MR. CHANCELLOR, this university has benefited greatly from faculty who have not only achieved distinction as scholars, but have also helped to define UBC’s outstanding academic programs.
During his more than 46 years of association with the university, Jean Laponce has played an important role in the intellectual life of UBC’s Political Science department. Through his wide-ranging academic and scholarly activities, he has helped to make both his university and his department known in many parts of the world.
A faculty member in the Department of Political Science from 1956 to 1991, Dr. Laponce taught a wide range of courses, both at the undergraduate and graduate level. He is recognized across the country as the father of the UBC political science honours program.
The author of five books and more than one hundred scientific articles, he has written on questions related to political geography, ethnicity, political conflict and minority rights. He is known as a pioneer in the application of experimental methods to measuring party preferences and the perception of ideological ideas.
Dr. Laponce has often taken unexpected and innovative positions, shedding new light on important aspects of the human condition. His colleagues describe him as a scholar’s scholar, who has applied his impressive knowledge and experience to his discipline and to the academic environment as a whole.
In addition, he has served both the Canadian and the international political science communities with distinction and he is the recipient of a number of prestigious awards.
Mr. Chancellor, for his commitment to the pursuit of scholarship at the highest level, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon JEAN LAPONCE.
MR. CHANCELLOR, in a world where many go hungry and debates over food supply and food quality fill the news every day, the science of agriculture has never been more important. Michael Shaw has been an international leader of this critical science for more than 40 years.
Dr. Shaw came to UBC in 1967 and served with great distinction as both the Dean of Agricultural Sciences and as Vice-president, Academic.
During his career, he achieved international recognition as a plant pathologist who has made pioneering contributions to research on the physiology and biochemistry of host-parasite relationships.
Dr. Shaw has also had an equally outstanding career as a leader in university affairs. A University Professor – one of the highest honours bestowed by UBC on its faculty – Dr. Shaw brought vision and commitment to his years of academic service. He encouraged the creation of many new programs and he supported funds for university programs in the interior and the north of B.C. that enhanced access for students from the entire province.
His leadership and administration were grounded in the highest academic standards and were defended on the basis of what was best for UBC students and for the province.
Mr. Chancellor, for his substantial international impact in the world of plant sciences and his contribution to this university, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon MICHAEL SHAW.
MR. CHANCELLOR, in our richly multicultural country, we depend on our community and cultural leaders to help build and maintain a nation that is both diverse and unified.
Chief Robert Joseph has contributed greatly to this mission.
Despite an early childhood separation from his parents, and his experience as a student at an Indian residential school, Chief Joseph has overcome his circumstances to become a leader for his people and an example for us all.
The hereditary chief of the Kwagiulth nation of the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, Chief Joseph has been involved in First Nations activities at the local, provincial and national levels.
Working as a museum director and curator, he has promoted the collection and preservation of First Nations artifacts. Currently, he is the Executive Director for the Residential School Project, where his work is essential to bringing resolution to First Nations peoples who are recovering from residential school experiences. In this position, he promotes dialogue and reconciliation between First Nations peoples, government and churches, and assists survivors with their healing journey. The project is viewed by many as a model for survivor support groups across Canada.
Chief Joseph also continues to share his knowledge and skills to serve the community in other areas. He has volunteered to lecture to UBC faculty and students on First Nations traditional knowledge, served as a teacher and mentor for First Nations students, and has helped guide the development of academic initiatives related to the professional sciences.
Known as a wonderful orator, he skillfully makes his traditional teachings relevant to contemporary issues by speaking respectfully, knowledgeably, and with inspirational messages.
Mr. Chancellor, for his commitment and excellent service to his community, the university and the country, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon ROBERT FRANCIS JOSEPH.
MR. CHANCELLOR, when UBC alumni take their place in the world of business, they carry with them not only a degree but also a commitment to education and research.
UBC alumnus Eric Newell is Chairman and CEO of Syncrude Canada Limited. He is recognized across the country as a major advocate of business and educational partnerships.
Mr. Newell graduated from UBC in 1967, with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering. He also holds a Master of Science in Management Studies from the University of Birmingham, England.
Under his leadership, Syncrude has become a key player in the Western Canadian economy. It is an increasingly significant source of energy supply for the country, and is a model of a reliably operated, environmentally efficient, socially responsible corporation.
Mr. Newell has worked to advance education by sponsoring intervention programs for students at risk, and has implemented an array of learning and skills upgrading programs within his company, often in partnership with high schools, colleges, and universities.
He has also become a leading spokesperson for the Canadian oil sands industry. He served as president of the Alberta Chamber of Resources, where he spearheaded the creation of the National Oil Sands Task Force, which developed a comprehensive new energy vision for Canada in 1995. That vision is being realized today, and Mr. Newell remains a key catalyst for its growth and evolution.
For his contributions to his profession and community, he has received numerous awards, In 1999, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Mr. Chancellor, in recognition of his impressive lifetime achievements and his outstanding contributions, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon ERIC PATRICK NEWELL.
MR. CHANCELLOR, many people believe that great teachers are born and not made.
Richard V. Tucker, a prominent and respected figure in the field of dentistry, is a testament to this belief.
A dedicated teacher who has been able to motivate colleagues to greater levels of competence and achievement, Dr. Tucker has become a role model who is greatly admired and esteemed, and is recognized as a leader in continuing dental education.
He graduated in dentistry from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and currently operates a practice in Ferndale, Washington. He has gained an international reputation for his innovation and perfection of cast gold procedures.
He is the mentor of over 50 Tucker Study Clubs in Canada, the United States, and
Europe. These are clinical operating groups that meet each month to learn his technique
in cast restorations. Due to Dr. Tucker’s reputation and unique clinical skills,
the study club model of teaching dentistry is a concept that has become a worldwide
continuing education technique.
Recognized as one of the premier practitioners of dentistry in the world, Dr. Tucker
symbolizes the independent and innovative spirit of general dentistry. He has a legendary
ability to recall every detail of a patient’s case in each of his teaching clinics,
and his quiet assessment and constructive feedback of participants’ performance
helps aspiring dentists to strive for personal excellence.
Mr. Chancellor, for his mentoring and his far-reaching impact on the profession and practice of dentistry, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon RICHARD VAUGHN TUCKER.
MR. CHANCELLOR, UBC has the great honour to include among its faculty, individuals
whose research and clinical contributions have defined the standards in their field
of endeavour. Dr. Juhn Wada, a dominant figure in the field of epilepsy treatment
and research for the past five decades, is such a faculty member.
Dr. Wada developed a technique for determining which side of the brain is used for
speech in individual patients. This technique is known as the Wada Test and is used
routinely by neurosurgeons around the world. His work is also known for its contribution
to basic neuroscience research as a result of his seminal studies of an experimental
model of epilepsy.
Born in Tokyo in 1924, he received his M.D. from Hokkaido University in 1946, and later earned a Doctor of Medical Sciences. He joined UBC in 1956 as a research associate and in 1960 was appointed assistant professor of Neurology. He directed the EEG and Seizure Investigation Unit at the University Hospital and in 1966 he was designated Medical Research Council of Canada Career Investigator. He became a full professor in 1971.
His career as a scientist, clinician, teacher, and mentor is exemplary. He has also played a major role in building international medical relationships between Canada, the United States, Japan and other countries.
Dr. Wada has trained countless young clinical and basic neuroscientists who have gone on to establish their own outstanding careers in academic biomedical science. His influence on the field as a result of the accomplishments of his many students cannot be calculated.
An Officer of the Order of Canada, Dr. Wada is also the recipient of its equivalent in Japan, the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Star.
Mr. Chancellor, for his international achievements and his outstanding contribution to the Faculty of Medicine, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon JUHN A. WADA.
MR. CHANCELLOR, as our society’s legal issues become increasingly complex, we rely on the senior members of our judicial system for their wisdom, perspective and mentorship. Lance Finch fulfills this role with distinction.
A UBC alumnus, Lance Finch was appointed Chief Justice of British Columbia in 2001. A skilled, compassionate, and fair professional, he is recognized for his integrity and his keen awareness of the social realities that condition the operation of law.
Chief Justice Finch received his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1962 from this university where he excelled not only as a student but also as a varsity rower. After he was called to the Bar, he practiced with a Vancouver firm for 20 years. As a successful trial judge with the Supreme Court of British Columbia, he handled many difficult cases with great skill, and is admired for his courageous dissent on controversial decisions and for giving the judgement in one of the first important Charter cases.
