Alfred Apps
Encyclopedia
William Alfred Apps is a Canadian lawyer, businessman and prominent activist in both the Liberal Party of Canada
and the Ontario Liberal Party
. He is currently counsel to a Canadian law firm, Fasken Martineau, based in their Toronto
office. Apps is associated with a number of philanthropic and charitable causes. He has five daughters.
in 1957, the son of Arthur Carlyle Apps (b. 1933) and Margaret Imogene (Gracey) Apps (1932–2005), the eldest of seven children. He spent his formative years in Woodstock, Ontario
and attended high school at Woodstock Collegiate Institute .
In 1979, he received his BA (Hons) in philosophy and economics at Huron University College
, an affiliated college of the University of Western Ontario
. He graduated in law from the University of Toronto
in 1984 and was called to the Ontario
bar in 1987. Apps served as Prime Minister
of his high school students' council in 1974-75 and as President
of both the Huron College Student's Council in 1978-1979 and of the University Students' Council in 1979-1980 .
In 1998 he led a business combination between Lehndorff and Dundee Realty Corporation and, following a short period as President and COO
of the successor corporation, was appointed CEO of Newstar Technologies Inc. In 2001, upon completing a merger of Newstar with three of its principal U.S. competitors together with a US$140 million first-round equity financing, he rejoined the partnership at Fasken Martineau, where he continues to practice corporate/commercial law specializing in corporate mergers, acquisitions and financings.
Over his career, Apps has led companies and raised capital in Canada, the United States and Europe. He has also served on the Board of Directors
of a number of other public and private companies. He is currently the Chair of the Board of Byron Capital Markets, a Canadian investment dealer and Pacific Mortgage Group, an independent mortgage originator and lender.
. As a young Liberal, he also was involved in launching the reform movement of the Liberal Party at the national biennial convention of 1982, which culminated in the National Reform Convention of the Liberal Party, held in Halifax in 1985.
In 1984, he was appointed chief Ontario organizer for the successful John Turner
leadership campaign. While studying law, he was a speechwriter for David Peterson
, then Leader of the Opposition
in Ontario
, as well as for several cabinet ministers in the last Canadian government led by Pierre Trudeau
.
Apps ran as a Liberal in his home riding of Oxford
in the federal elections of both 1984 and 1988 but was defeated by the long-serving Progressive Conservative
incumbent, Bruce Halliday
.
During the 1993 federal election
, Apps worked closely with Senator David Smith as election readiness chair for the Greater Toronto Area
, an election in which the Liberal Party won every Toronto seat. He has played a key role in recruiting a number of prominent Liberal politicians into public life including former Prime Minister Paul Martin
, former Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff
and the first female black Member of Parliament
and Cabinet Minister, Jean Augustine
. He was also a backer of Ignatieff's 2006 and 2008 Liberal leadership bids.
On March 31, 2009, he was acclaimed as President of the Liberal Party of Canada
.
in 2006-2007. He was President of the Empire Club of Canada
for the 2009 - 2010 year and has been active in a number of arts and youth-oriented charities. An active Anglican, he serves on committees of the Provincial Synod Executive Council of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario.
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
and the Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
. He is currently counsel to a Canadian law firm, Fasken Martineau, based in their Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
office. Apps is associated with a number of philanthropic and charitable causes. He has five daughters.
Education
Alfred Apps was born in Brantford, OntarioBrantford, Ontario
Brantford is a city located on the Grand River in Southern Ontario, Canada. While geographically surrounded by the County of Brant, the city is politically independent...
in 1957, the son of Arthur Carlyle Apps (b. 1933) and Margaret Imogene (Gracey) Apps (1932–2005), the eldest of seven children. He spent his formative years in Woodstock, Ontario
Woodstock, Ontario
Woodstock is a city and the county seat of Oxford County in Southern Ontario, Canada. Woodstock is located 128 km southwest of Toronto, north of Highway 401 along the historic Thames River...
and attended high school at Woodstock Collegiate Institute .
In 1979, he received his BA (Hons) in philosophy and economics at Huron University College
Huron University College
Huron University College, referred to locally as Huron College is one of the affiliated colleges of the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario....
, an affiliated college of the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
. He graduated in law from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1984 and was called to the Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
bar in 1987. Apps served as Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of his high school students' council in 1974-75 and as President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of both the Huron College Student's Council in 1978-1979 and of the University Students' Council in 1979-1980 .
