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Morley S. Wolfe
Morley S. Wolfe
[textual record, graphic material, graphic material (electronic)]
– [ca. 1907]-2008.
- Accession Number
- 2010-10-4
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2010-10-4
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- graphic material (electronic)
- Physical Description
- ca. 90 cm of textual records
- 1 scrapbook
- ca. 24 photographs : b&w and col. (17 jpg)
- Date
- [ca. 1907]-2008
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of photographs and textual material that document Morley Wolfe’s community involvement and personal and professional life. Personal records include photographs of Morley and his family, correspondence with family and friends, his marriage certificate and school diplomas.
- Professional records include his curriculum vitae, photographs, reports, correspondence, nomination letters for various awards, such as the Order of Canada, news clippings, certificates and awards, newsletters, event invitations and records documenting his involvement in a court case between the Ontario Deputy Judges Association and the Attorney General of Ontario. Also included are scanned photographs of Morley presenting an award to Rosa Parks (1999), receiving his Ontario Senior Achievement award (2000), and meeting with Jean Chrétien (2001).
- Accession also includes one scrapbook documenting Morley's term as national president of BBC. Finally, accession contains records documenting the various appeals filed against BBC by Wolfe, Wilson Heights Lodge No. 1998 and CMOBBC, such as, the appeal notices filed with BBI’s Court of Appeal, correspondence, various BBC constitutions and by-laws, Wilson Heights Lodge executive meeting minutes, CMOBBC newsletters, and news clippings.
- Administrative History
- Morley S. Wolfe was born in Winnipeg in 1928 to Cecil (b. 1895) and Betty (nee Davidow) Wolfe. He spent his early childhood in various cities in Saskatchewan and Manitoba until moving to Toronto in 1940. Soon after graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1955 he started his own practice as a senior member of the law firm Burt, Burt, Wolfe and Bowman. In 1971 he was appointed Queen’s Council, and from 1973 to 1977 he served as counsel for B’nai Brith Canada. After his retirement from practice in 1993, the Province of Ontario appointed him presiding Justice of the Peace for Ontario and Deputy Judge in Small Claims Court.
- His first marriage was to Sandra Newman in 1958 and they had three children together: Leslie, Lee, and Melanie. He later married Joan and became the step-father to her daughter, Erin.
- Throughout his life Morley was passionate about fighting prejudice and discrimination and became involved with organizations, such as the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews and the Urban Alliance on Race Relations. He was also a member of the Toronto Police Services Board Committee on Race Relations, served as Chair of the North York Committee on Community, Race and Ethnic Relations, and was appointed to the Canadian Multiculturalism Council. In addition, he was the founding president of Toronto Residents in Partnership (TRIP) from 2003 to 2006.
- His involvement extended to Jewish organizations. He served as National President of B’nai Brith Canada (BBC) from 1982 to 1983 and was a founding member of its League for Human Rights. He was also President of BBC’s Toronto Regional Council and Wilson Heights Lodge No. 1998, and of the Jewish Camp Council of Toronto as well as many other organizations.
- Morley’s hard work and involvement in the community earned him many awards, including, City of Toronto’s William P. Hubbard Race Relations Award, the YMCA Canada Peace Medal, B’Nai Brith Canada Service Award, and the Province of Ontario’s Senior Achievement Award.
- Around 2002, Wilson Heights Lodge No. 1998 began filing a series of appeals with B’nai Brith International (BBI) over concerns that BBC’s national executive was governing undemocratically. Morley played a key role in filing these appeals and was the centre of one appeal filed after BBC censured him without advance notice or the opportunity for a hearing. These appeals were not all successful.
- Around 2006, Morley became involved in another appeal against BBC that was filed by a group of members who called themselves the Concerned Members of B’nai Brith Canada (CMOBBC). They alleged that BBC’s national executive had too much centralized power, was not governing transparently, failed to provide members with audited financial statements at multiple annual general meetings (AGMs), passed a constitution that members had defeated at the 2005 AGM, and was threatening and harassing some members. BBI’s appeal court rendered its verdict in 2007 in favour of BBC. Soon after this judgment was made BBC took steps to expel all the members of CMOBBC. In response, Morley resigned from the organization.
- Morley currently resides in Brampton.
- Use Conditions
- Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Accessions