He also served on the court of Appeal for British Columbia from 1993 until his recent appointment.
Chief Justice Finch has served the law and the people of this province with dedication and intelligence by being active in teaching at the UBC Faculty of Law, the Continuing Legal Education Programs and as a Bencher of the Law Society. He is also a past President of the Vancouver Bar Association.
Mr. Chancellor, for services to the legal profession and the community, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon LANCE SIDNEY GEORGE FINCH.
MR. CHANCELLOR, as the world political stage grows more turbulent, many of us have a new appreciation for our own elected leaders, especially those who have given decades of committed public service. Grace McCarthy has done just that.
Her career began as a florist and in 1953 she founded the B.C. School of Floral Design. She soon developed a sense of public service and was elected in 1960 to the City of Vancouver’s Board of Parks and Recreation, where she served as Commissioner and Chair for six years.
Elected as a Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly in 1966, she held a number of senior positions including Minister of Human Resources, Minister of ICBC, Minister of BC Transit and Minister of Economic Development. McCarthy also served as Deputy Premier of the province and was leader of the Social Credit Party from 1992 to 1994.
Since her retirement from politics in 1994, she has been active in community and philanthropic organizations. Among others, she has served on the board of the Canadian Paraplegic Foundation, the Salvation Army, and the B.C. Lions Foundation for Children with Disabilities.
In 1995, she co-founded and is currently president of the B.C. C.H.I.L.D. Foundation, which raises awareness and funds for children with intestinal and liver diseases. The organization raised $3 million to establish the first research chair in pediatric gastroenterology in Canada at UBC.
Mrs. McCarthy has received many honours for her public service, including the Order of Canada in 1993, the Salvation Army’s Order of Distinguished Service Worldwide, and the Golden Heart Award from the Variety Club of Canada.
Mr. Chancellor, for her strong leadership as a businesswoman, politician and community advocate, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon GRACE MARY MCCARTHY.
MR. CHANCELLOR, the events of this year have shown us the scope, speed and power of infectious disease. As we work to overcome such illnesses, we need to remember the scientific pioneers who have contributed so much to our understanding of these microscopic enemies.
Julian Davies is just such a pioneer. One of the most prominent microbiologists in the world, Dr. Davies has provided a foundation that has greatly advanced scientific research and therapies.
Educated in the United Kingdom, Dr. Davies completed post-graduate work at such prestigious centres as Harvard University and the Pasteur Institute. He joined UBC in 1992 as professor and head of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and served in that role until 1997, when he retired from the university. Dr. Davies also heads UBC spin-off company Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc., formerly known as TerraGen Diversity.
His work has focused on the mechanics of antibiotic activity and resistance. One of his greatest accomplishments has been to define and characterize the genes and resistance mechanisms of a widely used class of antibiotics called aminoglycosides. In addition, he discovered that antibiotic resistance genes found in disease-causing bacteria were linked to antibiotic-producing organisms in soil.
Other contributions include the development of interferon therapy and a hepatitis vaccine as well as the development of genetic tools for studying tuberculosis.
Dr. Davies has received numerous honours, including being named a Fellow of the Royal Societies of both London and Canada.
Mr. Chancellor, for his remarkable enrichment of science and his professional and scholarly service to this university, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon JULIAN EDMUND DAVIES.
MR. CHANCELLOR, in a world where the electronic exchange of ideas is accelerating at an astonishing rate, there are a few individuals who stand out as leaders in developing education fuelled by technology.
Rafael Rangel Sostmann is such an individual.
He is president of Mexico’s Sistema Tec de Monterrey university system, which includes 33 campuses throughout Mexico. Under his direction, the system has made a tremendous difference, not only to the education of individuals, but also to the regional development and competitiveness of Mexican business.
President Rangel Sostmann completed undergraduate work in Mexico, followed by graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin where he earned a PhD in 1973.
Since his appointment in 1985 as president of Tec de Monterrey, Dr. Rangel Sostmann has enriched Mexico’s higher education in many ways.
A highlight of his leadership is the creation of Tec de Monterrey’s Virtual University, recognized as one of the world’s best distance education programs. Using innovative teaching and learning models and the most advanced technological resources, the Virtual University has made an enormous impact on higher education in Mexico and Latin America.
President Rangel Sostmann also serves at a national level to develop education in his country and his contributions have laid the foundation for significant structural change in Mexico’s education system.
In addition, he has broadened Mexico’s education capacity by forging hundreds of international learning and research agreements with universities in North America and Europe.
Here at UBC, we are delighted to be connected through the Tec de Monterrey-UBC House. It is a student residence where Tec de Monterrey students who are attending UBC can interact with Canadian students to create a unique educational, social and cultural learning opportunity.
MR. CHANCELLOR, for his leadership in developing and internationalizing Mexcio’s education system, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon RAFAEL RANGEL SOSTMANN.
MR. CHANCELLOR, there is no one in our society today that represents love, compassion and altruism more than His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. As a scholar and man of peace, he has spread his message of non-violence to people around the world.
His Holiness is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. Born in north-eastern Tibet, he was recognized as the incarnation of his predecessor the 13th Dalai Lama when he was two years old.
He began his monastic education at age six, and completed his Doctorate of Buddhist Philosophy when he was 25. He assumed political leadership of Tibet in 1950 but was forced into exile in 1959 following China’s suppression of the Tibetan national uprising.
Since then he has lived in Dharamsala, north India, the seat of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile. From there he has led a non-violent movement for the liberation of his country.
He has introduced a Five-Point Peace Plan that calls for the designation of Tibet as a zone of peace and for the guarantee of fundamental human rights and democratic freedoms.
In 1989, His Holiness was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for Tibet’s liberation and for his leadership in addressing global environmental problems.
Mr. Chancellor, for his tireless efforts as an advocate of peace, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
MR. CHANCELLOR, as citizens of this complicated world, we often look to role models who inspire us to confront threats to freedom and opportunity.
Shirin Ebadi is such a model. Born in Iran, this lawyer and human rights activist defends the rights of women, children and the politically oppressed in her country.
Dr. Ebadi received a law degree from the University of Tehran and in 1975 became one of the first women to serve as president of the city court of Tehran. She was forced to resign from the position after Iran’s revolution in 1979.
She helped establish the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child, one of the first officially recognized, non-governmental human rights organizations in Iran. She also worked with colleagues to form the Centre for the Defence of Human Rights that provides legal aid to families of imprisoned journalists and student activists.
Dr. Ebadi works to change Iran’s discriminatory laws against women, to provide protection for street children and to free political prisoners. She argues for a new interpretation of Islamic law that recognizes human rights such as democracy, equality before the law, religious freedom and freedom of speech.
What makes these accomplishments even more remarkable is that she has achieved them despite repeated threats to her personal safety.
In 2003, Dr. Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her continued efforts to promote human rights and democracy in her country.
Mr. Chancellor, for her commitment to basic human rights and freedoms as well as peaceful and democratic solutions, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Shirin Ebadi.
MR. CHANCELLOR, now more than ever, we live in a world that needs exemplary teachers and spiritual leaders.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu is just such an individual. Through his moral example and his great personal courage, he has inspired significant political and democratic change in South Africa, including the end of apartheid.
Archbishop Tutu was born in Klerksdorp, Transvaal. After graduating from the University of South Africa, he studied in England, where in 1966 he obtained his Master’s degree in Theology.
Ordained as a priest in 1960, he taught theology in South Africa, and in 1975 he was appointed Dean of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Johannesburg, the first black person to hold that position. He also became the first black general secretary of the South African Council of Churches, a position he held from 1978 to 1985. He then became the Bishop of Johannesburg, and in 1986 was consecrated Archbishop. He retired from his primacy as Archbishop of Cape Town in 1996.
In 1985, Archbishop Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending apartheid policies in his country through non-violent means. In 1995, he was appointed chair of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission by President Nelson Mandela. Through the application of reason and justice, he facilitated the healing process for the South African people after the gross human rights violations that had occurred during the apartheid years.
Mr. Chancellor, for the exceptional knowledge and spiritual leadership he has shared with the people of South Africa and the world, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Desmond Mpilo Tutu.
MR. CHANCELLOR, for more than 50 years Robert Silverman has been an ambassador for Canadian cultural life both nationally and internationally.
