Timothy Porteous
Encyclopedia
John Timothy Irvine Porteous, CM
(born 1933) is a Canadian
administrator.
in 1957 when the two were students traveling in West Africa for a World University Service of Canada seminar, for which Porteous represented McGill University
, where he had previously been responsible for the outstanding 1957 student production of My Fur Lady
, which he co-wrote.
president C. M. Drury, before volunteering as a speechwriter on Trudeau's 1968 leadership campaign.
When Trudeau won the Liberal Party
leadership campaign, on becoming Prime Minister
later in 1968 he offered Porteous a job as his executive assistant, a position he held for five years. Since his time in government, Porteous has gone on to head both the Canada Council
and the Ontario College of Art and Design.
in October 2003, in recognition of his public service.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born 1933) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
administrator.
Student days
A native of Montreal, Porteous first met Pierre TrudeauPierre 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,...
in 1957 when the two were students traveling in West Africa for a World University Service of Canada seminar, for which Porteous represented McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, where he had previously been responsible for the outstanding 1957 student production of My Fur Lady
My Fur Lady
My Fur Lady is a satirical musical theatre production, first staged in Canada in the 1950s. It was premiered in Montreal on February 7th 1957, by McGill University students. A revue, it tells the story of Princess Aurora Borealis of "Mukluko" who is searching for a husband, to help keep her...
, which he co-wrote.
Early career
He and Trudeau remained friends and became even closer when Porteous took a two-year leave of absence from his law practice in 1966 and went to Ottawa to work as an executive assistant to Treasury BoardCabinet of Canada
The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...
president C. M. Drury, before volunteering as a speechwriter on Trudeau's 1968 leadership campaign.
When Trudeau won the Liberal Party
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...
leadership campaign, on becoming Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
later in 1968 he offered Porteous a job as his executive assistant, a position he held for five years. Since his time in government, Porteous has gone on to head both the Canada Council
Canada Council
The Canada Council for the Arts, commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown Corporation established in 1957 to act as an arts council of the government of Canada, created to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. It funds Canadian artists and...
and the Ontario College of Art and Design.
Canada Council
Porteous was perhaps best known for his 12-year tenure as associate director and director of the Canada Council. He was appointed to be a Member of the Order of CanadaOrder of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in October 2003, in recognition of his public service.