Profile Text
Ignatieff in 2011, photo by Michael Ignatieff
Birth Name: Michael Grant Ignatieff
Place of Birth: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date of Birth: May 12, 1947
Ethnicity: * father – Russian * mother – Scottish, English
Michael Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic, and politician. He was Leader of the Liberal Party, from December 10, 2008 to May 25, 2011, Leader of the Opposition, from December 10, 2008 to May 2, 2011, and President and Rector of Central European University, from September 1, 2016 to July 1, 2021; as well as, a Member of Parliament for Etobicoke–Lakeshore (ON), from January 23, 2006 to May 2, 2011.
Michael is the son of Jessie Alison and Count George Ignatieff (Georgy Pavlovich Ignatieff), a diplomat. His father was Permanent Representative of Canada to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, from 1962 to 1966, Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations, from July 1966 to February 1969, and Chancellor of the University of Toronto, from 1980 to 1986.
His father was born in Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire. Michael’s father’s family left Russia after the 1917 Russian Revolution, living in Sussex, England; France, and then Canada. Michael’s mother was Canadian-born, and was of Scottish and English descent; she came from a prominent intellectual family. Michael’s uncle, mother’s brother, was philosopher, professor, social critic, and political commentator George Grant (George Parkin Grant). His maternal first cousin was political scientist and activist Caroline Andrew. Michael was raised Russian Orthodox.
Michael is married to Zsuzsanna Zsohar, who is from Hungary. He has two children with his former wife Susan Barrowclough, who is from London.
Michael’s paternal grandfather was Paul Ignatieff (Count Pavel Nikolayevich Ignatiev, the son of Nikolay Pavlovich Ignatyev and Ekaterina Leonidovna Golitsina/Golicyna). Michael’s grandfather Count Pavel was born in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire, and was a Russian politician, who served as Russian Minister of Education, from January 9, 1915 to December 27, 1916; and was an advisor to Tsar Nicholas II. He was imprisoned for a time during the Russian Revolution. Michael’s great-grandfather Nikolay was a statesman and diplomat, who was the son of Captain Pavel Nikolayevich Ignatyev and Maria Ivanovna Maltsova. Ekaterina was the daughter of Leonid Mikhailovich Golitsyn and Anna Matveevna Tolstaya.
Michael’s paternal grandmother was Princess Natalia Nikolayevna Meshcherskaya (the daughter of Nikolai Petrovich, Prince Meshchersky, and of Maria Alexandrovna Panina). Michael’s great-grandfather Nikolai was the son of Pjotr Ivanovich Meštšersky and Jekaterina Nikolaievna Karamzina. Maria was the daughter of Alexander Nikitych Panin and Alexandra Sergeevna Tolstaya.
Michael’s maternal grandfather was William Lawson Grant (the son of The Very Reverend George Monro Grant and Jessie Lawson). William was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The Very Reverend George was a Presbyterian minister, writer, and political activist, and Principal of Queen’s College at Kingston, from 1877 to 1902. He was the son of James Grant. Jessie was the granddaughter of William Lawson, the first president of the Bank of Nova Scotia.
Michael’s maternal grandmother was Maude Erskine Parkin (the daughter of Sir George Robert Parkin and Annie Connell Fisher). Maude was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. Her sister was philanthropist Alice Massey, who was married to diplomat Vincent Massey, Governor General of Canada, from February 28, 1952 to September 15, 1959. Michael’s great-grandfather Sir George was an educator, imperialist, and author, and was the son of John Parkin, who was born in Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham, England; and of Elizabeth Mclean. Annie was the daughter of William Fisher and Charity Ann French.
Source: Genealogy of Michael Ignatieff – http://www.geni.com