Arthur James Edward Child

Arthur James Edward Child, former chairman and chief executive officer of Burns Foods, left a legacy of discipline, commitment and leadership as well as courtesy and kindness. Child was born in 1910 in Guildford, England, and earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1931 from Queen’s University. After working for several years in the food industry, he returned to university to earn a Master of Arts degree at the University of Toronto in Economics. He was an academic first and a businessman second, but his business was his life. Child believed in dedicating his time and wealth to the country in which he lived. A Second World War Canadian signal corps veteran, Child was praised for his service and dedication over the years to Canada’s military and for reaching out to the armed forces of other nations. Child was a visionary, always talking in terms of future horizons. In 1985, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada. He co-founded the Canada West Foundation and had philanthropic commitments that spanned a great breadth of activities. Child died July 30, 1996.