50 Most Influential 2012: the inaugural class of inductees into the Toronto power players hall of fame

David Peterson The Cassels, Brock and Blackwell chair and Liberal stalwart is a pal of Bill Clinton, the Dalai Lama and the Queen. He also sits on the board at Rogers and chaired the bid for the 2015 Pan Am Games.

Hal Jackman The semi-retired banking and insurance exec has given more than $65 million to arts and education organizations, including an $11-million donation to the U of T Faculty of Law.

Phyllis Yaffe The formidable former CEO of Alliance Atlantis is now chair of Cineplex and on the boards of Torstar, Lionsgate and Astral Media.

Allan Gotlieb The former ambassador to the U.S. still influences public policy as chair of the Donner Canadian Foundation, the president of the Aurea Foundation and a deputy chair of the Trilateral Commission.

Kiki Delaney One of the most powerful women on Bay Street, she also sits on the SickKids board, serves as chancellor of OCAD and is on the Perimeter Institute’s leadership council.

Seymour Schulich The mining magnate has donated an estimated $350 million, mainly to schools. He recently pledged $100 million toward a Canadian-Israeli scholarship fund.

Allan Slaight He built CHUM, then Standard Broadcasting, and remains a partner in SiriusXM Canada. His family foundation has given more than $25 million to Princess Margaret, SickKids and the Shaw Festival.

Raymond Chang The Jamaican-Canadian mutual fund magnate gave $5 million to Ryerson (he’s a former university chancellor) for its continuing education program, and $7 million to CAMH.

Tony Fell The former king of Canadian investment banking is now a director at BCE and Loblaw and a go-to fundraiser for Conservatives. He has also raised money for the UHN and U of T.

George Cohon The founder of McDonald’s Canada opened a brand new 96-room Ronald McDonald House hospice on McCaul Street last year, and was recently handed the keys to the city.

Margaret McCain The philanthropist and early childhood education advocate has already given away $100 million (including $10 million to CAMH) and plans to dole out at least $100 million more.

Conrad Black The former media baron continues to pronounce on the politics of the day from his pulpit on the Bridle Path, and counts among his loyal friends Brian Mulroney, David Frum and Henry Kissinger.

Greg Sorbara The former MPP for Vaughan remains chair of the Liberal election campaign and the Ontario Liberal Fund—in other words, the man charged with ensuring the party wins again.

(Images: Daniel Ehrenworth, Vanessa Heins, Markian Lozowchuk, George Pimentel, Lee Towndrow, Raina and Wilson, BFA, CP Images, Getstock, Getty Images and Reuters)