Appointments to the Senate

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien announced today that His Excellency the Governor General has agreed to summon Mr. Frank Mahovlich of Ontario, Mr. Calvin Ruck of Nova Scotia, the Very Reverend Dr. Lois Wilson of Ontario, Mr. Richard Kroft of Manitoba, and Mrs. Marian Maloney of Ontario to the Senate.

The appointments of Mrs. Maloney and Dr. Wilson bring to 18 the number of women that the Prime Minister has named to the Senate since 1993 - the most to be appointed by any Prime Minister in Canadian history. The number of women in the Senate has risen from 16 at the time the government took office to 31 as of these appointments - the most to be seated at any one time in Canadian history.

Reverend Wilson will be sitting as an Independent Senator.

The appointments are effective immediately.

Biographies are attached.

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A native of Timmins, Mr. Mahovlich graduated from St. Michael's College School in 1957. As a distinguished alumnus, he was awarded the Order of St. Michael in 1996. He has also done course work at the University of Windsor and the University of Ottawa.

In 1958, he joined the Toronto Maple Leafs, winning the Calder Trophy as best rookie that year. Over a twenty-two year career, Mr. Mahovlich's trademark grace and powerful skating style made him one of professional hockey's true superstars. He scored 626 goals, was selected to nine All-Star teams, and was a member of six Stanley Cup- winning teams - four with Toronto and two with the Montreal Canadiens. In 1971, he tied the record for most play-off points.

In addition to his storied on-ice exploits, Mr. Mahovlich has been a great ambassador for the game of hockey and an outstanding role model.

He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1981 and to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame 1990. In 1994, Mr. Mahovlich was made a Member of the Order of Canada.

Since retiring from hockey in 1978, Mr. Mahovlich has run his own company, "Big M" Promotions Ltd.

He is married to Marie Devaney Mahovlich, who recently curated an exhibit on hockey at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

They have raised three children: Michael, Nancy and Edward.

Mr. and Mrs. Mahovlich live in Unionville, Ontario. He is 60 years of age.

A tireless community activist and advocate for the black community in Nova Scotia, Calvin Ruck is a living record of the movement to make the ideal of Canadian opportunity a reality for people of all backgrounds and walks of life.

A native of Sydney, Mr. Ruck was educated at Sydney Academy, received training in social work at the Maritime School of Social Work, and earned a Diploma in Social Work from Dalhousie University in 1979.

He began his working life as a labourer with Dominion Steel & Coal Company (1942-45); becoming a Porter with the Canadian National Railroad (1945-58); and, a cleaner at C.F.B. Shearwater (1958-68).

From 1968-81, Mr. Ruck served as a Community Development Officer. Between 1981-86, he worked as an unpaid Human Rights Officer with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, playing a key role in the de-segregation of public accommodations in the province (barber shops etc.) From 1986-90, he was a Community School Co-ordinator with the Dartmouth School Board, at which point he retired.

Mr. Ruck has given freely of his time to numerous community awareness groups, including the Black Cultural Centre of Nova Scotia, the North Preston Day Care Board, and the Nova Scotia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People.

His list of honours is long and distinguished. In 1981, he received a Certificate of Honour from the Black Hall of Fame; in 1987, the Freda Vickery Award from the Nova Scotia Association of Social Workers; in 1987, a National Harry Jerome Award; in 1992, a Canada 125 Medal; and in 1994, an Honourary Doctor of Laws from Dalhousie University.

Mr. Ruck was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1995.

He is 73 years of age.

An author, minister and internationally-known authority on human rights issues, Dr. Wilson was the first woman Moderator of the United Church of Canada.

Dr. Wilson earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Divinity from United College in Winnipeg. She has also received numerous honourary degrees in Divinity and Laws from universities and colleges across Canada and in the United States.

She was ordained a United Church minister in 1965. From 1976-79, she served as the first woman President of the Canadian Council of Churches and from 1980-82 as the Moderator of the United Church of Canada. From 1983-91, she was the first Canadian President of the World Council of Churches, during which time she worked extensively around the world on human rights issues. She is currently Chancellor of Lakehead University and Vice-President of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

Dr. Wilson has authored numerous articles and five books.

Her expertise on human rights issues has seen her chosen to serve as board member (1978-88) with Amnesty International; with the Canadian Institute for International Peace and Security (1984-88); and, since 1997, as chair of the board of the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development. In 1985 she was awarded the Pearson Peace Prize by the United Nations Association in Canada. That same year she was awarded the World Federalists Peace Award, and has been President of the World Federalists (Canada) since 1996.

In 1984, Dr. Wilson was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

She is married to the Reverend Dr. Roy F. Wilson. They have four children and 12 grandchildren.

Dr. Wilson is 71 years of age and will sit as an Independent Senator.

Richard Kroft has enjoyed a highly successful career in business and has deep roots in the community.

A native of Winnipeg, Mr. Kroft earned a B.A. in Economics and Political Science (1959) and a LL.B (1963) from the University of Manitoba.

His past business endeavours include serving as Treasurer and Assistant Secretary, McCabe Grain Company Ltd. of Winnipeg and as Director and Chairman, Venture Capital Division, Federal Business Development Bank (1981-86).

Currently, Mr. Kroft is President of Tryton Investment Company Ltd.; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Controlled Environments Ltd.; Vice President and Director, Precision Metalcraft Inc.; and Director and Vice President of John A. Flanders Ltd. He is also an Executive Committee member with the recently formed Business Council of Manitoba.

His community activities currently include serving as Director and Chairman of the Investment Committee, Jewish Foundation of Manitoba; a Member of the Executive Committee of the Winnipeg Pan- American Games Society; and, as Honourary Council Member and Capital Campaign Committee Member for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

Mr. Kroft is a Member of the Order of Canada. He is 60 years of age.

Marian Maloney is a well-known community organizer in Ontario. She has devoted herself freely to numerous charitable endeavours.

Mrs. Maloney is a graduate of Fort William Collegiate and Kings Business College in Thunder Bay, Ontario. And between 1968 and 1978 she filled a number of customer service and administrative positions in both Thunder Bay and Toronto. In 1978, she began to devote herself full-time to Marian Maloney & Associates, an event management firm she founded in 1970, and as Public Relations Director for GLM Productions.

Mrs. Maloney's long record of community involvement had its origins in Thunder Bay. She is perhaps best remembered for her tireless work as Chair of 1970's "Thunderama," the celebration of the amalgamation of Port William and Port Arthur. Among other roles, she managed the Thunder Bay Winter Carnival, sat on the board of the Visitor & Convention Bureau; was a member of the St. Joseph's Hospital Auxiliary and a board member with Thunder Bay Big Brothers. Her community activities in Toronto have included being a patron of the Toronto Chapter of the Canadian Kidney Association; sitting on the board of the Runnymede Chronic Care Hospital and serving as a member of the Toronto Symphony Women's Committee.

Mrs. Maloney was born in Pontiac, Saskatchewan and is 73 years of age.