Irving Russell Gerstein, CM OOnt (born February 10, 1941) is a Canadian businessman and politician. He was appointed to the Senate on January 2, 2009 and retired on February 10, 2016 upon getting to the retirement age of 75.[1]The son of Bertrand and Reva Gerstein, Gerstein was made a member of the Order of Canada in 1999.[2] In 2002, he was given the Order of Ontario award.[3]
Gerstein is best known for his time as president of Peoples Jewellers. and by 1990, he lead the world’s largest jewelry retail empire.
He has served as a director of Atlantic Power Corporation, Medical Facilities Corporation, Student Transportation of America, Economic Investment Trust, CTV Inc., Traders Group Limited, Guaranty Trust Company of Canada, Confederation Life Insurance, and Scott’s Hospitality.
Gerstein is an honorary director of Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, where he previously served as chairman of the board, chairman emeritus and director and also a long-time political fundraiser for the Progressive Conservative Party and now the Conservative Party of Canada.[4]
Gerstein received his BSc. in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He was appointed to the Senate on January 2, 2009
However on February 23, 2011, Irving Gerstein was charged, along with Senator Doug Finley, with violations of the Canada Elections Act. Elections Canada alleged that Irving Gerstein was involved in a scheme and that was filing false tax claims and exceeding federal spending limits on campaign advertisements. If found guilty, Gerstein would have faced up to a year in prison and fines exceeding $25,000;[5]the charges were dropped though after the Conservative party agreed to pay a $52,000 fine.[4]