Chris Bratty has always known the importance of higher education. Although his grandparents never got to attend themselves, they instilled the value of higher education into Chris's father, who then shared these beliefs with him and his brothers.
Now, as the President of The Remington Group, one of the largest privately owned landholders in the Greater Toronto Area, Chris and his family have the means to support the causes that mean the most to them and that touch the lives of every Canadian: healthcare and education.
In this episode, Chris shares a story of witnessing human trafficking firsthand, which inspired him to get involved with the organization. He sponsored the sculpture Let the Oppressed Go Free which was commissioned in both Schio, Italy and at the University of Toronto.
Throughout this conversation, Chris returns to the idea of opportunity, and explores how creating the right conditions can help people reach their full potential.
About Chris Bratty:
Chris Bratty is the President of Land Development and Investments of The Remington Group, one of the largest privately owned landholders in the Greater Toronto Area, serving the GTA for 75 years.
Through The Remington Group, the family has also established The Rudolph P. Bratty Family Foundation, which supports various charitable organizations focusing on family, health, wellness, social and cultural initiatives.
Chris is the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Law from York University.
Three reasons to listen to this episode:
Resources:
Giving to Toronto Metropolitan University
Episode highlights:
1:41 Education as a family legacy
Chris's grandparents immigrated to Canada from Italy, and never got the chance to attend higher education, even though his grandmother had always wished she could have. She imparted on Chris's father the importance of education. Chris's father then shared that lesson with his sons because as he said \"Education breeds knowledge, knowledge breeds understanding, and understanding is what brings resolutions to the world.\"
9:21 Ensuring support is reaching the people who need it most
Chris shares how his family chooses to give back, with a focus on healthcare and education. He stresses the importance of these two sectors, as most people will access them at some point. He also highlights the importance of retaining doctors who train in Canada, as Canada faces a doctor shortage. His hope is that through his family's support to both the education and healthcare sectors, he will see an increase in doctors choosing to remain in Canada after graduation.
12:32 Chris's involvement with The Centre for Combating Child Sex Trafficking and Online Sexual Exploitation
Chris details a chance encounter he had while driving to work one day. While sitting in traffic, Chris witnessed a victim of human trafficking trying to escape a vehicle. Seeing this happen in his own neighbourhood, he was inspired to start working with TMU's Centre for Combating Child Sex Trafficking and Online Sexual Exploitation.
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