Arthur Mauro, Winnipeg lawyer, businessman and philanthropist, dies at 96

Arthur Mauro. (Source: University of Manitoba)

Arthur Mauro, a Winnipeg lawyer, businessman, and philanthropist, died at the age of 96 on Friday.

Mauro was born in 1927 in Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay) and came to Winnipeg in 1946 to study at the University of Manitoba’s St. Paul’s College, where he was elected as president of the university student council in 1950.

Throughout his career, Mauro worked as a transportation lawyer, the CEO of Investors Group, and the chancellor of the U of M. “[Winnipeg] was a place where he was successful. This was the place in which he learned from the Jesuits. It was a place in which he learned from people of all different backgrounds,” Christopher Adams, rector of St. Paul’s College.

Mauro advocated for human right and justice in all of his positions. After graduating from U of M, he worked to promote mutual understanding and friendships between Winnipeg’s Catholic and Jewish communities.

He also had a vision that Winnipeg could become a hub of human rights dialogue and research

“He was a man who really pushed for peace, for dialogue among the Abrahamic faiths, so Jews, Muslims and Christians,” Adams said.

“He really wanted Winnipeg, and in many ways, was successful in making Winnipeg a location for people around the world to look to our city as a place to come and think and promote the idea of peace building.”

Mauro also had a love for the U of M,

The Mauro Family Foundation donated nearly $3 million to create the Arthur V. Mauro Institute for Peace and Justice in St. Paul’s College, as well as several scholarship funds.

In 2017, the foundation donated $5 million to establish the position of Mauro Chair of Human Rights and Social Justice at the university. The donation also supported peace-building initiatives.

Mauro’s dedication to community service got him inducted into the Order of Manitoba,the Order of Canada and the Order of the Buffalo Hunt. He received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals and was inducted into the Manitoba Business Hall of Fame.

“His legacy is really a legacy of peace and community building,” Adams said.

- With files from CTV’s Dan Vadeboncoeur.