H. IAN MACDONALD, O.C., B.COM., M.A., B.PHIL., LL.D., D UNIV.,
D.LITT., D.LITT., K.L.J., F.COL
President Emeritus and
Professor of Public Policy and Economics
Ian Macdonald was born in Toronto in 1929. He earned his B.Com. from the University of Toronto in 1952 and proceeded to Oxford University where, as a Rhodes Scholar, he received his M.A. in 1954 and his B.Phil. in 1955. In 1974, Mr. Macdonald was awarded the LL.D degree by the University of Toronto, the Doctor of the University degree by The Open University (U.K.) in 1998, the Doctor of Letters degree by The Open University of Sri Lanka in 1999 and Doctor of Letters degree by the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University in Hyderabad in 2001 and an Hon. D.Litt. Degree by York University in June, 2007.
Mr. Macdonald has had a distinguished career in academia and government. In 1955, he became a lecturer in economics at the University of Toronto and was made an assistant professor in 1962. He was also Dean of Men in University College from 1956 to 1965.
In 1965, he entered public service in the Government of Ontario as Chief Economist. He became Deputy Treasurer in 1967, Deputy Minister of Treasury and Economics in 1968, and Deputy Treasurer and Deputy Minister of Economics and Intergovernmental Affairs in 1972. In 1974, he was named President of York University, a position he held for more than ten years, following which he served as Director of York International from 1984-1994.
Mr. Macdonald is now President Emeritus of York University. He is also Professor of Public Policy and Economics, and Director of the Master of Public Administration Program.
During his career, Mr. Macdonald has received many honours, including the Governor General's Medal, 1952; Centennial Medal, 1967; Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal, 1977; Officer of the Order of Canada, 1977; Knight of Grace of the Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem, 1978; Citation of Merit, the Court of Canadian Citizenship, 1980; the Medal of the Dominican Republic Celebrating the 500th Anniversary of the Discovery of America, 1991; Honorary Councillor, Inter-American Organization for Higher Education, 1992; the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation, 1992; the Award of Merit of the Canadian Bureau for International Education, 1994; Honorary Life Member, Canadian Olympic Association, 1997, and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, 2002. He is also an Honorary Member of the Canadian Association for the Club of Rome.
He is the recipient of the Vanier Medal for 2000, awarded by The Institute of Public Administration of Canada for distinction in public service and excellence in public administration.
He is a Director of several Canadian and international companies and institutions, including: the AGF Companies; McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd. (Chairman of the Board); The Canadian Rhodes Scholars Foundation (Past President); The North Toronto Collegiate Institute Foundation; Le Comité au Canada pour la Maison des étudiants canadiens à Paris; The Council of the Royal Commonwealth Society (Toronto Branch); The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre; and a Member of the Advisory Council of CJRT-FM, the Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs, the International Master of Business Administration Programme of York University, and a Member of the Advisory Committee of the Institute of Public Administration (Toronto Regional Group), and University College (University of Toronto).
Mr. Macdonald was a member of the Administrative Board of The International Association of Universities from 1980 to 1990, Chairman of the Friends of the IAU from 1992-1996, and was a founding Director of the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education in 1980, serving as Vice-President for Canada from 1983 to 1991. He was also a founding member of the North-South Institute and served on its Board from 1976 to 1991, as well as serving as Canadian Chairman of the Fundraising Campaign for the 75th Anniversary of The Association of Commonwealth Universities from 1986 to 1989, and on the Board of The Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO) from 1998-2002. From 1986-1992, he served as President of the Canadian Rhodes Scholars' Foundation, and from 1992-1993 as President of World University Service of Canada. He was Chairman of Hockey Canada from 1987-1994 and Vice-Chairman of the Canadian Hockey Association, 1995-1996. For many years he served as an Ontario representative to The Council for Canadian Unity.
He is a past President of The Empire Club of Canada, The Ticker Club, and The Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs, and was Vice-Chairman of the Board of Theatre Plus, Toronto, serving for eight years as a Board Member. He is the former Chairman of the Toronto Men's Branch of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs, the Institute for Political Involvement, the Commission on the Financing of Elementary and Secondary Education in Ontario, the Ontario Municipal Education and Training Advisory Council, the Annual Appeal Fund for Balliol College in Canada, and the Board of Governors of York-Finch General Hospital (of which he as a member from 1977-1997). He is a former member of the Attorney-General's Committee on Securities Legislation (Ontario) and the Economic Council of Canada, was a founding director of TV Ontario, and twice served as Chairman of the Ontario Advisory Committee on Confederation, 1965 to 1971 and 1977 to 1982.
