Do you know the whole story?
What We Lost is the inside story from lawyer and former WE Charity board member, Tawfiq Rangwala. Using an evidence-based approach, the book draws on first-hand accounts, exclusive interviews and never before published documents, to take you through the untold story behind the WE Charity Scandal.
Readers will finally hear the voices of those the media and politicians ignored and the true cost to society.
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From the Introduction:
“This book is an invitation to see what my investigation revealed. My goal is to cut through the noise and fog and address common misconceptions by offering up facts and context. I take you inside the rooms where it happened and reveal what went on behind the scenes … Let me also be clear about what this book is not. It is not a blind defence of WE Charity or the Kielburgers. They made mistakes, there is blame to be shared, and I do not shy away from revealing the missteps and taking stock.”
Tawfiq Rangwala
Tawfiq Rangwala is a partner in the New York office of Milbank LLP and a member of the firm’s Litigation & Arbitration Group. Mr. Rangwala also spent two years resident in Milbank’s London office.
Mr. Rangwala's practice focuses on defense of US and international regulatory and criminal enforcement matters, as well as internal investigations across multiple jurisdictions and industries. Mr. Rangwala also has extensive experience handling federal and state court litigation of complex commercial cases involving securities and corporate law, contract disputes and financial restructuring.
Recognition & Accomplishments
In recognition of his significant work on pro bono matters addressing systemic discrimination and injustices in criminal cases, Chambers & Partners named Mr. Rangwala Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year in 2021.
“I’m left to reflect on the how and why of it all. Headlines bent on selling advertising instead of reporting the truth, one party’s quest to win the next federal election, and the questionable ethics of opposition parties using a children’s charity as a political power.”
— Chip Wilson, founder of imagine1day and Lululemon
“People often say we need to create a better world for our children. I think it’s actually the other way around - we must raise our children to be better for the world. I first met Craig and Marc Kielburger in the late 1990s, and their mission of empowering young people to make a difference inspired me”
— Martin Sheen, actor and activist
“I think it was yellow journalism. I think many journalists were gleefully indifferent to the pain they were causing, not just to the charity but to the kids. Nobody seemed to care about the tens of thousands of young people who would have benefited from the Canada Student Service Grant program”
— Gail Asper, philanthropist and president of the Asper Foundation
“A highlight of my career has been my service - since 2013 - on WE Charity’s Canadian board of directors. During my time in education, I listened to the stories of students, teachers, and parents and visited schools in Canada and other countries. I saw and heard first-hand the tremendous and positive impact WE Charity had on teaching and learning and the education system as a whole. Nothing about the so-called WE Charity Scandal has shaken my faith in the charity and its co-founders”
— Gerry Connelly, former director of education for the Toronto District School Board
“I believe no other organization in Kenya has made the impact that WE has for young people… To see the negative publicity in the Canadian media makes me emotional, because those people are doing a disservice and injustice to our boy and girls who today have a future because of WE Charity”
— Samuel Kuntai Tunai, Governor of Narok Country, Kenya
“The WE Charity Scandal is a story of how disinformation can take on a life of its own. The results were tragic and the hardest hit were young people. WE Charity became collateral damage in a partisan fight. ”
Excerpt from the Foreword by The Right Honourable Kim Campbell: What We Lost: Inside the Attack on Canada's Largest Children's Charity