In 1953, when Dr. Silverman was a teenager, he performed his first piano concerto with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Since then he has performed with many orchestras in Canadian and abroad, including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Leningrad Philharmonic.
For 30 years, from 1973 until 2003, Dr. Silverman provided philosophical and artistic leadership to the students and faculty of UBC’s School of Music. He also used his exceptional administrative skills as the school’s Director from 1991 to 1995. His artistic talent and reputation has helped to make UBC’s School of Music one of the finest in North America. Dr. Silverman continues to teach here as a Professor Emeritus.
One of his greatest contributions to classical music is a 10-CD recording of all 32 of Beethoven’s sonatas, which he released in 2000. He has performed these sonatas on numerous occasions throughout his career.
He has placed first in many international piano competitions and he has won the Bronze Medal in the Van Cliburn International competition, the Silver Jubilee Medal from the Government of Canada, and the Grand Prix du Disque from the Liszt Society. In 1998, he was the first winner of the Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Achievement Award for Keyboard Artistry.
Mr. Chancellor, for enriching the cultural landscape of British Columbia, Canada and the world, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, upon ROBERT SILVERMAN.
MR. CHANCELLOR, through his innovative research and scholarship, Daniel Kahneman helped to establish psychological and economic bridges that have changed many aspects of economic theory.
Dr. Kahneman’s work laid the foundation for a new area research by discovering how human judgement and behaviour in times of uncertainty take shortcuts that depart from the principles of probability. This theory challenged the basic model of how individuals behave economically, which assumes that everybody is rational, self-interested and calculating.
Born in 1934 in Tel Aviv, Israel, Dr. Kahneman received his BA in psychology and mathematics from Hebrew University in 1964 and his PhD from the University of California-Berkeley in 1961.
In 1978, he was appointed Professor in the Department of Psychology at UBC. During this time, he also was an Associate Fellow in the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. After his years at UBC, Dr. Kahneman took a position at the University of California in 1986.
In 1993 he became the Eugene Higgins Dr. of Psychology at Princeton University and Dr. of Public Affairs in the Woodrow Wilson School, both positions he currently holds.
Dr. Kahneman has received many awards and distinctions, including the Warren Medal of the Society of Experimental Psychologists, the Hillard Award for lifetime contribution to General Psychology and the membership in the National Academy of Science.
Most significantly, Dr. Kahneman received the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2002 for his work integrating insights from psychological research into economic science.
Mr. Chancellor, for his pioneering academic spirit that established an entirely new field of study, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon DANIEL KAHNEMAN.
MR. CHANCELLOR, Anne Treisman’s outstanding contributions to research and scholarship have greatly advanced the field of psychology. For more than 40 years, she has examined visual attention, object perception and memory as it relates to the brain.
Dr. Treisman completed her BA at Cambridge University in 1957 and received a PhD from Oxford University in 1962. She held research appointments and fellowships at Oxford and Stanford University from 1961 to 1978.
She was a Dr. at UBC from 1978 until 1986, where she introduced some of her most significant work – the Feature Integration Theory.
Through this research, Dr. Treisman has shown that we focus on one object at a time. If this process gets overloaded, we can perceive combinations that don’t exist. Her work has implications for understanding patients with brain damage, for learning how to improve visual attention, and for learning how to avoid overloading our visual attention.
Dr. Treisman is currently the James S. McDonnel Distinguished University Dr. of Psychology at Princeton University.
Through out her career, She has received numerous academic awards and recognition including the UBC Killam Senior Fellowship in 1982, the American Psychological Association’s Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award in 1990, the Royal Science Fellowship in 1990, and the American Psychological Society’s William James Fellow Award in 2002.
Mr. Chancellor, for her excellence in research and scholarship and her contribution to our understanding of the human brain, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon ANNE TREISMAN.
MR. CHANCELLOR, UBC is honoured to be associated with artist and teacher Iain Baxter, an individual who continually challenges our ideas and perceptions about what is considered art.
Dr. Baxter’s investigations and originality have kept him in the
forefront of contemporary Canadian art for more than 40 years. Through his
artistic explorations into environmental issues, mass consumerism and modes
of communication, he helped establish conceptualism in Canada.
He received his Bachelor of Science and his Master of Education from the
University of Idaho. After earning a Master of Fine Arts at Washington State
University, he studied fine arts and aesthetics in Japan.
Throughout his remarkable career, Dr. Baxter has taught at UBC, Simon Fraser University, York University, Emily Carr College of Art and Design and the Alberta College of Art.
His work in the 1960s was created in connection with the Fine Arts Gallery at UBC, bringing international recognition to the artist, and the University.
Through the N.E. Thing Co. [Anything Company], a pseudonym he established in 1966, Baxter has produced some of his most significant work. His art and his ideas have had a lasting influence on local artists such as Ian Wallace, Stan Douglas, Rodney Graham and Jeff Wall.
His work is displayed in New York’s Museum of Modern Art and other leading international museums.
Dr. Baxter was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2003 and this year he was awarded the 2004 Governor General’s Award in the Visual and Media Arts.
Mr. Chancellor, for his artist insight and inventive spirit, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, upon IAIN BAXTER.
MR. CHANCELLOR, it is important that we care for our children from the very beginning of their existence. No one believes this more than Dana Brynelsen.
For more than 30 years, Ms. Brynelsen has helped children with special needs mature and thrive. She advocates that early intervention, beginning from conception, is critical in determining a child’s intellectual, language, social and emotional growth. She considers these years even more important in the lives of children with special challenges that can hinder their development.
Ms. Brynelsen obtained both her teacher education training and her special education training here at UBC.
She began her career as a rural schoolteacher in 1970. In 1973, she became a supervisor of the Infant Development Program of B.C. for the Vancouver/Richmond area. Also in this year, she was appointed co-ordinator of the UBC Infant Development Program Summer Institute, a position she still holds.
Ms. Byrnelson is currently the provincial advisor for the Infant Development Program of B.C. Due to her guidance and leadership, this program is considered one of the most successful of its kind in Canada and around the world.
The recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, she has been honoured with the Year of the Child and the Family Achievement Award in 1979, the Winston Churchill Fellowship Award in 1987, and the Y.W.C.A. Woman of Distinction Award 1997.
Mr. Chancellor, for the guidance and care she has given young children and their families, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon DANA BRYNELSEN.
MR. CHANCELLOR, the world needs more champions like John Fraser to protect and defend our planet.
Born in Yokohama, Japan, and raised in Vancouver, Mr. Fraser graduated from UBC in 1954 with a Bachelor of Laws degree.
He practised law until he was elected to the House of Commons in 1972. There, he introduced many innovations, including a program of parliamentary cooperation with the emerging democracies of Eastern and Central Europe, and Parliament’s Public Information Office.
As a member of Parliament he gave longstanding service as Speaker of the House and held key positions including Minister of the Environment and Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. In these positions, Mr. Fraser has made a measurable contribution to North America’s environmental well-being.
He developed and implemented landmark conservation policies to benefit wild Atlantic salmon and Pacific salmon stocks. He also produced Canada-U.S. agreements to prevent flooding by the proposed Skagit River dam and an agreement on acid rain abatement.
Mr. Fraser has represented Canada as Ambassador for the Environment, Foreign Affairs and International Trade. In this role, he provided leadership to defend, promote and implement Canada’s environmental and development commitments.
In 1999, he was appointed to head the Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council, created to investigate the state of salmon fisheries. As part of his environmental work, he has been a member of the BC Wildlife Association, an honorary chair of the World Wildlife Fund Canada, and the vice-president of the Advisory Committee on Protection of the Seas.
Mr. Fraser is a Queen’s Counsel, an officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of British Columbia. He has also shown a lifelong dedication to the welfare of Canada’s Armed Forces and currently chairs the Minster’s Monitoring Committee on Change in the Department of National Defence. He is also an Honorary Colonel of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada.
Mr. Chancellor, for his distinguished service in high offices of state and his dedication to environmental causes in this country and abroad, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon JOHN ALLEN FRASER.
MR. CHANCELLOR, because of her deep commitment and determination, Madeleine Dion Stout has contributed greatly to our awareness of the health of aboriginal Canadians.
As a First Nation member, Ms. Dion Stout knows first-hand the health issues faced by native Canadians and she has worked to educate people outside of the aboriginal community about these conditions.
After earning her Bachelor of Nursing from the University of Lethridge in 1982, she joined the Alberta Indian Health Care Commission. She worked as a Special Assistant to the Minister of Health and Welfare Canada in 1983. And in 1985, she became the Inaugural Director of the Indian and Inuit Health Careers Programs.
She decided to pursue her Master of Arts in International Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa in 1989. From 1992 until 2001, Ms. Dion Stout was an Assistant Professor at Carleton University’s School of Canadian Studies and the founding Director of the Carleton Centre for Aboriginal Education, Research and Culture.
In 2001, Ms. Dion Stout and a group of colleagues released an influential study on aboriginal women’s health for the Centres of Excellence for Women’s Health. The report identified the main health concerns of aboriginal women and established a direction for future work in this area.
She has received the Annual Brant-Hall Lecturer Award from Carleton University, an honorary membership in the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women, and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Lethbridge.
Mr. Chancellor, for the respect and devotion she has shown her people, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon MADELEINE DION STOUT
MR. CHANCELLOR, the talents and dedication of UBC’s faculty have helped make this University become one of the most recognized educational institutions in Canada and the world. With more than 50 years of service to UBC, Dr. Samuel Rothstein has played a vital role in this success.
Dr. Rothstein completed his BA and MA at UBC and in 1947 received a Bachelor of Library Science degree from the University of California.
He returned to UBC in 1948 to serve as the Head of the University’s Acquisitions Division. In 1951, he decided to pursue his PhD in Librarianship at the University of Illinois.
After graduating from this program in 1954, Dr. Rothstein came back to British Colombia to serve as UBC’s Assistant University Librarian. He was promoted to Associate University Librarian in 1959.
He helped found UBC’s library school in 1961, a program that was greatly needed in Western Canada. From 1961 to 1970, he was the Director as well as a Dr. of the UBC School of Librarianship (now called the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies). He stepped down as the school’s director in 1970 to concentrate on his research and teaching.
Mr. Chancellor, for his vast contribution to UBC’s academic resources and to British Columbia, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon SAMUEL ROTHSTEIN.
MR. CHANCELLOR, UBC is proud to have Larry Bell as one of its alumni. Through his public service, business leadership and community involvement, Mr. Bell has served this University, this city and this province with distinction.
Mr. Bell graduated with a BA from UBC in 1961 and completed a master’s degree at San Jose State College in California.
After returning to Vancouver, he was the secretary to the B.C. Treasury board and deputy minister of several portfolios, including: Housing and Transit; Lands, Parks and Housing; and Finance.
He moved to the public sector in 1984 when he was appointed the CEO of Van City Credit Union. Since then he has been the CEO of B.C. Hydro, the President of the Westar Group and President and Vice-President of the food services company Shato Holdings. In 2001, Mr. Bell returned to B.C. Hydro to act as the utility company’s Chair and CEO.
He has served on many boards in the city, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Vancouver Board of Trade, the Conference Board of Canada and the Vancouver Hospital Foundation.
He was also the General Campaign Chairman for the United Way of the Lower Mainland in 1989 and he has been the Director of the B.C. Transplant Society since 1996.
In addition, Mr. Bell was on the UBC Board of Governors for six years. During this time, he was the Chair of the Board from 2000 to 2003.
Mr. Chancellor, for being an exceptional community leader and citizen, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon LARRY BELL.
MR. CHANCELLOR, it is often the pioneering spirit of one individual that creates discovery in the world of science. Sydney Brenner is one of these individuals.
Through his visionary work defining the DNA of C. elegans, a one millimetre long bacteria eating worm, Dr. Brenner has created an important research tool that helps us understand the development and death of organs and tissues. He has also shown us that similar genes exist in higher species, including humans.
Dr. Brenner was born in South Africa and received his Medical degree from the University of Witwatersrand in 1951. Realizing he wanted to focus on scientific research, he went on to complete a PhD at Oxford University.
In 1979 he became the Director of the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology. He was also Director of the Medical Research Council Molecular Genetics Unit at Cambridge from 1986 to 1991. And, in 1996, he was the President and Director of Science at the Molecular Science Institute.
At different points in his career, Dr. Brenner has worked closely with the UBC Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics. Because of this association, UBC’s scientists who work with C. elegans have been greatly influenced by his work.
Dr. Brenner received a Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2002 for his remarkable contribution to Genetics and Genomes. He also has received numerous awards, including the Kyoto Prize, the Gairdner Foundation Award, and the Albert Lasker Award for Special Achievements in Medical Science.
Mr. Chancellor, for his far-sighted approach to research and scholarship, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon SYDNEY BRENNER.
MR. CHANCELLOR, over the course of her rowing career, Kathleen Heddle has brought honour to UBC, British Columbia and this country. Through focus, perseverance and hard work, Ms. Heddle has become one of the most successful women athletes in Canada’s history.
Born in Trail and raised in Vancouver, Ms. Heddle graduated from UBC in 1990 with a BA in psychology. She started rowing in 1985 when the University’s rowing coach approached her to join the team. It was only two years later that she won a gold medal at the Indianapolis Pan American Games.
From 1987 until 1996, Heddle was a member of the Canadian national team and during this time won five world championships and four Olympic medals.
Heddle was a double gold medallist at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and she won a gold medal and a bronze medal in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. She shared this success with her rowing partner, Marnie McBean.
In 1997, Ms. Heddle was named B.C. Athlete of the Year and was inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame. Also in this same year, she was awarded the Order of British Columbia. In addition, Ms. Heddle was presented with the highest award in the sport of rowing, the Thomas Keller Medal, in 1999.
Mr. Chancellor, for being an athlete of great distinction and an inspirational role model, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, upon KATHLEEN HEDDLE.
MR. CHANCELLOR, through her tireless diplomacy and advocacy, Carolyn Mairi McAskie has helped to reduce poverty and relieve suffering worldwide.
As an executive with the Canadian International Development Agency and the United Nations, Ms. McAskie established programs and policies to benefit Third World peoples, particularly women.
After earning her B.A. in Political Science and French from the University of British Columbia in 1967, Ms. McAskie accepted progressively senior positions in the Canadian public service, culminating in the rank of assistant deputy minister.
In the 1980s, as director-general of United Nations and Commonwealth programs
at CIDA, she put development policies in place to aid Third World women
and led donor initiatives to address gender issues through UN agencies.
As High Commissioner to Sri Lanka at the height of its civil war from 1986
to 1989, she helped to substantially improve Canada-Sri Lanka relations.
In the 1990s, as Director-General of International Financial Institutions at CIDA, she again led international negotiations to address gender issues and reduce poverty. She played a critical role in influencing the regional development banks to increase their social-sector, poverty-oriented investments.
Since 1999, as the UN’s Deputy Emergency Relief Co-ordinator, she has worked extensively with international media and the Security Council to ensure an appropriate international response to human suffering. She advocates for political and humanitarian assistance for war-torn countries, particularly in Africa. In January 2003, she was appointed the Humanitarian Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the crisis in Côte d’Ivoire.
Mr. Chancellor, for her leadership in making the world a better place for humanity, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Carolyn Mairi McAskie.
MR. CHANCELLOR, with her lifetime of accomplishments, Patricia Kathleen (P.K.) Page is one of Canada’s most distinguished poets and painters.
A Life Member of the League of Canadian Poets, Ms. Page was born in England in 1916, and grew up in Calgary. She wrote for CBC Radio in the 1930s. In the 1940s, while publishing numerous poems in the Montreal literary magazine Preview, she earned respect as one of the noteworthy new voices of modernism in Canadian letters.
Her first novel, The Sun and the Moon, appeared in 1944. She published her first collection of poetry, As Ten, As Twenty, in 1946, after which she moved to Ottawa to work for the National Film Board. Her script for the NFB animated film, Teeth are to Keep, won an award at Cannes.
She married then-NFB-chair Arthur Irwin, who became the Canadian ambassador to Brazil, Mexico and Australia. During these years abroad, Ms. Page continued to write poetry, but turned primarily to drawing and painting. Under the name P.K. Irwin, her artworks have been exhibited widely and appear in such books as Brazilian Journal, an eloquent prose account of her years in Latin America.
She has published a dozen much-praised books, spanning six decades, and her work has been much anthologized. Her many honours include the first Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia’s Arts Award and a recent Terasen award honouring B.C.’s foremost writers. She is a Companion of the Order of Canada, and she has received several honorary degrees and Governor General’s Awards.
