It's tough to learn the word "no" but I have over some time and I stay within, like any business you take your business model and your business is focused, so your philanthropic side of life has to be focused as well. I made a great decision to get married to my wife and we have a wonderful family. Charles Bronfman established The Andrea M. Bronfman Prize for the Arts (The Andy) to honor his wifes life-long passion for and support of the arts, and to create a showcase for Israeli decorative artists. Most of the Bronfman family have left Montreal. Pierre Trudeau, John Turner, Paul Martin, Jean Chretien, Brian Mulroney and now Stephens own personal puppet Justin Trudeau. Humility could be an asset as the two sides sort out how to share a baseball team. WebClaridge is a private investment firm headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. I met a woman. From a business perspective, again, I have not been able to affect the large part of the business community like Seagram had, but what I have been able to learn, and I've been lucky enough to be involved in many different business industries (in television, live music touring, food business, and other businesses). In 2014, Canada 2020 hosted Hillary Clinton in Ottawa, and a personal meeting with Justin Trudeau was being arranged. Stephen Bronfman was the, The Foundation is a flow-through, meaning that it has no assets. The latest revelations, first published last week, came as the issue continued to dominate question time in Canadian Parliament, and as Trudeau gave a speech calling on top earners and business leaders to take responsibility for rising income disparity in Canada. Is there something that you say "This is what Bronfman stands for and here is my bit of it?". Now we will see with the economy and how it is these days, but I've been involved with several events and conferences out west where you have a lot of people from, say Silicon Valley, that have made huge amounts of money and they want to learn "what is philanthropy" and "how do we go about it?". He has taken risks and lost money, some of it in his hometown, Montreal. Headquartered in Montreal, the company became the largest producer and distributor of distilled spirits in the world. Those rules came in after Bronfman held big fundraisers at the. It seems at first a cruel irony that one of the linchpins of Canadas motion picture industry is a man who can hardly move at all. Claridge had been investing in Israel since the 1980s and had a good run buying and selling stakes in Teva Pharmaceuticals and Osem. The family's trials and tribulations have kept them in the news. So, how much is Charles Bronfman worth at the age of 91 years old? One of them was a fellow named Rabinovich who was a very wealthy business man in Kiev and he had just discovered, not only that he had made a pile of money, but also just discovered he was Jewish and he was very proud of that. Stephen is the Executive Of course, Bronfmans in attendence. From the kitchen, dual barn doors slide open to a family room, and there are also fireplace-equipped living and dining rooms. NXIVM, Stephen Bronfman and the Canadian Connection. Today I am talking to Stephen Bronfman, who is a CEO of Claridge Investments Inc. and from a very well-known family here in Canada. [5] After the divorce she decided to stay on in Paris, living and working alone in a studio on her art and sculpting. The Trudeau and Bronfman families have been friends for decades. Canadian Liberal Party fundraiser Stephen Bronfmans connection to companies that were owed millions by an offshore trust lasted into the mid-2000s, new documents uncovered by ICIJs Canadian partner reveal, despite Bronfmans claim his involvement ended years earlier. Over the years, the team added more talent slugger Andre Dawson, catcher Gary Carter and speedster Tim Raines, who all ended up in the Hall of Fame. The Posthaste newsletter has all the breaking business news and market signals you need, The Posthaste newsletter the business news you need, The triumphs and defeats of the Bronfman who carved his own path, Death of the balcony: Why an outdoor space of one's own may soon be a luxury in condoland, The CRA generally lets you claim family medical expenses not this time, We are very clearly in an energy supply crisis Eric Nuttall sees return of triple-digit oil prices, China has lost 41 million workers almost the size of Germanys workforce in 3 years, 'Panic station at Fox News': How the Murdochs agonized over Trump's election loss. How do you focus? The ongoing pandemic may have thrown a mansion-sized wrench into the U.S. real estate market, but summers here and there are still billionaires with ample cash reserves for a lavish vacation home. Montreal. Stephen Bronfman contact details: Email address: s***@claridgeinc.com Phone number: (514) ***-**** Who is Stephen Bronfman? They have 4 kids. Stephen Bronfman personally gave a $5 million US interest-free loan to the Trust in 1997, which was repaid in five months. I like sense of community, I like sense of family and I like roots and we have good roots here. Rays owner Stuart Sternberg has praised Bronfman, and vice versa. Bronfman, who sits on four industry boards, says Vancouvers film industry is far ahead of Toronto. The prestigious fellowships, each worth $60,000 over two years, are Stephen was given the reins to his fathers legacy, and was a driving force behind Justin Trudeaus rise to power, through such organizations as Canada 2020. SB - I lived all but four years here, aside from university in the States. Website by Studio/Laurie Fink, Following ones passions vs. honoring ones parents, Charles Bronfman Institute of Personalized Medicine, Inter-Agency Task Force on Israeli Arab Issues, Tel Aviv University, Institute for National Security Studies, Karev Program for Educational Involvement, University of Toronto, Chair in Israeli Studies. There are people in Canada who are so wealthy that not only do they think they dont need to pay their fair share of taxes, theyre forcing us to spend a billion dollars to go after them just so theyll do the right thing and pay what they owe, Trudeau said. SB - Focus is tough! The grandchildren of wealthy patriarchs often give or fritter away the family money, Moore said. White now employs 330 full- and part-time staff at offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Sudbury, Ont., and Halifax. The fact that Stephen stayed and prospered has bolstered his credibility with the community, Moore said. With her husband, Bronfman Hauptman founded Andell Holdings, a private family office that has diversified holdings, including ownership stakes in apartment complexes and media companies. The Big Take is the very best of Bloomberg's in-depth, original reporting from around the globe every day. In 2013, Stephen Bronfman was named chief fundraiser and senior adviser for the Trudeau Liberals. Stephen attended Trudeaus wedding, and the Trudeaus have been Bronfmans guest at the, Charles Bronfmans money was instrumental in founding. Jewish Insider. Stephen, 45, is the scion of one of the most prominent Jewish families in Canada and is the only one of his generation still living in Montreal, where he heads the private investment firm Claridge Inc. Claudine is, as she says, Jewish by choice, and is eager to share her enthusiasm for the Jewish traditions and values she has adopted, especially with people who are born Jewish but do not necessarily realize how enriching such a heritage is. With zero return from nine years. I see him as a mentor to help us grow the film industry in northern Ontario, Anselmo says. Bronfman's father did not approve of the marriage. MONTREAL Stephen Bronfman and his wife Claudine are determined that their three young children will grow up proud to be Jewish and comfortable making their lives in Montreal. He is the Co-Founder of Birthright Israel, a highly regarded program created as a gift from one generation to the next, providing an educational travel experience to Israel for young Jewish adults. Bronfman denied any wrongdoing, and the controversy appears to have blown over. SNC-Lavalin corruption trial could prove more scandalous than Wilson-Raybould affair. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. In The early passion for the game still burns today, he says. Looks like the Honeymoon is over! His late father Edward and late uncle Peters Edper Investments controlled $100-billion worth of assets at one point, including the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Blue Jays. KM - Much of your family have moved down to the United States; millions of Canadians have done this. It came a bit later in life for you, that sense of rootedness of your own personal family. What do you see as the legacy that you are trying to sustain as part of the Bronfman family? Charles Bronfman, son of Seagrams founder Sam, at home nr. They subsequentlysold their impressive Bel Air compound, which consisted of a main house designed by minimalist architect John Pawson and guesthouse designed by Paul R. Williams, in an $85 million deal to Japanese tycoon Hideki Tomita. The elder Bronfman sold his shares in the team in 1991. At least it's not going into his own bank or his mattress or what have you. Caron: did the PM mislead the House or did Stephen Bronfman lie? I was born and raised there. Eventually he finds critical acclaim and collaborates with some of the biggest brands in the world. Chris Cortazzo of Compass held the listing; Jonathan Nash and Stephen Resnick of Hilton & Hyland repped Bronfman and Hauptman. Other Bronfman relatives, most notably Matthew Bronfman, Stevens cousin, have investments in Israel, including a stake in the food retailer Supersol and the Israeli franchise of the Swedish furniture chain Ikea. Despite the early victory, the team was awful, losing 20 games in a row and eventually tying for the fewest wins in the league that season. We shut it down in 03. So far, they seem to be on the same wavelength about where the deal goes from here. Edgar Bronfman Jr. took the reins at Seagram in 1994, after his father I feel an honour to be here and to keep the name going. "I had the best time because I believe in (this project)," he said on talk radio afterward. Of course, Trudeau publicly denies that his office ever discussed the SNC Lavalin case with Stephen Bronfman, although SNC Lavalin happened to make. She and Charles Bronfman were co-founders of birthright israel, a program offering 18-26 year-olds their first Jewish living and learning experience in Israel. Veteran film industry mogul Paul Bronfman hasn't let multiple sclerosis slow him down as he's taken on rock music, a Vancouver film studio, and now the movie equipment business. So there is a sense that you were taught that there is an obligation that with great opportunity comes responsibility. Was SNC Lavalin part of Sara and her husbands new plan for a liberated Libya? Or were they a liability to the Bronfmans? Known to friends and colleagues as Andy, Mrs. Bronfman also served as Founder and Deputy Chairman of The Gift of New York, a non-profit initiative which provided admission to New York Citys cultural, arts, entertainment and sports venues, without charge, to the bereaved families of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Whether hes speaking to a parliamentary committee about the vitality of our domestic product, or to the Premier about the importance of our tax credits, he doesnt pull punches, says Jim Mirkopoulos, whose family owns Cinespace Studios in Toronto and Chicago. Trudeau said the government had committed nearly 1 billion Canadian dollars ($787 million) to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance, the Canadian Press reported. Claridge exited the Israeli scene in 2006, when it sold control of the conglomerate Koor Industries to the IDB group, then controlled by Nochi Dankner. With all if this scandal surrounding Justin Trudeau, his popularity in rapid decline, Stephen Bronfman has his eye set on another candidate for the 2019 Canadian Election. In 2017, Stephen Bronfman in the Paradise Papers indicated Liberal fundraiser Stephen Bronfman was linked to offshore Cayman Islands trusts. Students on Ice (SOI) has led educational expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. The same Leo Kolber that moved all the Elite wealth to Cayman Ilsand offshore accounts. Bronfman stated she will remain in his employ. White, meanwhile, struggles with burnout, not of its thousands of light bulbs, but of staff, given the hectic pace. Bronfman speaks enthusiastically about his three children, who all work in the film industry in Toronto. Thanks to a 40-per-cent provincial tax credit for Canadian content filmed in northern Ontario, plus Northern Ontario Heritage Fund grants, Sudbury has hosted dozens of film and TV shoots in the past few years. I think was one of the gifts my dad gave me early on, he said "Son, whatever it is you're going to do just be as good as you can at it." Please try again. In 2007, Andrew Hauptman through Andell paid $35 million for the Chicago Fire professional soccer club, which he subsequently built into a $400 million franchise. Montreal was always one of the top communities in world Jewry, and Im committed to seeing it remain so, Stephen Bronfman said in an interview. On campus, theres a Samuel Bronfman building, and annual fellowship awards presented by Stephen Bronfman and his wife Claudine. I have environment, I have youth education, and I have some of the Montreal institutional stuff and I stay within my means as well. Canadian Liberal Party fundraiser Stephen Bronfmans connection to companies that were owed millions by an offshore trust lasted into the mid-2000s, despite his claim it ended years earlier. In 2000, Stephen's cousin Edgar Bronfman Jr. sold the liquor business in favor of the entertainment industry, a disastrous financial move that at one point cut the family's $6.5 billion net worth to about $2.9 billion. We hired the right people, Bronfman says of his new venture. Washington, D.C. 20036 USA. We've done a lot of work with this fine institution of McGill and Centraide which is our United Way in Quebec. He and a group of investors failed to keep the Expos in Montreal in the early 2000s. The organization also has a relationship with, Stephen Bronfmans Foundation has also partnered with. He feels there is momentum behind baseball returning to Montreal, whether it be the Rays deal or another one. Stephen Bronfman was the Chair for Centraide. Our participation in Claridge CDPQ Israel gives la Caisse access to a globally-recognized hub for innovation. It took less than a day for Trudeau to state that the CRA had looked into Bronfmans case and found no problems. KM - This has been Karl Moore talking Management for the Globe and Mail today with Stephen Bronfman from Montreal. As the only daughter of Canadian multibillionaire Charles Bronfman, longtime L.A. resident Bronfman Hauptman was born into a family that has been called the perhaps the single largest force in the Jewish charitable world, though they are probably still best-known for their ownership of Seagram, the now-defunct liquor giant that was the worlds top producer of alcoholic beverages in the 1990s. 2023 Dirt.com, LLC. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings. The politics and business news you need to stay up to date, delivered daily in a must-read newsletter. In 2017, he was caught up in the Paradise Papers scandal. In 1976, two New York men accused of kidnapping 21-year-old Samuel Bronfman II were convicted of grand larceny. And again, we have been so tied to the city through my dad, through my grandfather Sam and what he did with Seagram, and my dad bringing the Expo's to town and I, unfortunately, watching them leave town subsequently with great pain; it's not that we didn't try. Newly discovered documents from corporate registries, the Securities and Exchange Commission in the United States and the Paradise Papers database show that Bronfman was a key member/shareholder of Claridge Israel LLC a Delaware company that was owed more than $8 million by the Kolber Trust. Bronfman, who is alsochairman of Pinewood Toronto Studios, which opened in 2007 in Torontos port, the continents biggest purpose-built film studio, was born into a storied Canadian business family. Cousin Sara Bronfman of NXIVM had married Basit Igtet who fled to Switzerland. In fact, while Bronfman is philosophical about MS, he is downright bitter when he speaks of Montreal. . Among the pilot projects receiving funding are The Moot Court of Jewish Law at four Jewish high schools, which introduces Grade 10 students to Jewish law from a historic perspective and as it applies today; the Academy of the Segal Centre for Performing Arts to enable Grade 7 and 8 students from four high schools to enrol; and the creation of the West Island Jewish Family Learning Centre, where parents of pre-school children can get a grounding in Judaism. Artist, storyteller and entrepreneur Hebru Brantley takes us on a journey from his childhood in Chicago discovering fine art, to studying film in Atlanta, to struggling to make ends meet while styling rappers and designing concert posters. In this week's episode, hear how Brantley launched his art career with used canvases from a local art institute, turned tragedy into triumph with his first major art show, and created an entire world that's led to major motion picture studios knocking on his door. Separated three years ago from his wife, Bronfman lives in a condo in Torontos trendy Yorkville district. In 2003, she and her husband, Charles, were named honorary citizens of Jerusalem, the first North American Jews and the first couple to receive this historic honor. In recent years, as Bronfman has tried to bring baseball back to Montreal, he's spoken longingly about growing up with the Expos meeting players, reading box scores, the move to cavernous Olympic Stadium. In a 2006 article, Forbes magazine put it this way: "If the Bronfmans are Canadian royalty, Stephen Bronfman is the prince you've never heard of.". He also lost out on a bid to buy the venerable Montreal Canadiens hockey team in 2010. Their Montreal home sold for more than $3.3 million. Outdoor amenities are plentiful and include a full-size sports court, grassy lawns, a putting green, mature olive and magnolia trees, formal gardens, and a stone fountain built into the courtyard entrance. They eventually built the TD Centre in Toronto, owned the Montreal Expos, the Bank of Montreal, funded Liberal causes in Canada and Israel. 2016 The Andrea & Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, Inc. All right reserved. Charles Bronfmans money was instrumental in founding Canada 2020. In 1990, he enrolled in Montreal's Concordia University to study geology, but the business bug was starting to take hold. Following a 50-year career with The Seagram Company Limited, he retired in 2001 as Co-Chairman. The following afternoon at the Governor Generals residence, he became a Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and later that evening was elevated to Companion of the Order of Canada, that countrys highest civilian honor. Now controlled by Stephen Bronfman, Charles son and a Montreal resident, Claridge will be investing in Israel with Canadian investment manager Caisse through a joint venture called Claridge CDPQ Israel, Claridge and Caisse said Wednesday. I need Montreal! If you believe you have found an inaccuracy, Latest from Paradise Papers: Secrets of the Global Elite, Paradise Papers: Secrets of the Global Elite, African nations win UN tussle over paving the way for global tax reforms, 136 countries agree to global minimum tax for corporations in historic OECD deal, Nike fails to stop EU probe on billions in alleged tax dodging, Global corporate tax crackdown plan moves forward, but faces key US hurdle. Mrs. Bronfman was on the Board of Directors of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Inc., New York; The Jewish Museum, New York. Writing in the Financial Times Tuesday, Mark Vandevelde does a deep dive into Peter and Edward Bronfman and Brookfield Asset Management, which Vandevelde Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Stephen Bronfmans first deal made through Claridge was Canadian Broadcasting Assets, Canadian brewer Labatt, which included sports networks. Over the lifetime of the trust, the Follow us on Twitter: @globebusinessOpens in a new window. As Chairman of The Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, Mr. Bronfman oversees a family of charitable foundations in Israel, Canada and the United States. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. 2023 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Letsgetstarted. The next issue of Financial Post Top Stories will soon be in your inbox. After all, how could that possibly be, considering long time family friend and confident Leo Kolber had been investing in off-shore accounts for the Bronfmans and their elite friends for decades. I should be committed to an insane asylum.. KM - How do you choose out of the many charities you could help? In 1999 the company, renamed Netstar, was sold to Canadian broadcaster CTV which, The Foundation contributes to major capital campaigns, such as those for the McGill University Health Centre, the Centre hospitalier de lUniversit de Montral super-hospitals, as well as Centraide. La vie est trop courte (life is too short) to put up with the bullshit in Montreal, he says. The Bronfman family has pulled Canadas Political Strings decade after decade since the 1920's. The Kolber Trust was set up in the Cayman Islands in 1991 by Leo Kolber, a long-time business associate of the Bronfman family and major fundraiser for the Liberal Party. The Foundation contributes to major capital campaigns, such as those for the McGill University Health Centre, the Centre hospitalier de lUniversit de Montral super-hospitals, as well as Centraide. However, new documents uncovered by journalists at the CBC show Bronfmans link to the trust appears to have lasted until 2005. Andrea Bronfman was 60 years old. Like many baseball fans, he remembers how excited he was to attend games with his dad the buzz of the crowd, the joy of a big win, the way a loss could feel like the end of the world. Some information may no longer be current. Canadian family is teaming up with fund manager to take stake in innovative companies. Bronfman, 59, has battled MS for more than 20 years, and no longer has the use of his arms and legs. Charles Bronfmans income source is Coincidentally, Sara Bronfman became passionately involved in Libya, having visited the eastern city of Benghazi for what she calls "a few very intense days" in November 2011. He also divorced his wife and, in 1975, Edgar married Rita Webb, the daughter of a barkeeper.