Lawyer, community activist.
Born on 18 September 1936 to Austrian immigrants August and Mary Cvitovitch, he attended St. Ignatius School and St. Paul’s High School. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba (St. Paul’s College) and graduated with honours in 1961 from the University of Manitoba Law School. During his time at law school he received the Ibister Scholarship. He practiced law at MacInnes Burbridge, one of Winnipeg’s oldest law firms. He also served for many years as General Counsel and Secretary of the Mortgage and Loans Association of Manitoba, where he lobbied the provincial government regarding real estate laws and regulations. During his career he was appointed as a Queen’s Counsel (1976) and made an Honorary Member of the Canadian Bar Association.
Outside of work, he was an active member of Winnipeg’s Catholic community — a lifetime member of St. Ignatius Church and a founding member of the Knights of Columbus Council 5808. He was involved in all levels of the Knights of Columbus organization and volunteered in various capacities for St. Ignatius Church for over 60 years. He also served on many boards, including The Children’s Aid Society of Winnipeg, The Catholic Parochial Schools Trustee Association, The Manitoba Federation of Independent Schools (MFIS), The Federation of Independent Schools Canada, The Catholic Foundation of Manitoba, and the Seniors Housing Corporation. As the Chair of the MFIS Committee, he helped to negotiate with the Government of Manitoba to obtain fair funding for all independent school children in Manitoba.
He died at the Victoria Hospital on 24 October 2016 and was entombed in the Queen of Heaven Mausoleum.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 26 October 2016.
“The mighty and the colourful” by Kevin Rollason, Winnipeg Free Press, 31 December 2016, pages D13-D17.
This page was prepared by Mallory Light.
Page revised: 24 April 2021
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