David Peterson

Notable work and positions

Torstar Corporation — Chairman of the Board
Government of Ontario — 20th Premier of Ontario (1985–1990)
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP — Chairman
Rogers Communications Inc. — former Independent Director (1991–2021)
University of Toronto — Chancellor Emeritus; former Chancellor (2006–2012)

Biography

David Robert Peterson was born December 28, 1943, in Toronto, and holds degrees from the University of Western Ontario and the University of Toronto's Faculty of Law. A lawyer by training, he was elected to the Ontario legislature in 1975 representing London Centre, became leader of the Ontario Liberal Party in 1982, and served as the 20th premier of Ontario from June 1985 to October 1990, leading the province's first Liberal government in more than four decades. He remained a member of provincial parliament until 1990.

After leaving politics, Peterson became a senior partner and, later, chairman of the Toronto law firm Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP. He served as chancellor of the University of Toronto from 2006 to 2012 and now holds the title of chancellor emeritus. He was founding chairman of the Toronto Raptors of the NBA and chaired Toronto's bid for the 2015 Pan American Games before becoming chair of the Toronto Organizing Committee for the Games. In 2015, a Pan Am Games manager, Ximena Morris, filed a $10 million sexual-harassment lawsuit against Peterson in his capacity as the Games' board chair; Peterson denied the allegations and filed a defamation counter-suit, and in October 2017 the Ontario Superior Court dismissed Morris's lawsuit, with Morris issuing an apology to Peterson and his wife. Peterson has served as an independent director of Rogers Communications since 1991 and has sat on numerous other corporate and charitable boards over his career, including Shoppers Drug Mart, Franco-Nevada Corporation, St. Michael's Hospital and the Toronto Community Foundation.

In May 2020, the investment firm NordStar Capital LP, formed by business executives Jordan Bitove and Paul Rivett, agreed to acquire Torstar Corporation, the publicly traded parent company of the Toronto Star, for approximately C$52 million, an offer later raised to roughly C$60 million; the deal, which took Torstar private, was approved by the Ontario Superior Court in July 2020. As part of the transaction, Peterson joined the Torstar board as vice-chair. Rivett left the company amid a dispute with Bitove in 2022, and Peterson has since become chairman of the Torstar board.

Career highlights

1. Premier of Ontario, 1985–1990. Led Ontario's first Liberal government in more than four decades as the province's 20th premier.

2. NordStar Capital's acquisition of Torstar, 2020. Joined the buyout group that took the Toronto Star's parent company private, initially as vice-chair, later becoming chairman of the board.

3. Chancellor of the University of Toronto, 2006–2012. Served as the university's 32nd chancellor and now holds the title of chancellor emeritus.