Camera: Robert F. Kennedy and Edward Burtynsky host the inaugural Waterkeeper Gala at the Corus Quay
Camera: Robert F. Kennedy and Edward Burtynsky host the inaugural Waterkeeper Gala at the Corus Quay
By Peter Saltsman | March 30, 2012
By Peter Saltsman | 03/30/2012
By Peter Saltsman | Photography by George Pimentel
February 7, Corus Quay. Almost 50 years after Camelot, the Kennedy name still draws a crowd. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joined photographer Edward Burtynsky to host the inaugural Lake Ontario Waterkeeper gala. Kennedy, president of Waterkeeper Alliance, an organization that strives to preserve clean water around the world, had only to flash a smile to get the city’s enviro-elite to kick in a few bucks to help save our Great Lake. At the VIP reception, a flock of fans backed Kennedy into a corner—even Margaret Atwood rushed over for a handshake. The charm worked wonders at the art auction, too: Burtynsky’s Dryland Farming #24 , an aerial shot of the Spanish countryside, went for a whopping $30,000. In his keynote address, Kennedy shamelessly buttered up the audience, praising Ontario’s environmental laws and calling the United States “the 14th province.” As far as speeches go, it was no “Ich bin ein Berliner,” but the night’s tally of $289,000 suggested it did the trick.
128489 Ex–CBC radio exec Denise Donlon and artist Charles Pachter (Image: George Pimental) Camera: Waterkeeper Gala Camera: Waterkeeper Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera1-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera1.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera1.jpg 624 414 [] https://torontolife.com/city/camera-waterkeeper-gala/slide/apr11camera1/ apr11camera1 0 0
(Image: George Pimental)
128490 Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former PM John Turner (Image: George Pimental) Camera: Waterkeeper Gala Camera: Waterkeeper Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera2-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera2.jpg 624 414 [] https://torontolife.com/city/camera-waterkeeper-gala/slide/apr11camera2/ apr11camera2 0 0
(Image: George Pimental)
128491 Photographer Ed Burtynsky (Image: George Pimental) Camera: Waterkeeper Gala Camera: Waterkeeper Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera3-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera3.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera3.jpg 624 414 [] https://torontolife.com/city/camera-waterkeeper-gala/slide/apr11camera3/ apr11camera3 0 0
(Image: George Pimental)
128492 Edmonton Oilers president Kevin Lowe and Tragically Hip troubador Gord Downie (Image: George Pimental) Camera: Waterkeeper Gala Camera: Waterkeeper Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera4-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera4.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera4.jpg 624 414 [] https://torontolife.com/city/camera-waterkeeper-gala/slide/apr11camera4/ apr11camera4 0 0
(Image: George Pimental)
128493 Folk hero Sarah Harmer (Image: George Pimental) Camera: Waterkeeper Gala Camera: Waterkeeper Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera5-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera5.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera5.jpg 624 414 [] https://torontolife.com/city/camera-waterkeeper-gala/slide/apr11camera5/ apr11camera5 0 0
(Image: George Pimental)
128494 Literati Joseph Boyden and Margaret Atwood (Image: George Pimental) Camera: Waterkeeper Gala Camera: Waterkeeper Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera6-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera6.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera6.jpg 624 414 [] https://torontolife.com/city/camera-waterkeeper-gala/slide/apr11camera6/ apr11camera6 0 0
(Image: George Pimental)
128495 <em>Zoomer</em> editor Suzanne Boyd (Image: George Pimental) Camera: Waterkeeper Gala Camera: Waterkeeper Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera7-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera7.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera7.jpg 414 624 [] https://torontolife.com/city/camera-waterkeeper-gala/slide/apr11camera7/ apr11camera7 0 0
(Image: George Pimental)
128496 Former dragon Brett Wilson and comedian Naomi Snieckus (Image: George Pimental) Camera: Waterkeeper Gala Camera: Waterkeeper Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera8-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera8.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera8.jpg 624 414 [] https://torontolife.com/city/camera-waterkeeper-gala/slide/apr11camera8/ apr11camera8 0 0
(Image: George Pimental)
128497 Portraitist Daniel Hughes (Image: George Pimental) Camera: Waterkeeper Gala Camera: Waterkeeper Gala https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera9-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera9.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/apr11camera9.jpg 624 414 [] https://torontolife.com/city/camera-waterkeeper-gala/slide/apr11camera9/ apr11camera9 0 0
(Image: George Pimental)