Curiosity got the best of us. With all the economic turmoil, we just couldn’t resist checking in on the untouchables to see if they’re sharing our pain.
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Peter Munk
Aka Chair and founder of Barrick Gold, the largest gold mining company in the world
Digs Classy $8.8 million manse in Forest Hill
Claims to fame Business leader and philanthropist university research centres and hospital wings named after him
Bottom line Gold prices are through the roof and renos to a $2 million addition at the Munk estate are in full swing, but all that glitters…. The Norwegian Government Pension Fund recently dumped its $229 million stake in Barrick on ethical grounds, citing “an unacceptable risk of serious environmental damage” at the company’s Porgera mine in Papua New Guinea. See also Chile, Colombia, Nevada, the boreal forest of northern Ontario, etc, etc.
Gerry Schwartz and Heather Reisman
Aka (Him) Chair, president, CEO of Onex Corporation (Her) Chief exec of Indigo Books and Music
Digs Sprawling $16.1 million compound in Rosedale lovingly referred to by neighbours as Fort Schwartz
Claims to fame (Him) Billions in assets “the impeccable posture of a hand puppet” (Her) Near monopoly on Canadian book publishing strong pro-Israel support
Bottom line (Him) Doing mean business with private health care providers and defence contractors in U.S., including Bush-family-tied Carlyle Group (Her) Rubbing elbows with hawkish Israeli military and intelligence types.
Galen Weston
Aka Chair and president of George Weston Limited
Digs Regal $8.3 million Forest Hill address
Claims to fame Head of second-richest family in Canada. And his wife, Hilary, who served as Lieutenant Governor of Ontario under Mike Harris
Bottom line Turmoil at the top at Weston’s flagship Loblaws supermarket chain company stocks down 25 per cent. Galen Weston Jr. starring in commercials with cute babies to win back customers. Choice.
Edward S. Rogers III
Aka Son of late media mogul Ed “Ted” S. Rogers Jr.
Digs $11.9 million Forest Hill beauty
Claims to fame President Rogers Cable Inc.
Bottom line Still a ways down the corporate food chain of Rogers media empire. Stocks dip to $22 a share this week from a 52-week high of $44. Daddy’s going to be a hard act to follow.
Dominic D’Alessandro
Aka President and CEO, Manulife Financial
Digs $2.8 million Rosedale standard
Claims to fame “Canada’s most respected chief executive officer” ranked number three, behind Galen Weston and Power Corp chair Paul Desmarais, on Globeadvisor.com’s Power 25 list
Bottom line Making his not-so-graceful exit just as Manulife records $1.87 billion third-quarter losses turning his sights to North American integration in the meantime (he’s a member of the NAFTA’s North American Competitiveness Council and the group drafting the Security and Prosperity Partnership agreement).
Photos by Enzo Di Matteo
