Why did one of the wealthiest Canadians once chain herself to seats in Parliament?
One of the wealthiest Canadians has a pretty interesting backstory in activism.
Last January, Sherry Brydson surpassed crypto CEO Changpeng Zhao as the richest Canadian on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
She currently sits in 107th place on the overall list with a net worth of a staggering $17.7 billion.
Viking Air
You might not have heard of her since she keeps an incredibly low profile, but her family’s name is well-known in the media industry, as they are collectively some of the wealthiest Canadians in the world.
According to Bloomberg, Brydson is the largest shareholder of Woodbridge, an investment firm that controls Thomson Reuters, the company that owns Reuters, one of the world’s largest international news agencies.
She is the granddaughter of media tycoon Roy Thomson and became an heiress to the family fortune when he died.
Deep roots in activism
While Brydson’s family has always been in headlines for their fortune, the businesswoman actually started off by making waves through activism.
She has been a champion for women’s rights in Canada, taking part in the historic 1970 Abortion Caravan.
Brydson joined hundreds of activists who journeyed from BC to parliament in Ottawa to protest Canada’s strict abortion laws at the time.
“While dozens wore black head scarves and demonstrated loudly outside the federal legislature, Sherry and 30 companions chained themselves inside the House of Commons, shutting down Parliament, and electrifying the nation,” recounted a YWCA Toronto video, honouring her as a woman of distinction.
This protest was a key catalyst that led to the decriminalization of abortion in Canada back in 1988.
Since then, Brydson has opened a Thai restaurant and spa called the Elmwood in Toronto, and has dabbled in real estate, oil and gas, and aviation.
Her family was once again named one of the wealthiest in the world by Forbes earlier this month.
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