Welcome Joe Friday, Chair of the Hnatyshyn Foundation!
June 23, 2025
The Hnatyshyn Foundation is excited to announce that Joe Friday has been appointed Chair of the Hnatyshyn Foundation’s Board of Directors.
Joe’s extensive experience as a leader, proactive involvement in the community, and passion for supporting Canadian artists, will greatly benefit the Foundation and the artistic community at large.
Joe Friday
practiced law in both the private and public sectors, most recently serving as Canada’s Commissioner of Public Sector Integrity from 2015 to 2023. He is an active and avid participant in the visual arts, both as a community builder and as a collector of contemporary art. He was the founding Chair of the Carleton University Art Gallery and is currently the Vice-Chair of the Advisory Board of the Agnes Etherington Art Centre at Queen’s University, as well as the Vice-President of the Friends of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
“The arts are how we make meaning in and how we make meaning of the world; how we tell each other, the world and ourselves who we are. Supporting artists is essential to defining what it means to be Canadian. And proudly celebrating our identity has perhaps never felt more important than it does at this time. It is an honour and a privilege to help build on the incredible legacy and indelible influence of Ray and Gerda Hnatyshyn through the continuing work of this Foundation.”
The Board sincerely thanks the outgoing Chair, Cynthia White Thornley, for serving two exceptional terms. Cynthia led transformative changes in the Foundation’s programming, as illustrated by the disbursement of over one million dollars to Canadian artists during her tenure as Chair. In 2024, she also proposed that the Foundation increase the value of nearly all grants and awards and create new programs to further support artists. Cynthia steered the Foundation following the death of Gerda Hnatyshyn, leading with composure and resilience during an undeniably challenging transition, and strengthening our governance in the process. The Board gratefully acknowledges her contributions, the results of which will echo for years to come.
Joe, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Director look forward to working together to further strengthen the Hnatyshyn Foundation, and further help the arts in Canada thrive.
