Daphne Bramham: A profile of one of Canada’s most important art collectors

Out of sight behind a rock on the right-hand side of Takao Tanabe’s painting of Vancouver Island’s Jordan River, there’s a boy, 10 or 11 years old, holding back a Labrador retriever. Moments later, Michael lets the dog loose to retrieve ducks that his father has shot. The dog scoops up those ducks, as well as ones shot by hunters on the other side of the river. Harsh words are shouted. And when all the ducks are retrieved, Michael is dispatched with his hands full of ducks across the trestle bridge — a bridge not in the painting.