Mr. Chancellor, for her sustained contributions to Canadian literature, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, upon P.K. Page.
MR. CHANCELLOR, as one of the world’s foremost theoretical physicists, Anthony Leggett has played a central role in several great developments in his field.
Professor Leggett was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2003 for his pioneering work in the theory of superfluids and superconductors in the 1970s. However, he is best known for his work in the 1980s and 1990s on macroscopic quantum phenomena. His argument that quantum mechanics must either be valid or break down at the macroscopic scale spawned a worldwide research effort which, in the last five years, has verified his theory.
Born in London, England, in 1938, he received his Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from Oxford University in 1964. In 1978, he was appointed a professor of Physics at the University of Sussex. Since 1983, he has been a MacArthur Professor of Physics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
In Canada, he helped set up the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research program in quantum information processing in 2001 and has been the advisory board chair since its inception.
In the last 10 years he has given generous assistance and advice to research groups at UBC. Since 2002, he has lent his prestige and considerable help in launching our Pacific Institute for Theoretical Physics. This year, he is spending four months at UBC as a visiting faculty member.
Apart from his Nobel Prize, Professor Leggett has been honoured in many ways by organizations around the world. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences and the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Mr. Chancellor, for his pioneering academic spirit that revolutionized modern physics, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa upon Anthony James Leggett.
MR. CHANCELLOR, through his music and advocacy, Raffi Cavoukian has made the world a happier, safer and more sustainable place for children.
As an internationally acclaimed singer and songwriter, Raffi has been entertaining and educating children since the 1970s. He has produced 14 albums, 19 books and three videos. Ten of his albums have ranked among the 25 top-selling children’s albums. He has worked with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Jane Goodall and Nelson Mandela, and has written theme songs for each at their request.
He is the founder and president of The Troubadour Institute for Child Honouring,
a leading child advocacy organization. His poetic declaration, Covenant
for Honouring Children, so impressed the Council of Human Development,
an international initiative to promote the well-being of children, that
he was invited to be its only non-scientist member.
Committed to building a more sustainable environment for future generations,
he has spoken and performed at conferences around the world, including the
Kyoto Global Forum and the General Assembly of the UN. He is an honorary
member of the David Suzuki Foundation.
Raffi has been widely honoured. He received the Juno Industry Builder Award in 1989, a Juno for Bananaphone in 1994 and the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) Special Achievement Award in 2000. In 1992, he was granted a United Nations Environmental Achievement Award. He became a member of the Order of Canada in 1993 and the Order of British Columbia in 2001.
Mr. Chancellor, for his devotion to children, their families, and the world we live in, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, upon Raffi Cavoukian.
MR. CHANCELLOR, with dedication and passion, Elvi Whittaker has been an active proponent of social science in the formulation of sound public policy and change.
As an exemplary anthropologist, professor and administrator, Dr. Whittaker has emphasized the ethics of research, the responsibilities of the social scientist and the relevance of social science to everyday life. Anthropology, she believes, must serve the peoples studied, as well as the people studying.
Born in Estonia, Dr. Whittaker received her M.A. in Sociology from the University of British Columbia in 1957 and her Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1973.
She was appointed an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at UBC in 1975 and a professor in 1991. Her research focused on how knowledge is constructed, for what purpose and for whose use. Officially retired in 1997, she has continued to make significant contributions in her field.
Since the 1980s, she has been extensively involved in the Canadian Anthropological Society and the Social Science Federation of Canada, having been president of both. She was instrumental in using data from Statistics Canada for social science and promoting to members of Parliament the relevance of social science in shaping policy.
From 1994 to 1998, Dr. Whittaker served as the President and Chair of the Scientific Steering Committee for UNESCO’s Management of Social Transformations program. Her stellar service in establishing MOST led to her ongoing contributions to UNESCO. She is ably representing Canada on the international stage.
Mr. Chancellor, for her deep commitment to making social science relevant to public policy locally, nationally and internationally, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Elvi Whittaker.
MR. CHANCELLOR, with exceptional integrity and leadership, Karyn J. Kaufman helped to establish midwifery as a recognized profession throughout Canada.
Professor Kaufman skillfully bridged the gap between an emerging profession and the established medical community, thus earning not only a national but international reputation as a leader in her field. As a nurse, midwife and prominent scholar, she has always focused on improving the health and well-being of childbearing women and their families.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Michigan, a Master of Science and Certificate of Nurse Midwifery from New York Medical College and a Doctor of Public Health from the University of North Carolina.
In 1986, she was appointed to the Task Force on the Implementation of Midwifery in Ontario and continued as the Province’s midwifery implementation co-ordinator. Quietly but effectively, she brought together diverse stakeholders and was instrumental in developing midwifery regulation in Ontario, the first province to regulate the profession.
In 1993, Professor Kaufman became the first director of the Ontario Midwifery Education Program, the first in Canada. She also proposed the curriculum for this four-year degree program offered by a consortium including McMaster University, Laurentian University and Ryerson University. Her work laid the foundation for the University of British Columbia’s Bachelor of Midwifery program.
As Assistant Dean in the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University, she heads its highly successful Midwifery Education Program. She was awarded the McMaster University President’s Award for Educational Leadership in 1996.
Mr. Chancellor, for her immense contributions to humanizing maternity care, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Karyn J. Kaufman.
MR. CHANCELLOR, through his widely respected scholarship and work in landscape architecture, Reverend Shunmyo Masuno has contributed greatly to Canada’s understanding of Japanese culture.
As a Zen high priest and an internationally acclaimed landscape architect, Reverend Masuno embodies a unique integration of religious philosophy, art, culture, business and education.
Born in Yokohama City, Japan, in 1954, he received his B.A. in Landscape Architecture from Tamagawa University in 1975.
Now a principal at his landscape company and a professor at Tama Art University, he has lectured widely in Japan and North America. He is the author of three books, and his work is featured in print and television. The well-known series Process Architecture devoted a special publication to celebrating his work, including his role as designer and implementation manager during the 1990s renovation of the University of British Columbia’s Nitobe Memorial Garden.
Reverend Masuno has undertaken several projects for the Canadian Government, including the Canadian embassy in Tokyo and the Japanese garden at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa.
An adjunct professor with UBC’s landscape architecture program, he has mentored students and faculty over the past 20 years. He also established the Masuno Travel Scholarship to support student travel to Japan.
Reverend Masuno has received many prestigious awards in Japan and Canada, including the National Grand Prize from the Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture and a National Merit Award from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects.
Mr. Chancellor, for his award-winning designs and other creative efforts to unite Japan and Canada in friendship, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Reverend Shunmyo Masuno.
MR. CHANCELLOR, with vision and determination, Robert Lacroix has built bridges between business, government and academia to ensure Canadian universities and researchers rank among the world’s finest.
As the Rector of the University of Montréal, Dr. Lacroix has worked tirelessly to secure funding for research in Canada. He was instrumental in creating the Canada Research Chairs program, which is establishing 2,000 federally funded research positions in institutions across Canada.
Dr. Lacroix holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Louvain, Belgium, and has been a professor of Economics at the University of Montréal since 1970. His extensive research focused on the economics of labour and technological innovation.
He has held many administrative positions at the university, including Chair of the Department of Economics, Director of the Centre for Research and Development in Economics and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. From 1994 to 1998, he was CEO of the Centre for Interuniversity Research and Analysis on Organizations. He has been Rector since June 1998 and is retiring this year.
He has chaired the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, and is currently President of the Conference of Rectors and Principals of Quebec Universities.
Among his many honours, Dr. Lacroix has been named a member of the Order of Canada, Officer of the Order of Quebec, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and member of the Academie des Grands Montréalais. He has been awarded honorary doctorates by McGill University and the University of Lyon 2, Lumière.
Mr. Chancellor, for his outstanding contributions as a champion of Canada’s universities, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Robert Lacroix.
MR. CHANCELLOR, with his focused energy and dedication to excellence, Peter Brown has established himself as a leader in the business community, the public sector and the community at large.
Mr. Brown founded Canacord Capital Corporation in 1968, growing it to be Canada’s largest independent investment firm with 26 offices worldwide. As Chair and CEO of Canacord Capital, he has been the driving force behind the establishment and funding of many small businesses in Canada – encouraging innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.
As a member of the University of British Columbia’s Board of Governors from 1984 to 1990, and Chairman from 1988 to 1990, he was instrumental in bridging relations between UBC and the Province of B.C. during financially difficult times, while launching a record-setting fundraising campaign.
He is on the board of trustees for the Fraser Institute and Honorary Governor of St. George’s School. He has chaired the Vancouver Stock Exchange, B.C. Enterprise Corporation and B.C. Place Corporation. He was Vice-Chair of Expo ’86 and Chair of its finance committee. He has been a director of Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver, the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Atlantic Institute of International Affairs and the Council for the Business and Arts in Canada.
His many prestigious honours include the Order of British Columbia in 2003, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Commemorative Medal in 2002, and the Ernst and Young Pacific Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2001.
Mr. Chancellor, for his outstanding leadership in the marketplace and the community, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Peter Brown.
MR. CHANCELLOR, the cultural heart of a nation can be found in the enduring
and creative images that interpret a society, its landscape and its people.
Dr. Shirley Thomson has done much to nurture and strengthen Canada’s cultural heart.
Currently Chair of the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board, Dr. Thomson was educated at the University of Western Ontario, the University of Maryland and McGill University, and has held a series of influential posts.
In 1982, she became director of the McCord Museum of Canadian History in Montréal, where she raised the levels of scholarship and community engagement.
In 1985, she was posted as Secretary General to the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. This international perspective offered an important context for her work at the National Gallery of Canada, which she directed from 1987 to 1997.
During that time, Dr. Thomson moved the gallery into a landmark building that could accommodate an expansion of the permanent collection. She created opportunities for faculty, researchers and curators to use the gallery’s significant resources, and she paved the way for the establishment of a separate Museum of Photography.
As director of the Canada Council for the Arts from 1997 to 2002, Dr. Thomson promoted the work of regional institutions and individual artists. She was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1994 and elevated to Companion of the Order in 2001.
Mr. Chancellor, for her outstanding contribution to the creative and performing arts in Canada, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of LAWS, honoris causa, upon SHIRLEY THOMSON.
Mr. Chancellor,
On the evening of March 23, 1962, a brilliant young chemist conducted an experiment that would forever change the science of chemistry, necessitate a revision of all existing chemistry textbooks and open up a new area of research that continues to produce surprising results to this day.
The setting for that crucial experiment was a lab in the UBC Chemistry Department, and the researcher was UBC Professor Neil Bartlett.
Professor Bartlett achieved instant international fame on that night when he discovered that a group of elements – the so-called “inert” gases - were, in fact, not chemically inert.
His discovery and subsequent work at UBC, Princeton, and the University of California, Berkeley constitute one of the most brilliant and renowned careers in the field of chemistry.
International recognition has come in the form of 25 academic prizes and awards; fellowships in 12 different academies and honor societies, including the Royal Society of London and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as honorary degrees from nine universities in Europe, Canada and the United States.
His discovery over 44 years ago did much to raise UBC’s profile as an important research institution. Even today, the event remains a topic of tremendous interest and historical significance.
Indeed, it was only yesterday that the American Chemical Society – the world’s largest scientific society – recognized the legacy of Professor Bartlett when it designated the UBC Chemistry Department as a National Historic Chemical Landmark.
Mr. Chancellor, so that we may recognize his immense contribution to his chosen discipline and to the international reputation of this university, I ask you to confer the degree Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon Neil Bartlett.
Mr. Chancellor,
Rare are those who distinguish themselves as great leaders in not one, but two different fields of endeavour. Even more rare are those such as Dr. John Hood, whose leadership accomplishments in corporate business and in advanced education have drawn international recognition.
Dr. Hood completed his PhD in Civil Engineering at the University of Auckland in 1976. He then won a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, graduating in 1978 with a Master of Philosophy in Management Studies.
He began his corporate career the following year with New Zealand’s Fletcher Challenge group of companies. Over the course of the next 18 years, he assumed increasingly senior positions, and at various times served as CEO of three companies, including Fletcher Challenge Paper, a company with over 7 billion dollars in world wide assets.
He left Fletcher Challenge in 1997 to focus on a wide range of consulting and directorship activities, one of which was on the Council of his Alma Mater, the University of Auckland. Just two years later, he was named to the University’s senior leadership position as Vice Chancellor.
During his time there, he served as a chair or director of a number of important external bodies, including Universitas 21 Limited and Universitas 21 Global. He also maintained his directorship roles on a number of corporate boards, and he became influential in the world of sport by chairing various high performance sport committees, and serving as a governor and director of the New Zealand Sports Foundation.
Exactly 28 years after he first set foot on the University of Oxford campus, he returned in the fall of 2004 to be admitted as Vice-Chancellor – the first person in the institution's 900-year history to be elected to the Vice-Chancellorship from outside the University's current academic body.
Mr. Chancellor, for demonstrating outstanding leadership in both international corporate business and international education and research, I ask you to confer the degree Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon John Antony Hood.
Mr. Chancellor,
To openly challenge prevailing scientific theory requires not only great wisdom, but also great courage. Economics Professor Finn Kydland clearly possesses equal measures of both.
It is this combination of wisdom and courage that enabled him to successfully challenge economic theories that had been widely accepted throughout the middle part of the twentieth century.
After completing his Ph.D. in 1973 at Carnegie-Mellon University, he collaborated on two key research projects with his former thesis advisor, Professor Edward Prescott.
Their work focused on the driving forces behind business cycle fluctuations and the design of economic policy. It resulted in the stimulation of new and far-reaching fields of research to determine what types of policies would be effective in creating long-term economic stability - research that ultimately led to sweeping reforms to economic policy and central banking in many nations throughout the world.
In recognition of their contribution, they were jointly awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize for Economics Sciences.
Currently the Jeffrey Henley Professor of Economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Professor Kydland has been widely recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on business cycles and monetary and fiscal policy. He has been a visiting professor at several institutions on both sides of the Atlantic, and is currently a research associate at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
Mr. Chancellor, in order to recognize his fundamental and significant contributions to key areas of economic research and policy-making, I ask you to confer the degree Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Finn Kydland.
Mr. Chancellor,
From his beginnings as a folk singer in coffee houses in his native home of Victoria, BC, Richard Margison has evolved into one of the most critically acclaimed operatic performers on the international stage today.
His rich tenor voice has thrilled audiences in major opera houses throughout the world, including the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Sydney Opera House, and the Metropolitan Opera, where just weeks ago he performed the role of Florestan in Beethoven's Fidelio.
Over the course of his 25-year performance career, he has undertaken some of Opera's most challenging lead roles, including that of Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos, and Radames in Aida.
Since his Canadian debut in the early 1980's he has also produced numerous recordings which have garnered significant accolades both at home and abroad.
In 2001, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 2003 was inducted into the Canadian Opera Hall of Fame.
Mr. Chancellor, for his countless achievements both in recordings and on stage, and for his contribution to the world of Opera, I ask you to confer the degree Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, upon Richard Margison.
Mr. Chancellor,
Dr. Martha Nussbaum’s renown as one of the world’s pre-eminent scholars of philosophy, ethics and law is the result a multi-dimensional career as a researcher, teacher, author and advocate.
After completing her Ph.D. at Harvard University in 1975, Dr. Nussbaum held academic postings at Harvard, Brown and Oxford Universities. From 1986 to 1993, she was a research advisor at the United Nations University’s World Institute for Development Economics Research. She later moved to the University of Chicago, where she is currently the Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics.
She has also held key leadership positions within a number of important organizations, including the American Philosophical Association, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Council of Learned Societies.
Respected the world over for her expertise in the works of classical poets and philosophers, she became a prolific writer and editor of scholarly works – works that frequently bring ancient notions and principles more fully to bear on issues of modern justice. For this, she has received numerous publishing awards, including the Ness Book Award of the Association of American Colleges and Universities for her 1997 work, Cultivating Humanity.
Dr. Nussbaum’s record of scholarly achievement and service has been similarly recognized by numerous awards from the universities and organizations with which she has been afilliated, and she has received a total of 25 honorary degrees from some of the most prestigious institutions on both sides of the Atlantic.
Mr. Chancellor, in recognition of her distinguished record of scholarly achievement and service, I ask you to confer the degree Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Martha Nussbaum.
Mr. Chancellor,
While conducting groundbreaking research into the development of stronger steel, a UBC researcher discovered another interest – the development of stronger universities. Today, across Canada, the name of Dr. Indira Samarasekera is synonymous with both.
After completing her Ph.D. at UBC in 1980, she joined the UBC faculty and became the first incumbent of the Dofasco Chair in Advanced Steel Processing. Her expertise in heat transfer and stress analysis led her to research a number of processes, with a major emphasis on the continuous casting and hot rolling of steel. It also led to consulting opportunities at steel companies in five continents.
Her research excellence has garnered numerous honors, including the Killam Prize, an E.W.R. Steacie Fellowship, as well as Fellowships in the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Engineering and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum.
Dr. Samarasekera’s career took on a new dimension in 2000 when she was named UBC’s vice-president, research. She played a key role in enhancing research funding across all fields, and helped drive expanded support for technology transfer.
She also served on the Board of Directors of a wide range of organizations, including the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research; Genome British Columbia; the National Research Council of Canada; the Provincial Health Services Authority, and the Children and Women's Health Centre of BC, to name only a few.
The remarkable sum of her contributions was recognized by our federal government in 2002 when she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. Similarly, her wide ranging expertise attracted the interest of other leading research institutions, and just last year the University of Alberta appointed her to be its 12th president and vice-chancellor.
Mr. Chancellor, in honor of her indelible contribution to this university, to this community, to industry and to her chosen discipline, I ask you to confer the degree Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Indira Samarasekera.
Mr. Chancellor,
His accomplishments as a legal scholar and novelist have brought him international acclaim, but his activities as a global advocate and philanthropist speak with equal clarity to the remarkable character of Dr. Alexander McCall Smith.
Born and educated in Zimbabwe as well as Scotland, Dr. McCall Smith is now a professor of medical law at the University of Edinburgh and is active in the global community in legal matters relating to bioethics and genetics. His international academic stature is evidenced by his three Fellowships, his work for UNESCO, his many international consultancies and his role in establishing a law school at the University of Botswana.
Dr. McCall Smith has written more than 50 books, including academic titles, a major textbook on law and medical ethics, short story collections and a number of popular children’s books. He is best known for his award-winning Number One Detective Agency series, an international best-seller with almost 4 million copies in print in the United States alone.
Renowned for his philanthropy, he has made donations of his royalties to various African charity organizations; provides regular support to projects at the University of Edinburgh and is a patron of Waverly Care, an AIDS charity based in Edinburgh.
Mr. Chancellor, in recognition of the depth of his wisdom, creativity and humanity, I ask you to confer the degree Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, upon Alexander McCall Smith.
Mr. Chancellor,
A widely recognized member of the medical profession, a successful business person, a generous philanthropist and dedicated volunteer – these are the terms that define the eclectic career of Dr. Donald Rix.
After graduating from the University of Western Ontario’s Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Rix completed his internship and entered general practise at Vancouver General Hospital. He later completed a residency in pathology, and the eminence he subsequently attained in his profession is evidenced by fellowships in four medical colleges and societies.
Gifted at once as both physician and entrepreneur, he is the current chair of Cantest Ltd, and the founder and chair of MDS Metro Laboratory Services, the largest private medical laboratory in Western Canada.
Dr. Rix has also distinguished himself through service to the community, utilizing his unique blend of expertise to play a key leadership role in creating a major industrial biotechnology environment in BC.
He is currently chair of the Board of Genome BC; a past chair of the Innovation and Science Council of British Columbia; a member of the Premier’s Technology Council, and has represented the Province and the Canadian government numerous times on science and technology missions to Pacific Rim nations.
He has also served on countless community Boards, including the Board of the University of Northern British Columbia, the Vancouver Board of Trade, BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, BC Medical Services Foundation, the United Way and the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Reflective of his humanity and vision, his philanthropy extends to the funding of medical education and research, as well as to a diverse range of arts, science and community organizations.
Mr. Chancellor, in recognition of a lifetime of exemplary service to his professions and to his community, province and country, I ask you to confer the Degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Donald Rix.
MR. CHANCELLOR, a biographer of world-renowned ballerina Evelyn Hart writes that, when she began her training, she dreamt of being “a dancer who would put Canada on the map.”
As one of the most-celebrated ballerinas of the past three decades, there can be no doubt that Hart has made this dream a reality. From Swan Lake to Romeo and Juliet, her rare combination of emotional expressiveness, athleticism and exquisite technique has won over audiences and critics around the world.
Born in Toronto, Hart began her formal training at the age of fourteen. She made her professional debut with the acclaimed Royal Winnipeg Ballet in 1976, where she was soon promoted to soloist and then principal dancer.
In 1980 – just four years into her career – Hart was already conquering the world’s most exclusive stages. She received the bronze medal at the World Ballet Concours, and then became the first Canadian to win the gold medal at the prestigious International Ballet Competition, where she received the highly coveted Certificate of Exceptional Artistic Achievement.
Hart has starred in several films, including the documentary Moment of Light, and Natalia Makarova’s production of Swan Lake. She has also starred in several award-winning television specials, including Belong and Romeo and Juliet.
Hart’s brilliant career has been recognized with inductions into the Order of Canada, the Order of Manitoba and Canada’s Walk of Fame. She has also been awarded the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in recognition of lifetime achievement, and has been Manitoba’s Woman of the Year.
Mr. Chancellor, to recognize her outstanding contributions to culture and the arts here in Canada and abroad, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, upon EVELYN HART.
MR. CHANCELLOR,
Acclaimed historian Dr. Michael Bliss vividly evokes the richness of Canada’s medical legacy.
His renowned book, The Discovery of Insulin, is undoubtedly the most important work written on the subject. To prepare himself for writing this work, Professor Bliss, a medical layman, trained himself in the physiology of diabetes. The author’s success was reflected in his election to an honorary fellowship in the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Dr. Bliss has written on the life of Sir Frederick Banting, one of the discoverers of insulin. He has also chronicled the life of Sir William Osler, a distinguished Canadian physician who has been called the icon of modern medicine. Most recently, Dr. Bliss wrote on the life of Dr. Harvey Cushing, the distinguished American surgeon of the early twentieth century.
All of these works have been characterized by a magisterial style and an impressive grasp of the medical background of these important themes.
Dr. Bliss is an officer of the Order of Canada. He has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. His numerous honours include major prizes from the Canadian Historical Association, two City of Toronto Book Awards and two Jason Hannah Medals for medical history from the Royal Society of Canada. He has also been given the Welch Medal from the American Association of the History of Medicine.
Dr. Bliss is currently a Continuing Fellow at the University of Toronto’s Massey College. His articles and columns appear frequently in newspapers and magazines and he’s a well-known commentator on both radio and television.
Mr. Chancellor, for his exceptional clarity and passion as a writer, historian and public intellectual, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa upon John William Michael Bliss.
MR. CHANCELLOR,
The economic health of a nation is of foremost importance to the well-being of its people. No one has demonstrated more talent, intellect and community awareness in handling the nation’s finances than Dr. David Dodge.
As Governor of the Bank of Canada and Chair of the Board of Directors since 2001, Dr. Dodge has helped Canada achieve an enviable track record for low inflation and solid economic growth.
A tireless public servant, Dr. Dodge has also made exceptional contributions to Canadians through his positions at the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the Anti-Inflation Board, the Department of Employment and Immigration, and as Deputy Minister of Health.
As federal Deputy Minister of Finance, he took on a potentially crippling budget deficit and played a key role in restoring the nation’s books to surplus budgets.
Dr. Dodge has received a long list of awards and distinctions for his friendship and dedication to UBC. In addition to his service as a Senior Fellow and Scholar in Residence in the Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration, now the Sauder School of Business, Dr. Dodge has served on the Advisory Council of the UBC Faculty of Graduate Studies, where he made valuable contributions to the Human Early Learning Partnership and helped promote graduate education and research at the highest levels of government.
Mr. Chancellor, for his vital contributions to the Canadian economy and post-secondary education, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa upon David Allison Dodge.
MR. CHANCELLOR,
Since lacing up her first pair of skates at the age of five, Cassie Campbell has become a Canadian sports icon and an inspiration for the next generation of Olympians. Ms. Campbell has played our national sport of hockey with both skill and heart.
These qualities were perhaps best displayed at the Salt Lake City Winter Games, where she led Canada’s women’s hockey team to our country’s first Olympic gold medal in the sport in 50 years.
When the team won gold again four years later in Turin, Italy, she became the only Canadian hockey player – male or female – to captain a team to two Olympic gold medals.
