Mr. Chancellor, there is nothing more inspirational to an aspiring artist than a role model who has established himself on the international scene, while maintaining his artistic vision and integrity. Atom Egoyan is just such a role model to young Canadian film-makers, inspiring them both through his own work and through his generous support.
Atom Egoyan has an enviable record of accomplishments in a variety of media, including film, television and opera. Over the last two decades he has grown into a producer, writer and director of international stature, and his work as a filmmaker has brought him recognition at major festivals in Europe and North America. Mr. Egoyan immigrated to Canada from Egypt as a young child, and spent his formative years in Victoria, BC. He was educated at the University of Toronto, but even before completing his degree he was beginning to make an impact in theatre and film. He rapidly gained prominence as a writer and director of feature films who showed great force and originality. His films Speaking Parts, The Adjuster and Exotica were all critical successes at the Cannes Film Festival. Exotica had the added distinction of winning the Inernational Critics’ Prize at Cannes, as well as eight Canadian Genie Awards, including Best Picture. In 1998 the film The Sweet Hereafter brought Mr. Egoyan even greater critical acclaim at Cannes, earning the Grand Jury Prize, as well as the Ecumenical Jury Prize and the International Critics’ Prize. In Canada, The Sweet Hereafter took Genies in eight categories, including Best Picture and Best Director. It was also nominated for an Academy Award. Mr. Egoyan has made several successful forays into the world of opera, exhibiting the same energy, originality and dedication to excellence as he displays in film-making. His recent production of Salome for the Vancouver Opera brought him both popular and critical acclaim, and bore the authority of a brilliant and confident director.
Mr. Chancellor, for his work and its enhancement of the reputation of Canadian film, and for his unique contribution to our culture, I ask that you confer the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, upon Atom Egoyan.
Mr. Chancellor, in his roles as educator and geographer, Dr. Walter Hardwick has greatly influenced the direction of British Columbia through his unfailing commitment to quality education for young people and mature learners, and his active involvement in the shaping of liveable communities. His vision of what "could be" in the face of what existed at the time, his perseverance and his political acumen have had a profound impact on the education system in British Columbia, and on the urban environment of Vancouver.
A native of Vancouver, Dr. Hardwick received his MA from UBC in 1958 and his PhD from the University of Minnesota in 1963. In 1959 he was appointed a faculty member in the Department of Geography at UBC, during which time he also held a number of influential and important administrative positions within the University. Elected to the City Council in Vancouver in 1968, Dr. Hardwick served for six years where his record of leadership and service was recognised by the electorate when he topped the poll in 1972. He was one of a small group of visionaries who brought the False Creek South development into being, and he has been a major figure in the articulation of the "liveable urban region" ideal. As Deputy Minister of Education between 1976 and 1980, he made an enormous contribution to education in British Columbia by developing the community college system that would improve access to educational opportunities. He foresaw the emergence of the use of information and communication technologies as tools in the way such access would be provided by creating two new organisations - the Knowledge Network and the Open Learning Institute. In 1993, Dr. Hardwick convened an Invitational Symposium on Managing Urban Growth for the Provincial Ministry of Municipal Affairs. A year later the Prime Minister appointed him to the National Advisory Board on Science and Technology. In 1997, he was named as a Member of the Order of British Columbia. Over a period of approximately 30 years he not only promoted change but he documented the directions it should take and, unlike many academics, assumed the responsibility of implementation.
Mr. Chancellor, I ask you to recognize this visionary and inspirational educator whose astute understanding of the politics of change have made such a significant contribution to British Columbia by conferring the honour of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Walter G. Hardwick.
Mr. Chancellor, Dr Myer Bloom is one of UBC's most outstanding and internationally renowned scientists. The scope and significance of his research has influenced many in the scientific community in Canada and around the world.
