LYNTON "RED" WILSON

Lynton "Red" Wilson, O.C. (April 3, 1940 - February 9, 2026) It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Lynton R. Wilson. He is survived by his beloved wife, Brenda Jean Black of Oakville, Ontario; his children, Margot, Jennifer (Paul) and Edward (Michele); and grandchildren, Ryder, Ruby, Atom, Twyla, Franklin, Matthew, and Sam. Raised in Port Colborne, Ontario, Red earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from McMaster University and an MA from Cornell University. His career began in the Canadian Public Service in 1962 with an appointment as a Foreign Service Officer with Canada's Department of Trade and Commerce. He was Assistant Commercial Secretary at the Canadian Embassy in Vienna, Austria, and Second Secretary at the Canadian Embassy in Japan. Red worked as a corporate economist for John Labatt Ltd, after which he returned to the public service and was appointed the Coordinator (Director General) of Industrial R&D policy with the Ministry of State, Science and Technology before joining MacMillan Bloedel Ltd. as Vice President and Director. In 1977, he joined the Government of Ontario, and in 1978, became Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Tourism. He then returned to the private sector as President and CEO and Chairman of Redpath industries, Vice Chairman of the Bank of Nova Scotia, then President, CEO and Chairman of BCE, and subsequently Chairman of CAE. As Chancellor of McMaster University, Red was a strong supporter of post-secondary education and, more broadly, public administration in Canada. Red served on the Prime Minister's Advisory Committee on the Public Service 2006-2010 and chaired the Government of Canada's Competition Policy Review Panel 2007-2008. He chaired the federal government's Team Canada Inc. Advisory Board and the Canada Savings Bond Payroll Program, and was a member of International Trade Advisory Commission during the Canada-US free trade negotiations. With Charles Bronfman, Red co-founded the Historica Foundation of Canada in 1999, an organization dedicated to improving Canadian culture and institutional leadership. His philanthropy reflected this. The Wilson Foundation provides financial support for education, history and heritage, community development, and public policy and public service projects. Red received numerous awards and honours, including his investiture as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1997 and induction as a Companion of the Order of the Business Hall of Fame. He served as a director on more than fifty corporate boards, (thirteen as chair ), received honorary degrees from six Canadian universities, and was recognized with the Public Policy Forum's Distinguished Service to Canada Award. In 2014, he was awarded the Vanier Medal, given to a Canadian who has made outstanding contributions in the field of public administration. Considered a "role model for those who aspire to contribute to civil society" by his peers, his outstanding contributions to Canadian public service have had a tremendously positive and lasting influence on the lives of many Canadians. Our heartfelt thanks to Dawa Kyizom, Tenzin Youdin, Tenzin Minkey, and Mac Wong who cared for him with such compassion, dignity and comfort. Red was predeceased by his parents, Ronald and Blanche Wilson; and his siblings, Loreen, Dorothy, Muriel, and Ronnie. A celebration of life will be held at L.R. Wilson Hall, McMaster University, on May 12, 2026, with a reception to follow in the DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery.