Vancouver Magazine's Power 50 includes Tru Wilson, 12
CBC News | Posted: November 17, 2015 5:27 AM | Last Updated: November 19, 2015
Gala on Monday night was hosted by CBC's Andrew Chang
A local real estate developer may have been crowned as the city's most powerful person by Vancouver Magazine, but a 12-year-old girl is turning heads as the youngest person on this year's list.
Ian Gillespie with Westbank Projects, which has developed buildings like Vancouver's Shangri-la and the Woodwards complex, was bestowed with the honour at a gala hosted by CBC's Andrew Chang on Monday night.
The list was speckled with local politicians, government employees, and business moguls.
One person who stands out from that group is Tru Wilson — a 12 year-old girl born as a boy, who fought the Catholic school she attends so she could be treated as the gender she identifies with.
"It doesn't take much to fight for what you care for. You can fight for the littlest thing and it will make a difference," said Wilson in an interview with Chang earlier on Monday.
Wilson said the school forced her to join boys' teams while playing sports, despite her identifying as a girl.
Her parents, Michelle and Garfield Wilson, said when they asked Tru how she wanted to handle the conflict, their daughter told them she wanted to make her battle public so others in similar situations would know they're not alone.
"It something that we're really proud of her for doing," said Michelle Wilson.
Vancouver Magazine's Power 50
- Ian Gillespie, Westbank Projects
- Gregor Robertson, Mayor of Vancouver
- Dr. Robert Joseph, Gwawaenuk First Nation Chief
- Bob Rennie, Rennie Marketing Systems
- Frank Giustra, Fiore Financial Corporation
- Luigi, Roberto, Francesco, and Paolo of the Aquilini family
- Jimmy Pattison, The Jim Pattison Group
- Jessica McDonald, BC Hydro
- Robin Silvester, Port Metro Vancouver
- Christy Clark, Premier of BC
- Michael Audain, Polygon Homes
- Mike Magee, City of Vancouver
- Peter Fassbender, B.C. Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development and Minister Responsible for TransLink
- Hunter Harrison, Canadian Pacifc Railway
- Dr. Patricia Daly, Vancouver Coastal Health
- Rich Coleman, B.C. Deputy Premier and the Minister of Natural Gas Development and Minister Responsible for Housing
- Ian Campbell, Xálek'/Sekyú Siyám Chief
- Darren Entwistle, Telus
- Shayne Ramsay, B.C. Housing
- Tru Wilson
- Djavad Mowafaghian, Djavad Mowafaghian Foundation
- Thomas Fung, Fair Child Group
- Stewart Butterfield, Slack
- Wade Grant, Musqueam Indian Band
- Bing Thom, Bing Thom Architects
- Andrea Reimer, City of Vancouver
- Ryan Holmes, Hootsuite/Invoke
- Kathy Kinloch, BCIT
- Adam Palmer, Vancouver Police Department
- Mary Ackenhusen, Vancouver Coastal Health
- Sadhu Johnston, City of Vancouver
- Irene Lanzinger, B.C. Federation of Labour
- Tom Gaglardi, Northland Properties
- Carol Lee, Linacare
- Jody Wilson-Raybould, MP Vancouver Granville
- Kyle Washington, Seaspan Marine Corp
- David Suzuki, David Suzuki Foundation
- Joe Arvay, Lawyer
- Katrina Pacey, Pivot Legal Society
- Rick Hansen, Rick Hansen Foundation
- Jill Krop, Global BC
- Markus Frind, Plenty of Fish
- Gregory Henriquez, Henriquez Partners Architects
- Janet & Katherine McCartney, PDW
- Joel Solomon, Renewal Funds
- Omer Arbel, Bocci
- David Sidoo, East West Petroleum
- Stan, Jeff and Bus Fuller, Earls/Joey's/Cactus Club
- Andy Yan, Bing Thom Architects
- Dominic Barton, McKinsey & Co