Israel 'Izzy' Asper Biography

Israel Harold "Izzy" Asper, OC , OM , QC , LL.M , Ph.D. (August 11, 1932 - October 7, 2003), Canadian tax lawyer and media magnate, was the founder of CanWest Global Communications Corp. He was born in Minnedosa, Manitoba, the son of musicians who had emigrated from Ukraine. Asper attended the University of Manitoba where he became an active brother of Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity. In 1957 he received his Bachelor of law degree from the University of Manitoba, and was called to the bar shortly thereafter.

His media empire started with the Winnipeg television station CKND in 1975. CanWest grew to encompass the Global Television Network, the daily newspaper National Post and over 60 other Canadian newspapers.

The faculty of management at the University of Manitoba renamed itself the Asper School of Business in 2000. He was also a noted philanthropist, making major donations to the arts and education; in 2001 he donated $5 million (Can) to the St. Boniface Hospital & Research Foundation in Winnipeg. Asper became an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1995.