporation

2004

Fan Gang
President, National Economic Research Institute, China Reform Foundation

Václav Klaus
Second President and former Prime Minister, Czech Republic

2003

Nobel laureate Milton Friedman

Rose D. Friedman

2002

The Honourable Ralph Klein
former Premier of Alberta

† Deceased