Ms. Campbell’s Olympic successes are high points of a brilliant 12-year career with the national team. All in all, she won an astounding 17 gold medals and competed in three Winter Olympics, seven World Championships and many other international tournaments.
Since retiring from competitive hockey in 2006, the University of Guelph sociology graduate has worked for the CBC as a rink-side reporter, and she is the first woman to provide colour commentary on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada.
Ms. Campbell continues to promote women’s hockey and physical activity among young people, and in 2004 launched the Cassie Campbell Street Hockey Festival to help raise money for the Ronald McDonald House.
Mr. Chancellor, to recognize her outstanding contributions to sport and community in Canada, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Cassie Dawn Campbell-Pascall.
MR. CHANCELLOR,
There are certain scholars whose academic accomplishments resonate in a special way with the vision of this university. Renowned linguist Dr. Michael Halliday is one such scholar.
His research illuminates how language connects us in multilingual and multicultural societies, and his vision of language has sparked considerable interdisciplinary study – research that incorporates the values of global citizenship and respect for diversity in a civil society.
Currently Professor Emeritus at the University of Sydney in Australia, Dr. Halliday graduated in 1948 with a first-class honours Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of London. In 1955 he completed doctoral work at the University of Cambridge. Since that time he has served as a professor of linguistics at universities around the world, including Singapore, Yale, Tokyo, Copenhagen and Nairobi.
His great contribution to linguistic study is a theoretical model known as Systemic Functional Linguistics, which examines how language functions in a social context. His ideas have been taken up in such diverse fields as education, computer science, psychiatry, museum studies and sociology. His peers report that Dr. Halliday is one of a small handful of linguists of the last 100 years whose work will continue be cited well into the next 100 years.
In addition to being an outstanding researcher, Dr. Halliday is known as a generous, kind and patient teacher – an inspired and inspiring scholar who has trained generations of linguists worldwide.
Mr. Chancellor, to recognize his advancement of the study of linguistics, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Michael Alexander Kirkwood Halliday.
MR. CHANCELLOR,
Great artists do more than create beauty. They light the way for others to enter into the spirit of creation.
Robert Davidson is such an artist. His Haida name is Guud San Glans – Eagle of the Dawn. Mr. Davidson’s work exemplifies the majesty and power of contemporary Northwest Coast art. A master carver of totem poles and masks, he is also renowned as a printmaker, painter and jeweller.
Mr. Davidson reverences traditions, but interprets them anew. He has burnished the craft and vision inherited from his father, grandfather and great grandfather. In 1969, he raised the first Haida totem pole on Haida Gwaii in more than 90 years. Mr. Davidson has been a pivotal figure in the Haida cultural revival.
Mr. Davidson generously mentors other First Nations artists, who have graduated and become recognized artists themselves.
For more than 30 years, Mr. Davidson has produced an internationally acclaimed body of work. His art is found in a number of important private and public collections including the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Southwest Museum in Los Angeles.
Earlier this year in February, Mr. Davidson opened a one-man show in the National Gallery in Ottawa. He is the second First Nations artist to have had this honour. He has received many honours, among them the National Aboriginal Achievement Award for his contribution to First Nations art and culture. He has received the Order of British Columbia and in 1996 was made a member of the Order of Canada.
Mr. Chancellor, for so generously sharing his gifts with the world, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa upon Robert Charles Davidson.
Mr. CHANCELLOR,
Dr. Peebles is a pioneering cosmologist who has made profound contributions to our knowledge of the physical processes that have shaped the structure of our universe.
Over the past half century, he has also inspired several generations of physics students with his textbooks, and supported cosmology research at UBC and across Canada. Yet, he still retains the charm, curiosity and humility of his small-town Manitoba upbringing.
Dr. Peebles received his Bachelors of Science degree from the University of Manitoba in 1958 and then moved to Princeton University, where his theoretical discoveries put him at the forefront of modern cosmology – and where he remains as Albert Einstein Professor of Science.
With rigour and imagination, Dr. Peebles has advanced our understanding of phenomena that range from the creation of the lightest elements to the formation of galaxies and the cosmic distribution of matter and radiation.
According to Science News, he was instrumental in three of the twentieth century’s 100 most-important discoveries. It should therefore come as no surprise that Dr. Peebles has been recognized with several major awards, including the highest honour of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Mr. Chancellor, to recognize his outstanding contributions to science and our understanding of the cosmos, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon Phillip James Edwin Peebles.
More than three decades ago, a Canadian ecologist by the name of Crawford Stanley Holling introduced the notion that the ecological system is vibrant and interconnected—that it is fragile, yet resilient.
His 1973 paper on the resilience of non-linear ecological systems still stands as a major landmark in the field of Ecology.
Dr. Holling has developed pioneering methods in adaptive ecosystem management that have paved the way for modern movements in sustainability and conservation, and his leadership in both academic research and social responsibility has literally transformed the world in which we live.
An alumnus of UBC, Dr. Holling’s distinguished career includes directorship at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Vienna and the Institute of Resource Ecology here at UBC. He was named Eminent Scholar and Arthur R. Marshall Jr. Chair in Ecological Sciences in the University of Florida’s Department of Zoology, where he retired in 1999.
The Ecological Society of America recognized Dr. Holling’s talents as early as 1966 with the Mercer Award for an outstanding paper by a young scientist, and as recently as 1999 with the Eminent Ecologist Award for outstanding contributions to the science of Ecology.
As one of the founders of the online journal Ecology and Science and of the Resilience Alliance, an international science network, Dr. Holling continues to devote his time and talent to the advancement of knowledge in ecology and evolution.
Mr. Chancellor, for his lifelong contribution to the understanding of our place in the world, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa upon Crawford Stanley Holling.
MR. CHANCELLOR,
One has only to look at Trek 2010, UBC’s vision statement, to know that former UBC President, Martha Cook Piper, passionately embraced the opportunity to propel this university to be one of the world’s best.
Dr. Piper received a B.Sc. in Physical Therapy from the University of Michigan, an M.A. in Child Development from the University of Connecticut, and a Ph.D. in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from McGill University.
She served as Director of the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy at McGill and in 1985 joined the University of Alberta as Dean of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. She was appointed Vice-President, Research in 1993. During the mid-90s she was appointed to several national boards designed to advance innovation, and joined UBC as 11th President and Vice-Chancellor in 1997.
During Dr. Piper’s tenure, UBC expanded to include UBC at Robson Square, the Great Northern Way Campus and UBC Okanagan. At a civic level, she inspired hundreds of staff, faculty and students to become partners in community service learning. At the provincial level, she helped B.C. come to be known as a centre for innovation.
Nationally, she was instrumental in establishing and strengthening the Canada Research Chairs program, the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Internationally, she re-vitalized UBC links with Mexico and Asian-Pacific countries.
Dr. Piper is a recipient of the Order of British Columbia and is an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Mr. Chancellor, for her unique contributions to the vitality of the university, the province and the country, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Martha Cook Piper.
MR. CHANCELLOR:
There are few individuals who truly understand the nature and power of cities – that they are living entities with both body and soul.
Michael Harcourt is such an individual. His commitment to making choices that create livable and resilient cities has made him one of Canada’s leading proponents on planning for sustainability.
A UBC alumnus, Mike Harcourt served as British Columbia’s Premier from 1991 to 1996, Vancouver’s Mayor from 1980 to 1986, and as a Vancouver Alderman from 1972 to 1980. Career accomplishments include shaping a vision for the city leading up to Expo 86; helping to establish B.C.’s Treaty Commission; and introducing the Growth Strategies Act, which promoted regional sustainability.
After serving as Premier, Mr. Harcourt returned to UBC to act as an advisor in many areas, including sustainable development research and Asia Pacific affairs.
Between 1996 and 2004, he was a member of the National Round Table on the Environment and Economy. He also chaired the National External Advisory Committee on Cities and Communities and serves as honorary chair of the International Centre for Sustainable Cities, based in Vancouver.
Recipient of the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service, he was awarded in 2006 the Canadian Urban Institute’s Jane Jacobs Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mr. Harcourt is co-author of Plan B: One Man’s Journey from Tragedy to Triumph, which chronicles his remarkable recovery from a near fatal accident in 2002. He recently co-authored City Making in Paradise: Nine Decisions that Saved Greater Vancouver's Livability.
Mr. Chancellor, for his role in promoting the quality of life in our cities, I ask you to confer the degree Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Michael Franklin Harcourt.