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L.R. “Red” Wilson, a Canadian Journey

L.R. “Red” Wilson, a Canadian Journey

Name: L.R. “Red” Wilson, a Canadian Journey
Author: Dimitry Anastakis
ISBN: 9781487581732

Lessons in Life, Leadership, and Legacy

by Dimitry Anastakis

Published by: University of Toronto Press

Imprint: Aevo UTP

412 Pages, 163.00 × 234.00 × 36.00 mm, 139 illustrations

Hardcover
9781487581732
Published: February 2026

£21.99

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Digital download
9781487581961
Published: April 2026

Digital download
9781487581930
Published: April 2026

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L.R. “Red” Wilson’s impact has been felt across generations of Canadians businesspeople and students. This biography honours a man who followed his interests wherever they led, sought out new challenges whenever he could, and above all, always worked to leave every place he stopped along better than he found it.
Tracing the contours of Mr. Wilson’s fascinating journey, renowned Canadian business historian Dimitry Anastakis brings to light an inspiring story of commitment, determination, and service. Born in Port Colborne in 1940, L.R. “Red” Wilson’s trajectory as a student, foreign service officer, senior civil servant, business leader, supporter of higher education, and philanthropist is an extraordinary tale of post-Second World War Canada. Mr. Wilson held executive leadership positions in some of Canada’s largest and most important firms, including Redpath Sugar, the Bank of Nova Scotia, and Bell Canada Enterprises. Recipient of the 1994 International Business Executive of the Year Award, Mr. Wilson was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1997, and he has received honourary degrees from several universities, including McMaster University, where he was Chancellor from 2007-13.
L.R. “Red” Wilson, A Canadian Journey portrays Mr. Wilson’s professional and personal lessons, learned from a lifetime of choices, and illustrates the importance of a strong character and astute values in achieving greatness.

Foreword by the Right Honourable David Johnston

Introduction to a Biography: Red Wilson Writes a Letter to His Children and Grandchildren

First Quarter: Port Colborne Lessons, 1940–1958

1. Commitment: Paper Routes, Baseball Cards, and the Importance of Family, Summer, 1952

2. Role Models, Teachers, and Mentors: Miss Currant Sets Lynton Wilson Straight, Grade 6, Steele

Street Public School

3. Economy: Ford Model A’s, First Jobs, and Port Colborne’s Lessons of Working Life and Summer Fun

Second Quarter: Formative Years, 1958–1967

4. Education: McMaster University’s Class of ’62 Reunion, and the Value of a Liberal Arts Education

5. Sportsmanship: Football Injuries, Hockey Memories, Tennis Victories, and the Thrill of

Competition

6. Duty: Adventures in (Her Majesty’s) Trade Commissioner Service of Canada

Third Quarter: Learning the Ropes, 1967–1981

7. Experience: Intersections in Canada’s Global ’60s, from Cornell to Christmas in Tokyo and Back

Again

8. Apprenticeship: Early Life and Career Lessons, from Labatt to Ottawa to MacMillan Bloedel

9. Service: The Station Wagon Years: Policymaking, Parenthood, and Poetry at Queen’s Park and at

Home

Fourth Quarter: Leadership, 1981–2005

10. Leadership: Red’s Path: Big Sugar, Board Memberships, and Banking

11. Responsibility: Building a Telco Future: BCE, Technology, and a Changing Canada

12. Character: Tragedy at Nortel, Success at CAE, and Traversing a Challenging Business Landscape

One More Touchdown: Canada, Philanthropy, History, and Legacy, 2005–

13. Determination: Championing Canada, Competing to Win, and Lessons of Leadership

14. Philanthropy: Building the Wilson Foundation, McMaster, and the Humanities

15 History and Legacy: Red’s Crusade for Canadian History, Heritage, and Canada

Coda: Lessons Learned, Legacies Earned

Acknowledgments

Index

Dimitry Anastakis is Professor and L.R. Wilson/R.J. Currie Chair in Canadian Business History at the University of Toronto in the Department of History and the Rotman School of Management, where he teaches about business, the state and politics, globalization, and automobility. He has published twelve books and edited collections, including five books on aspects of the Canadian auto industry in North America including Dream Car: Malcolm Bricklin’s Fantastic SV1 and the End of Industrial Modernity.

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