Source: Atlantic Business magazine, Vol. 23, Issue 5
Excerpt: ""Philanthropy is far more than writing a check,” [McCain] says. "There is charitable philanthropy and there's strategic philanthropy. And we've done both ... But let’s say I do live another 20 years. I have to be effective. And effective philanthropy is focussed. It's based on intelligence and knowledge of the issues."
... Her real passion is the Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation Inc. whose board members include, apart from herself, her sons Michael and Scott, and her daughters Martha and Eleanor. Its mission is "To champion effective early childhood programs across Canada that provide equal opportunities for all children, align with the school system and operate within a provincial or territorial framework."
More than this, its objectives are both specific and transformational: "In selected Atlantic Canada communities, to transform existing public health, family support, child care and early education resources into effective integrated early childhood programs that provide opportunities for all young children and their families; amplify efforts to put science into actions that benefit the lives of young children; support efforts to gather, build and share evidence about early child development with the goal of informing and inspiring public discourse and policy action" and “"nitiate a pan-Canadian alliance to promote policies for integrated provincial/territorial early childhood systems as an extension of public education.""