David Asper and family honoured with Words & Deeds Leadership Award

David, Gail and Leonard Asper (Manuel Sousa Photography)

By Lucianna Ciccocioppo

The Asper Family and their family foundation were recently honoured with the 2015 Words and Deeds Leadership Award, a joint recognition from the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, and the Jewish Federations across Canada.

The national award honours exemplary leaders “whose contributions to humanitarian causes, and to tolerance, inclusion and civil discourse in Canadian society is truly outstanding.”

David Asper, LLM 2007, the benefactor and founder of the Faculty of Law’s David Asper Centre for Constitutional Rights, celebrated with his family and siblings, Gail and Leonard Asper, LLB 1989, in Winnipeg at the award event in early September. He’s a leading Canadian businessman, philanthropist and lawyer, is chair and a trustee of the Asper Foundation and has donated generously to support the law school’s Asper Centre.

The Asper Foundation was lauded for its commitment to developing and supporting major initiatives not only in the Jewish community, but also in the broader cultural, educational and community development sectors, and also in the support of human rights in Winnipeg, nationally and internationally.

Assistant Dean of Advancement Chantelle Courtney attended the event, to celebrate among University of Toronto and law alumni in Winnipeg.