Communication; Broadcasting and Entertainment; Corporate and Finance; International Finance; E-Commerce

The Hon. Jerry S. Grafstein is counsel to the firm. In January 1984 he was appointed to the Senate by then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. In July 2007 he was elected Vice President of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), the largest governmental human rights organization in the world, consisting of 56 parliamentary states from Vancouver to Vladivostok. He belonged to interparliamentary groups and associations in Europe, Asia and Latin America and was a member of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs. He was Co-chair of the Canada-US Interparliamentary Group, the largest parliamentary group in Canada for 15 years. He was Co-chair of the 1988 Toronto Economic Summit Preparation Committee. He was Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce and during his chairmanship completed 20 reports, including the following special reports:

● Falling Behind: Answering the Wake-up Call;
What can be done to improve Canada’s Productivity Performance?
● The Public Good and Private Funds:
The Federal Tax Treatment of Charitable Giving By Individuals and Corporations
● Passports and PASS Cards, Identity and Citizenship: Implementing the WHTI
● Stemming the Flow of Illicit Money:
A Priority for Canada: Parliamentary Review of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act
● The Demographic Time Bomb: Mitigating the Effects of Demographic Change in Canada
● Consumer Protection in the Financial Services Sector: The Unfinished Agenda.

Mr. Grafstein served on every Senate Committee, including the Legal and Constitutional Affairs, and was the longest serving member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. He retired from the Senate on January 2, 2010.

Mr. Grafstein is a Co-founder and advisor to communications and e-commerce corporations in North America, South America and Europe.

Published articles, lectures, panel appearances and conference leadership have been in the areas of technology, television, cable, film, broadcasting and finance – corporate and international.

Mr. Grafstein was a member of the Executive of the 2008 Toronto Olympic Bid Committee. He is a patron of many Arts and Health organizations. He spearheaded the 2001 “Canada Loves New York Weekend,” the Rolling Stones concert in 2003, and the Tsunami Relief Canada for Asia telethon in 2004. He was named an Honourary Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps and an Honourary Fire Chief of New York City by the Canada-US Interparliamentary Group. In 2005 he was named one of Canada’s top 100 Public Intellectuals; and was made Duke of Friulani in Italy. He currently serves on a number of communications media boards
 

Affiliations:
Metropolitan Toronto Lawyers Association
Law Society of Upper Canada
American Bar Association (associate)
Society of the Americans
Interparliamentary Union Organization of Security Economic Co-operation Parliamentary Assembly
Canada-France Interparliamentary Association
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association
Canada-Latin America Parliamentary Association
Canada-Japanese Friendship Association
Broadcast Executives Society
Canadian Institute of International Affairs
Canada-Germany Parliamentary Group
Canada-US Interparliamentary Group
Member of Atlantik Brucke Committee (Canada-Germany Group)
Member of the Executive Committee of Toronto Olympic Bid Committee, Year 2008
Senior Officer of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly
Head of the Liberal Democratic Reform (LDR) Group