1. George Ignatieff's career spanned nearly five decades in World War II and the postwar period.
18 Facts About George Ignatieff
1. 2.
George Ignatieff's mother was Princess Natalia Nikolayevna Meshcherskaya and his father was Count Pavel Ignatiev, a close advisor to Tsar Nicholas II serving as his last Minister of Education.
3.
In 1918, the year after the Russian Revolution, Count George Ignatieff was imprisoned, but his release was negotiated by sympathetic supporters.
4.
George Ignatieff was educated at St Paul's School, London, Lower Canada College, and the University of Trinity College, University of Toronto, before being awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford.
5.
George Ignatieff became personal assistant to the Canadian High Commissioner in London, Vincent Massey, and during his London posting began a friendship with Lester Pearson, later Prime Minister of Canada.
6.
George Ignatieff served as the wartime Canadian delegate to the International Red Cross.
7.
George Ignatieff was a key figure in Canadian diplomacy and international relations through the postwar period.
8.
George Ignatieff was Ambassador to Yugoslavia, permanent representative to NATO, Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations and president of the United Nations Security Council.
9.
In 1984 George Ignatieff was appointed Ambassador for Disarmament by Prime Minister John Turner.
10.
George Ignatieff was unimpressed by the foreign policy of the Trudeau governments of the 1970s and 1980s, and was unafraid to provoke government functionaries.
11.
George Ignatieff advocated cautious realignment of Canadian defence policy, and a complete nuclear test ban.
12.
George Ignatieff served as Provost of the University of Trinity College from 1972 to 1979, and later as chancellor of the University of Toronto from 1980 to 1986.
13.
The University of Trinity College's theatre is named after George Ignatieff, and is fondly known as the GIT.
14.
George Ignatieff has been described as the "best Governor General never had".
15.
The elder, Michael George Ignatieff, was Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 to 2011.
16.
Andrew George Ignatieff was a community worker and assisted in his brother's leadership campaign.
17.
George Ignatieff was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1973.
18.
George Ignatieff received the Pearson Medal of Peace for his work in international service in 1984.