From January 1, 1994 until April 28, 2003, he served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth of Learning as well as chairing the Board of COL International (a COL affiliate organization) from 1998 and the Executive Governing Board for the Commonwealth Executive MBA/MPA from 1997.
In 2005, he was elected a Fellow of the Commonwealth of Learning (F.COL.) In 2005, he was honoured by the Government of Ontario with the creation of the H. Ian Macdonald Visiting Economist position in the Ministry of Finance, and by York University with the George Tatham Award in recognition of a lifetime of teaching excellence.
In 2006, he received the prestigious Senator Peter Boorsma Award from the South Eastern Conference for Public Administration (SECOPA). The Award recognizes an individual with a consistent record of involvement and efforts to transfer best practices and public administration theory from one country to another, facilitating the international exchange of knowledge and administrative practices that foster better performance in the public sector.
Most recently, during a lecture tour in China, he was named an Honorary Professor of Hunan University, China’s oldest university. As well, he has just received the President’s Award of Recognition from the Lambda Alpha International Land Use Society for his contribution, through academic and public service, to Land Economics in Canada..
March, 2010
IAN MACDONALD,O.C.,B.COM.,M.A.,B.PHIL.,LL.D.,D UNIV.,
D.LITT., D.LITT.,K.L.J., F.COL
President Emeritus, York University
Professor of Economics and Public Policy, and
Director of the Master of Public Administration Program
Activities of International Interest
• Graduate of the University of Toronto and of Oxford University (Rhodes Scholar)
• Member of the Department of Political Economy at the University of Toronto,
teaching International Economics 1955-1965
• Member of the National Committee of World University Service of Canada
1955-1965, specializing in programmes for refugee students; elected President
of WUSC, November 8, 1992 until November 7, 1993
• Senior Civil Servant and Constitutional Advisor in the Government of Ontario
1965-1974, including the Deputy Ministership of Treasury, Economics and
Intergovernmental Affairs
• President of York University 1974-1984
• Director of York International (York University) 1984-1994
• Founding member of the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education
1980 and a member of the Executive Committee for eleven years, serving a
Vice President for Canada 1983-1991; appointed as Honorary Councillor,
October 5, 1992
• Chairman of the Canadian Fundraising Committee for the 75th
Anniversary of Commonwealth Universities 1986-1989, and former Chairman of the Annual Appeal Fund for Balliol College in Canada
• Member of the Board of The Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO)
from 1998-2002
• Consultant to the Canadian International Development Agency and other international organizations
• Founding Trustee for the Lewis Perinbam Award for distinguished service by a
Canadian in the field of international activities
• Founding Member of the North-South Institute and Board Member from 1976-1991
• Member of the Administrative Board of the International Association of Universities 1980-1990, and Chairman of the Development Committee 1985-1990; and Chairman of The Friends of the IAU, 1992-1996
• Member of the Board of the World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre, and Le Comité au Canada pour La Maison des étudiants canadiens à Paris
• Chairman of Hockey Canada (responsible for Canada's International Olympic Ice Hockey Team in world championships and Olympic events), former Vice-Chairman of the Canadian Hockey Association, and an Honorary Life Member of the Canadian Olympic Association
• Past President of the Canadian Rhodes Scholars Foundation
• Director of the Commonwealth Executive Management Program 1995-2006 in the Schulich School of Business.
• Member of the Advisory Council for the International Master of Business Administration Programme of York University
• Former Member of the Advisory Committee of the International Division of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
• Participant and lecturer at various international conferences, seminars and study groups
• Elected Chairman of the Board of Governors of The Commonwealth of Learning, from January 1, 1994, re-elected from January 1, 1997, and re-elected again for a special third term, from January 1, 2000 to April 28, 2003.
• Chairman of COL International (a COL affiliate organization) 1998-2003.
• Chairman of the Executive Governing Board for the Commonwealth Executive MBA/MPA, 1997-2003.
• Led programmes and workshops on public management reform in Botswana, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Germany and Austria (1996-2006).
• Senior Advisor to the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management 2002-2006.
• Adjudicator on competitions among governments for public service reform 2000-2006.
• Conducts training programmes in public administration for Chinese civil servants.
March 2010