Dr. Bloom has been at the forefront of research into Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and, more recently, the study of biological membranes and the development of new insights into the organization of matter by nature through the process of evolution. Completing his undergraduate and masters degrees from McGill University he then went on to obtain his doctorate degree in physics from the University of Illinois in 1954. First appointed as a UBC faculty member in 1957, Dr. Bloom held the rank of Professor from 1963 to 1994 when he was appointed Professor Emeritus. A pioneer in the field of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance he developed new theoretical and experimental techniques with applications to condensed matter. After having established both his reputation and expertise in the fields of NMR, Dr. Bloom took the bold step of changing his focus to investigate whether his research could be applied to the study of biological membranes. This interdisciplinary initiative, initially begun at UBC, attracted many national and international participants and led to the establishment of a new Canadian Institute for Advanced Research program on the Science of Soft Materials and Interfaces. This program now includes sixteen scientists from Canada, Europe, and the United States working at the boundary between the physical sciences and the biological sciences. Dr. Bloom's outstanding research contributions have been recognised throughout his career. Among the many prestigious awards are the Sloan and Guggenheim Fellowships, the Steacie Prize and the Canada Council Killam Memorial Prize for Natural Sciences. He has received honorary degrees from the Technical University of Denmark and Concordia University, and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the American Physical Society and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. During the course of Dr. Bloom's career, he has influenced and supervised many graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who have since gone on to make important contributions in academe, industry and government. He is an eminent scientist whose work has brought great recognition and credit to UBC.
Mr. Chancellor, I ask you to add to this list of honours by conferring the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon Myer Bloom.
Mr. Chancellor, most diseases rob people of their health. Many diseases rob people of their future. Alzheimer’s Disease is even more cruel to its victims – it robs them of their past, their memories and their connections with loved ones. Dr. Edith McGeer and Dr. Patrick McGeer have conducted groundbreaking research into the nature and potential treatment of this terrible illness.
Each of these scientists is a successful researcher and academic in their own right. Edith McGeer joined UBC’s Department of Neurological Research in 1962, subsequently becoming head of the Division of Neurological Sciences in the Department of Psychiatry, and later director of the Kinsmen Laboratory of Neurological Research at UBC. She has served on the editorial boards of 12 international neuroscience journals and on numerous scientific research boards in Canada and the United States. Similarly, Patrick McGeer has also been a UBC professor and head of the Division of Neurological Sciences, and worked with several scientific journals and scientific review panels. He served as an elected member of the BC Legislative Assembly for 25 years and held several cabinet portfolios during his tenure in office. However, this couple’s greatest scientific and career achievements came when they joined their talents together to form one of the most remarkable and productive research collaborations in the history of The University of British Columbia. Their research output is impressive: three books; 100 book chapters; more than 400 scientific papers; and a dozen patents. They have gained international recognition and acclaim for their outstanding research into the workings of the human brain, particularly the role of the immune system in neuro-degenerative diseases. This led to their emphasis on Alzheimer’s Disease, which will ultimately have a direct impact on the lives of thousands of families worldwide.
Mr. Chancellor, for their outstanding contributions to medical science and commitment to knowledge and scientific integrity, I ask that you confer the degrees of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon Edith Graef McGeer and Patrick Lucey McGeer.
Mr. Chancellor, Dr. John Wheeler has arguably made some of the most significant contributions this century to Canadian geology.
Known to his colleagues as the "father of geology in the Cordillera," Dr. Wheeler pioneered modern mapping of the region and produced the first coherent map of the entire mountain region of Western Canada. His work has been the foundation of all subsequent studies and set the standards for geological mapping in Canada. He has shared his vast knowledge not only as an inspirational instructor, but also through his writing. Dr. Wheeler was coordinator and general editor of the eight volume The Geology of Canada, the definitive guide to this country’s geological foundations, co-published by the Geological Survey of Canada and the Geological Society of America. Dr. Wheeler personally authored several chapters of the Cordilleran volume. Dr. Wheeler’s willingness to learn new things, listen and provide good advice and judgement naturally led him to the administrative side of geoscience research. As Deputy Director General of the Geological Survey of Canada he managed the organization’s scientific program, specifically building the relationships with provincial surveys and industry. His expertise and leadership abilities have made him an invaluable asset to a number of committees and other groups working to further geological research. A key achievement was his role in lobbying for establishment of Lithoprobe, Canada’s major geoscience project. Dr. Wheeler then served as chairman of Lithoprobe’s steering committee for two years. Geology research has been a tradition in his family – Dr. Wheeler’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all well-respected surveyors and explorers before him. While he may humbly state that his accomplishments are simply an extension of his own family heritage, Dr. Wheeler has personally made a meaningful contribution to our nation’s heritage: knowledge and understanding of the land we call Canada.
