About The Empire Club Foundation

The Empire Club of Canada set up a foundation 53 years ago, in 1969, to further the reach of the Club through various educational programs. It most notably collects, curates, publishes and distributes the speeches and panel discussions hosted by the Club to a wide cross-section of Canadian schools, universities, and other organizations through its research archives which constitute a very extensive digital library. The Foundation operates as a separate entity from the Club itself, with its own Board of Directors and bylaws. The Foundation works to make available the events of the Empire Club and other similar events, to achieve the common objectives of promoting informed discussion and debate. The Foundation operates as a charity and is focused specifically on educational activities.

The purpose of the Empire Club Foundation is to receive and maintain funds and to draw on these funds for charitable purposes of an educational nature, to be applied throughout Canada. This may involve the promotion of interest in current and public affairs of both national and international importance through research, publication, and education. It also involves the maintenance of a significant source of archival information relating to historical and contemporary comment on economic, social, cultural, political and other aspects of Canada and Canadian affairs. This archival information is distributed proactively to educational institutions and other organizations on an annual basis and at no cost.

Two books have been written on the Empire Club of Canada:

• The Best Talk in Town by Scott Young and Margaret Hogan-Clarke, Irwin and Company Limited (1979); and
• Who Said That? Memorable Notes, Quotes and Anecdotes Selected from the Empire Club of Canada Speeches 1903-2003 by Russ Merifield, Edited by Mary Byers-The Empire Club Foundation (2003).