Sylvia and Bernard Ostry are an exceptional Jewish couple, says book publishing consultant Malcolm Lester of Malcolm Lester and Associates.
“They are one of a kind in terms of their joint accomplishments in Canadian public service,” adds Lester, who has been a consultant on their recently published books.
Both of the Ostrys are respected around the world. Sylvia is an economist, trade negotiator and policy expert, while Bernard is a former high-ranking federal and provincial civil servant in the areas of culture and broadcasting.
A one-of-a kind, high-powered couple, they are the only husband and wife in public service who have served as deputy ministers in Canada. Between them, they have worked with six Canadian prime ministers.
Listings for Sylvia and Bernard can be found in Who’s Who, both Canadian and American editions, as well as at the International Biographic Centre. There are hundreds of entries on the Internet that note their publications and accomplishments.
Sylvia holds a PhD from McGill and Cambridge universities, along with 14 honorary doctorates. She is a companion of the Order of Canada and is the chancellor emeritus of the University of Waterloo.
At an interview in their mid-town Toronto condominium, the Ostrys spoke of their childhoods.
Sylvia was born in Winnipeg and Bernard was born in the small farming community of Wadena, Sask., where his father ran a general store.
Bernard says he was sent to live in a Jewish orphanage in Winnipeg for several years “so that I could read the Torah for my bar mitzvah.”
Sylvia and Bernard met at public school in Winnipeg. Bernard attended high school in Flin Flon, graduated from the University of Manitoba and went to England to teach international history at the University of London.
At a time when it was rare for women to be accepted into premed studies, Sylvia was admitted on the basis of her high marks. But after one year, she says, “I found it wasn’t intellectual — it was boring. I found economics stimulating.”
She was eventually offered a teaching position at Oxford University. Once in Oxford, she says she decided to call Bernard at the University of London. They became reacquainted and the rest is history.
It was during their stay in England that their first son, Adam, was born. Juggling child-care responsibilities with her career, the sought-after expert in the field of economics returned to Canada. She says, “It was [former prime minister Pierre] Trudeau who made me the first female deputy [minister] when he offered me [a position with] Statistics Canada.” She entered the public service at a time when few women could penetrate the senior ranks.
In 1975, she became the deputy minister of Corporate Affairs Canada and deputy registrar general. Three years later, she became the chair of the Economics Council of Canada.
In 1979, Sylvia was invited to Paris to head the department of economics and statistics of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). She refused the offer, saying, “It is impossible for me to leave Canada.” But Bernard convinced her to go.
She is the first woman ever to hold the post at the OECD. During her five years with the organization, she was recognized for her extraordinary knowledge and her ability in international negotiations.
“My career would not have taken off without the support of my husband,” she says.
She returned to Canada to become deputy minister of International Trade Canada.
Bernard proudly spoke of his wife’s work on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and her role as former prime minister Brian Mulroney’s personal ambassador of multilateral trade negotiations at a G7 Economic Summit.
She is now the distinguished research fellow at the Munk Centre for International Studies at the University of Toronto.
Bernard returned to Canada from England in the 1960s, where he held positions in Ottawa with the Research Council of Canada and deputy ministerial positions in both federal and provincial governments, where he was responsible for citizenship programs and communications, and later, industry and tourism.
In 2002, Sylvia had a brain aneurysm. With great emotion, Bernard recalled his wife’s near-death illness and her miraculous recovery.
Bernard’s love of art and culture drew him to associations with the Royal Ontario Museum, the McMichael Canadian Collection and the Art Gallery of Ontario. He has served as the secretary general of the National Museums of Canada.
The Royal Ontario Museum has published a book on Bernard’s Art Deco furniture. He has donated a collection of 17th- and 18th-century furniture to Government House in Ottawa and has made other significant donations to museums and art galleries.
For many years, Bernard was the chair and chief executive officer of TVOntario, retiring in 1992.
Along with his long record of public service, Bernard, who was named to the Order of Canada, has been involved in publishing.
Recently, he assisted with the publication of The Sterling Public Servant: A Global Tribute to Sylvia Ostry; At the Global Crossroads: The Sylvia Ostry Foundations Lectures (six lectures, given annually, which explore the global economy); and Visions of Canada, The Alan Flaunt Memorial Lectures 1958-1992, co-edited by Bernard. The three books are from McGill-Queen’s University Press.
Bernard is currently finishing a book on aboriginals titled Victims No More: Short Bios of Successful Native Peoples. He says, “I hope to change the image and perceptions of these people.”
The Ostrys have supported many Jewish causes, including ORT, for which they served as honorary presidents.
Ten years ago, the Ostrys were asked to become involved with the organization. “Because we are very interested in education, we agreed to help transform ORT into a more Canadian institution — to do something here as well as in Israel.”
Reflecting on her life, Sylvia said she considers herself very lucky. “We have had a wonderful relationship and we have two great boys, both in public service, and two grandsons.”
Their son Adam is a political scientist in Ottawa and his brother Jonathan is an economist in Washington. ♦
Originally appeared in the Canadian Jewish News. © 2004 by Cynthia Gasner.
* * *
Obit: Ostry was a prominent civil servant
Bernard Ostry, a former high-ranking and influential federal and provincial civil servant in the areas of culture and broadcasting who was known for his accomplishments in Canadian public service, died of cancer at his home in Toronto on May 24. He was 78.
He was born in the rural farming community of Wadena, Sask., where his father ran a general store. He was sent to live in a Jewish orphanage in Winnipeg for several years so he could learn to read the Torah for his bar mitzvah.
He attended public school in Winnipeg and high school in Flin Flon, Man. He graduated from the University of Manitoba and went to England to teach international history at the University of London.
In England, he became reacquainted with his future wife, Sylvia Knelman, who had attended public school with him in Winnipeg. She held a teaching position at Oxford University and went on to become an internationally known economist.
He returned to Canada from England in the 1960s and subsequently held positions in Ottawa with the Research Council of Canada and deputy ministerial positions in both the federal and the Ontario provincial governments, where he was responsible for citizenship programs and communications, and later, industry and tourism.
His love of art and culture drew him to associations with the Royal Ontario Museum, the McMichael Canadian Collection and the Art Gallery of Ontario. He also served as secretary general of the National Museum of Canada.
He collected Art Deco art and furniture and the Royal Ontario Museum published a book on his Art Deco furniture. He donated a collection of 17th- and 18th-century furniture to Government House in Ottawa and he has made significant donations to museums and art galleries.
In 1985, he became chair and chief executive officer of TVOntario, retiring in 1992.
With his long record of public service, he was named to the Order of Canada.
He has been involved with publishing, and assisted with the publication of The Sterling Public Servant: A Global Tribute to Sylvia Ostry; At the Global Crossroads: The Sylvia Ostry Foundation Lectures (six lectures given annually which explore the global economy); and Visions of Canada, The Alan Flaunt Memorial Lectures 1958-1992, coedited by him.
The Ostrys have supported many Jewish causes, including ORT, for which they served as honorary presidents.
He is survived by his wife Sylvia, his sons Adam and Jonathan, two grandsons Daniel and Joshua and his brother George. ♦
Originally appeared in the Canadian Jewish News. © 2006 by Cynthia Gasner.