Business background
Apps joined Fasken Martineau as an associate in 1989 and was named partner in 1991. In 1993, he withdrew from the partnership on being named CEO of The Lehndorff Group (an international commercial real estate firm with assets in Canada, the United States and Europe), where he led a 47-lender $1 billion debt restructuring and oversaw the creation of one of Canada's first Real Estate Investment Trusts.In 1998 he led a business combination between Lehndorff and Dundee Realty Corporation and, following a short period as President and COO
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
of the successor corporation, was appointed CEO of Newstar Technologies Inc. In 2001, upon completing a merger of Newstar with three of its principal U.S. competitors together with a US$140 million first-round equity financing, he rejoined the partnership at Fasken Martineau, where he continues to practice corporate/commercial law specializing in corporate mergers, acquisitions and financings.
Over his career, Apps has led companies and raised capital in Canada, the United States and Europe. He has also served on the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of a number of other public and private companies. He is currently the Chair of the Board of Byron Capital Markets, a Canadian investment dealer and Pacific Mortgage Group, an independent mortgage originator and lender.
Legal practice
Apps has been recognized as a leading counsel in the area of restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, private equity investment and infrastructure finance. He has been ranked by Lexpert and UK-based Practical Law Company as one of Canada's leading lawyers in these fields. In 2009, he acted as debtor counsel in the $32BN restructuring of the Canadian third party (i.e. non-bank) asset-backed commercial paper market, the largest debt restructuring in Canadian history.Political involvement
Although involved politically from the age of 15, Apps first came to prominence within the Liberal party in 1979 when, at age 22, he was elected Executive Vice-President of the Ontario Liberal PartyOntario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
. As a young Liberal, he also was involved in launching the reform movement of the Liberal Party at the national biennial convention of 1982, which culminated in the National Reform Convention of the Liberal Party, held in Halifax in 1985.
In 1984, he was appointed chief Ontario organizer for the successful John Turner
John Turner
John Napier Wyndham Turner, PC, CC, QC is an English Canadian lawyer and retired politician, who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Canada from June 30 to September 17, 1984....
leadership campaign. While studying law, he was a speechwriter for David Peterson
David Peterson
David Robert Peterson, PC, O.Ont was the 20th Premier of the Province of Ontario, Canada, from June 26, 1985 to October 1, 1990. He was the first Liberal premier of Ontario in 42 years....
, then Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Ontario)
The Leader of the Opposition in Ontario is usually leader of the largest party in the Ontario legislature which is not the government. The current official opposition is formed by the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, and Tim Hudak is the current Leader of the Opposition.Ontario's first...
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, as well as for several cabinet ministers in the last Canadian government led by Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
.
Apps ran as a Liberal in his home riding of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
in the federal elections of both 1984 and 1988 but was defeated by the long-serving Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
incumbent, Bruce Halliday
Bruce Halliday
Bruce Halliday, MD, CCFP was a Canadian physician and federal politician.-History:Born in Woodstock, Ontario, Halliday was a physician before being elected to the Canadian House of Commons from the Ontario riding of Oxford in the 1974 federal election.Halliday spent his early years in Ottawa,...
.
During the 1993 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
, Apps worked closely with Senator David Smith as election readiness chair for the Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
, an election in which the Liberal Party won every Toronto seat. He has played a key role in recruiting a number of prominent Liberal politicians into public life including former Prime Minister Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
, former Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
and the first female black Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and Cabinet Minister, Jean Augustine
Jean Augustine
Jean Augustine, PC, CM is a former Canadian politician.From 1993 to 2005, Augustine was a Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Etobicoke—Lakeshore. She is a former member of Cabinet, and a former school principal...
. He was also a backer of Ignatieff's 2006 and 2008 Liberal leadership bids.
On March 31, 2009, he was acclaimed as President of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
.
Other affiliations and activities
In addition to being a longtime member of the Huron University College Corporation, Apps served as Chair of the Foundation Board for the Centre for Addiction and Mental HealthCentre for Addiction and Mental Health
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is a consortium of mental health clinics at several sites in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its name in French is Centre de toxicomanie et de santé mentale...
in 2006-2007. He was President of the Empire Club of Canada
Empire Club of Canada
The Empire Club of Canada is a Canadian speakers' forum. Established in 1903, the Empire Club has provided a forum for over 3,500 speakers.Through a variety of presentation formats, the Empire Club invites local, national and international leaders and other change-agents to address the topical...
for the 2009 - 2010 year and has been active in a number of arts and youth-oriented charities. An active Anglican, he serves on committees of the Provincial Synod Executive Council of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario.