John David Stewart
John Stewart was born and raised in Toronto, and while at boarding school among 450 boys from 26 countries that he developed a deep love for international relations and service.
Today, at TD Waterhouse in Toronto, he specializes in assisting and advising educational institutions, their foundations and development departments in the management of their invested assets and guides individuals and families in wealth preservation including retirement planning, risk management and wealth transfer between generations. John graduated from the University of Toronto first with a degree in Latin American Studies concentrating on developmental economics, and then with a Certificate in Business, a post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management, and most recently the Certificate in Alternate Dispute Resolution. He stayed on at the university to teach financial and management accounting in the Bachelor of Commerce programme. He later graduated from the University of Northumbria in Newcastle (UK) graduated with an LL.M. (Master of Laws – Commercial Law), “cum laude”, and the Civil Military Affairs (CIMIC) programme at the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre in Nova Scotia.
During his 33 years in the Regular and Reserve Forces, Major John Stewart has served as an infantry officer, a combat intelligence officer with the Special Service Force, and an artillery officer. He served at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, was sent to the Argentine Army’s Headquarters in Buenos Aires for consultations, and has represented Canada in Uruguay and in Peru at the International Military Law conference in 1998. In 2004 he commanded the NATO CIMIC Course at the Spanish War College in Zaragosa Spain, instructing senior officers from 17 countries in CIMIC doctrine and international law. In October 2010, Major Stewart was again in Buenos Aires representing Canada at conferences of the CEA and the UN.
As a Canadian Army Officer, he co-ordinated and led troops in the CIMIC operations of 13 teams of troops from 7 NATO and non-NATO countries, coordinating efforts with several NGOs to rebuild schools, hospitals and civil infrastructure in the cities and villages of Afghanistan for 6 months. Major Stewart was decorated with the Canadian Forces Decoration for his military service in 1989, the Confederation Medal in 1992 by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002. The Governor General of Canada decorated him with the Most Venerable Order of St. John and in 2004 Captain Stewart earned the General Campaign Star with Afghanistan ISAF bar, which is awarded for action in the presence of an armed enemy. He was personal Aide de Camp to The Honourable Hal Jackman, from 1992 to 1997, and to The Honourable Hillary Weston in 1997 to 2002 during their terms as Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.
John Stewart is a recent Governor of the University of Toronto, and serves on the boards of several not for profit organizations. His great passions are education and global public health.