Maurice Strong rose from a impoverished prairie childhood during the Great Depression to manage major Canadian corporate interests and influence international environmental policy. Despite lacking a high school diploma or university degree, he navigated the global energy sector and transitioned into high-level diplomatic roles, shaping the administrative frameworks of both national oil companies and United Nations environmental initiatives.
Early Career and Business Growth
Born in 1929 in Oak Lake, Manitoba, Strong began his professional path as a trainee at James Richardson & Sons in 1948. He moved to Calgary to work with Jack Gallagher at Dome Petroleum before launching his own management firm in 1956. His corporate trajectory included leading Ajax Petroleum, which evolved into Norcen Resources, and serving as president of the Power Corporation of Canada from 1961 to 1966. In 1976, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau appointed him to head the newly established Petro-Canada, a position he held for two years.
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Strong held a formative position at the United Nations, beginning as a junior security officer in 1947. Decades later, he served as the Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in the early 1970s and acted as the first executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme. By 1986, he was a commissioner for the World Commission on Environment and Development. His later work included presiding over the Council of the University for Peace and acting as an honorary professor at Peking University.
Litigation and Corporate Challenges
Several of Strong's ventures faced significant legal and financial scrutiny. In 1981, he settled a lawsuit regarding AZL Resources for $4.2 million. Later, as a director of Molten Metal Technology, he dealt with the consequences of the company's bankruptcy following allegations of inflated stock prices, which resulted in an $11.8 million settlement. Additionally, his leadership of American Water Development Incorporated ended in 1992 after Colorado courts ruled against the firm's attempt to appropriate water rights, mandating the payment of $3.1 million in legal fees to opposing parties.
Recognition and Legacy
Strong received numerous distinctions throughout his career, including being named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1976 and a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1999. His honors also include the NAS Public Welfare Medal, awarded in 2004, and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002. He served on the boards of Ontario Hydro and the World Alliance of YMCAs. He died in 2015 in New Edinburgh at the age of 86.
Fast facts
- Born: 1929, Oak Lake, Manitoba
- Died: 2015, New Edinburgh
- Citizenship: Canada
- Companion of the Order of Canada: 1999
- NAS Public Welfare Medal: 2004
- Chief Executive Officer of Petro-Canada: 1976–1978
- President of Power Corporation of Canada: 1961–1966
Questions readers ask
Did Maurice Strong complete a university degree?
No, he left high school at the age of 14 and did not attend university.
What was his role in the United Nations?
He served as the first executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme and as Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Achievements
- Companion of the Order of Canada — 1999
- Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement — 1974
- Blue Planet Prize — 1995
- Audubon Medal — 1975
- NAS Public Welfare Medal — 2004
- Affiliated with United Nations
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