The UWI Canada Initiative

We are proud to have honoured you with the Vice Chancellor's Award in 2019. We miss you already. 💔🌍

Celebrating a legacy of justice, leadership, and community impact, The Honourable Justice Donald F. McLeod will receive the Vice-Chancellor’s Award at the 2026 UWI Toronto Benefit Gala.

A trailblazer in the Canadian legal community, Justice McLeod has dedicated his career to justice, equity, and community empowerment. From founding The McLeod Group to his appointment to the Ontario Court of Justice in 2013, he has consistently broken barriers — becoming the first Black graduate of Queen's University Faculty of Law to be appointed a judge in Canada.

Beyond the courtroom, his impact continues through teaching, mentorship, and leadership. As an adjunct professor, community advocate, and co-founder of initiatives like the Federation of Black Canadians, Justice McLeod has helped shape conversations around criminal justice, leadership, and equity across the country.

His many honours — including recognition as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent in the World — reflect a lifetime committed to service and transformative change.

We celebrate Justice McLeod’s extraordinary contributions and his enduring impact on communities in Canada and beyond.

A powerful voice for justice and inclusion in Canada, the Honourable Marci Ien is the recipient of this year’s Vice-Chancellor’s Award at the UWI Toronto Benefit Awards.

A respected journalist, broadcaster, and public servant, Ms. Ien has built a remarkable legacy rooted in equity, inclusion, and justice. After a distinguished career in media — including roles with CTV News and as co-host of The Social — she entered public service in 2020, winning the election to parliament in Toronto Centre.

Soon after, she was appointed Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth. In that role, she led transformative national initiatives, including Canada’s first National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence and the country’s first 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, advancing safety, equality, and opportunity for communities across Canada.

Throughout her career — in journalism, public life, and advocacy — Ms. Ien has led with empathy, integrity, and a deep commitment to lifting others. Her leadership continues to inspire communities across the country and the diaspora.

Join us on April 25, as we celebrate her extraordinary impact: https://uwitorontogala.org

We are delighted to celebrate the work of the Lifelong Leadership Institute, recipient of the Chancellor’s Award at the 2026 UWI Toronto Benefit Gala!

Established to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence, the Lifelong Leadership Institute was founded in 2013 as a Canadian non-profit dedicated to leadership development and educational empowerment within the Jamaican-Canadian and Black-Canadian communities.

Through mentorship, STEM learning, entrepreneurship training, leadership workshops, and partnerships with institutions, the organization supports nearly 300 young people annually with the skills, confidence, and ambition to become engaged leaders in their communities.

The institute stands as a powerful gift from the Jamaican diaspora in Canada to the broader Black community — helping the next generation unlock their brilliance.

We celebrate the Lifelong Leadership Institute at the UWI Toronto Benefit Awards on April 25 at the Ritz-Carlton in Toronto: https://uwitorontogala.org