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Joseph D. Carrier - 'I Am My Brother's Keeper'
By Catherine Smyth (cont'd) page 1 | page 2 | page 3 | page 4 | page 5
Carrier has now turned the shoe business over to his son, Anthony, but remains as active as ever, having turned his hand to real estate development in Toronto and Montreal. With his customary energy he's in Montreal for two days each week and in Toronto divides his time between business and volunteer activities.
He has begun renewed efforts for the huge project in which he first became involved nearly 20 years ago, the Italian-Canadian Benevolent Corporation which is the umbrella organization for Villa Colombo Home for the Aged, Columbus Centre, the senior citizen's project and the proposed chronic care centre for the aged.
"It all began on the golf course," says Carrier. "In the late '60s we were a foursome, the late John De Toro, Vincent Paul, Remo Di Carli and myself. We began to discuss what Italo-Canadian businessmen could do for the community and hit on the idea for a home for the aged. But there were pros and cons. Italians are family-oriented and to the majority in those days, the thought of putting their parents in to a senior citizens' home could be abhorrent. There was a lot more thinking to do.
"Eventually I decided to get things started. To have Ontario government assistance in such a project we needed some money up front. I invited nine other businessmen to a private dinner and after outlining the project put up $50,000. Each of the others did the same and there we had half a million to begin with."
The Italian-Canadian Benevolent Corporation was founded and a site chosen for Villa Colombo at Playfair Ave. in North York at the corner of Lawrence and Dufferin. Carrier initiated many other fundraising projects including a black tie dinner with guest speaker comedian Jerry Lewis who extracted over $2½ million in pledges from the guests and even gave $100,000 himself.
Villa Colombo was opened in 1976 and hailed by politicians, social service professionals and the community in general as a model home for senior citizens who in their declining years could converse in their mother tongue, eat Italian food, consult with their own padre and enjoy Italian-style entertainment.
Carrier says Villa Colombo owes a debt of gratitude to the board and staff at Baycrest, the Jewish seniors' home located not far away. "They gave us every bit of help the could. Theirs had been a similar problem to ours. We can never repay them for that."
As usual at her husband's side, Josephine Carrier organized a ladies' auxiliary for the home and by the time it opened, 40 women in pink smocks were there to make the flood of newcomers welcome. By skilful propaganda in the community, Villa Colombo had been projected as the kind of place in which seniors would feel comfortable and in which their children would feel no shame in having them residing.
Columbus Centre with gymnasia, a swimming pool, tennis courts and space for cultural activities was not long in following and the senior citizens' apartment building came after it. Although many others are now deeply involved in the work of the Italian-Canadian Benevolent Corporation they're still glad to have Carrier around, with projects like the chronic care centre in the wind.
Anthony Fusco, president of Eurofoods and longtime friend says:
"Joe Carrier, I could go on for days about him. Certainly he was the father of our project. He's a great, great man and I'm proud I got involved in community work if only for the honor of knowing him. He's still our elder statesman, but perhaps 'elder' isn't the right word." [ end ]
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