TORONTO, Sept. 27 2007 – Richard Gwyn’s landmark new biography of Canada’s first Prime Minister, John A: The Man Who Made Us, will be available to high school students across Canada, thanks to a cooperative programme between Manulife Financial and Random House.
Random House and Manulife Financial today announced that Manulife has commissioned from Random House 3,000 copies of a special edition of Gwyn’s book and will distribute them, free, to high school libraries across the country.
Sir John A. Macdonald was elected the first president of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (as it was then known) at its establishment on July 13, 1887.
In his introduction to the Manulife edition, current President and Chief Executive Officer, Dominic D’Alessandro explains that “in fact, the name “Manufacturers” has its origins in Macdonald’s political platform. His national policy plan included the need for an expanded manufacturing base to broaden the market as Canada shifted from an agrarian-based economy to a more mixed economy.”
Anne Collins, Vice President and Publisher of Random House notes “how wonderful that Macdonald’s business heirs should take the extraordinary step of making this essential book of Canadian political history available to high school students from “sea to sea to sea”, as he would say!”
“We believe that with our success comes responsibility and that responsibility extends to giving back to our communities,” said Jennifer Rowe, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Manulife. “Not only is Canada home to Manulife’s corporate head office, more than 10,000 of our employees work and live here. With this effort, we hope we’re contributing to the development of our future leaders by providing books which will inspire them.”
At yesterday’s Massey College launch party for the book, Gwyn and Rowe presented Jarvis Collegiate principal, Andrew Gold, with the first copy of the special edition.
Jarvis Collegiate is the high school in the community closest to Manulife’s corporate head office. Manulife enjoys an evolving partnership with Jarvis Collegiate. This year, the Company provided 300 Grade 10 students with the opportunity to participate in Junior Achievement’s “Dream Big” program and enabled a group of Grade nine students to attend an enrichment camp at Queen’s University.
About Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$410 billion as at June 30, 2007.
Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘0945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.
