CCR Board Chairman David Jennings warmly thanked Mr. Benson for his many years of hard work and dedication in directing the Centre, and welcomed his generous willingness to continue contributing his ideas, talents and expertise to CCR in future.

“Iain’s great gift to the Centre for Cultural Renewal, Canada and beyond has been and remains the audacity of his intellectual breadth and depth,” Mr. Jennings said.  “His deep, perceptive and innovative thinking across a wide range of cultural, political and social fields has been key to the Centre’s reputation as a world class institute of ideas.  Although we’re losing him as a full-time leader, we’re delighted that his legacy of foundational analysis and insight will remain available for us to draw on.”

Mr. Jennings said Mr. Stockland’s appointment is a natural step in the development of the Centre, noting his background as a senior executive for major Canadian media outlets will ensure CCR’s voice will be heard increasingly clearly as it undertakes a timely renewal of its own.

“We are tremendously fortunate to have someone of Peter’s professional caliber and experience,” Mr. Jennings said.  “His  intimate knowledge of the Centre and the Canadian cultural landscape will be vital in providing years of intellectual leadership in Canada and help us work successfully with other organizations to bring about a cultural renewal in this country.”

A former director on the Centre’s board, Mr. Stockland comes to the executive director’s position from Readers’ Digest Magazines Canada Ltd., where he was vice-president of English-language magazines.  He is a former editor-in-chief of The Gazette newspaper in Montreal, a former editorial page editor of the Calgary Herald newspaper and has worked as a journalist throughout Canada during his 30-year career in the media.  He currently runs his own media relations company, Prima Communication, in Montreal.

“In talking to donors, supporters, friends and associates of the Centre over the past few weeks I’ve been amazed and delighted at the high esteem in which it is held by thinking people across this country,” Mr. Stockland said following his appointment.  

“It’s a privilege to be asked to lead an organization that has been and will continue to be at the forefront of renewing Canadian culture and I’m looking forward to uncovering new ways we can be of value in our contemporary environment.”