Mr. Chancellor, for his contributions to geological science and to our understanding of the physical aspects of our country, I ask that you confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon John Oliver Wheeler.
Mr Chancellor, if a profession and its practitioners are to grow and develop, they need champions who are passionate about their profession and who believe that traditional boundaries must be challenged and re-examined. Dr. Alice Baumgart is just such a champion for the study of Nursing.
Dr. Baumgart is a graduate and former faculty member of UBC. She has touched the lives of countless nursing students through her position as professor and Dean in the School of Nursing at Queen’s University. More broadly, she has played a role in the education of nurses throughout Canada, through the widely used textbook she co-authored, Canadian Nursing Faces the Future. Her impact on the nursing profession in Canada has also been felt through her roles with the Boards of Directors of the Canadian Association of University Schools of Nursing, Canadian Nurses Association, International Council of Nurses and Victorian Order of Nurses (Canada). Her international reputation as a leader in nursing has resulted in invitations to deliver keynote addresses at conferences in Australia, Barbados, Bermuda, Botswana, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. She has been well-recognized for the profound influence she has had on nursing around the globe. Dr. Baumgart’s colleagues identify her capacity to articulate her views, speak to the heart of a controversial issue and examine a problem in an international context as qualities that make her an unusual and gifted leader. Her leadership capabilities were recognized while with Queen’s University, where she was appointed Vice-Principal of Human Services in 1988 – a sector of the university unrelated to her professional field of Nursing. Dr. Baumgart was the first woman in Queens’ 150-year history to be awarded so senior a post. Dr. Baumgart’s current work for International Council of Nurses and the World Health Organization will establish for the first time a common nomenclature and a basis for global credentialling for professional nurses. The end result of this project is predicted to have a significant impact on improving education and utilization of nurses in the developing and underdeveloped countries around the world.
Mr. Chancellor, Dr. Alice Baumgart has been a visionary for the field of nursing, an ambassador for our nation and an inspiration to Canadian women. I ask that you confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Alice J. Baumgart.
Mr. Chancellor, few life achievements could be better recognised than to receive an honour in the name of Alfred Nobel.
A graduate of UBC in 1953, Dr. Robert Mundell has earned international acclaim for his work in economic science, culminating with the 1999 Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. Earning his doctorate from MIT in 1956, he has taught at Columbia University since 1974. He has been an advisor to a number of international agencies, and has written over a hundred scientific articles and eight books. Much of Dr. Mundell's analysis of monetary and fiscal policy under different exchange rate regimes and his study of optimum currency areas, for which he received the Prize last year, were in progress when he was a visiting professor at UBC in 1957-58. It was quite natural for a Canadian economist to study the comparative economics of fixed and flexible exchange rates, since Canada was, during the 1950's, the only country operating on a flexible exchange rate system, most other countries having adopted the Bretton Woods system of fixed exchange rates. Mundell's modelling of the effects of monetary and fiscal policies under fixed and flexible exchange rates became known as the Mundell-Fleming Model and has long been the main model for teaching and research in the area, inspiring both empirical tests and theoretical extensions. Dr. Mundell's scientific contributions have transformed research in international macroeconomics. His research on the conditions under which it might be optimal for two or more countries to share a common currency culminated with the adoption of the Euro in 1999. Originally dubbed the Europa by Mundell, he has often been referred to as the godfather of the Euro. Dr. Mundell has shown a prophetic capacity to focus on topics that later become of global importance. His theories have become conventional wisdom. He has contributed to the field of economic science an exceptional combination of formal, but accessible, analysis with clear exposition and close relevance to issues of practical policy-making.
Mr. Chancellor, the work done by Dr. Mundell has laid the groundwork for changes in economic relations among governments and has been of great value to the international community. I ask that you recognize this work by conferring the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, upon Robert Alexander Mundell.
Mr. Chancellor, our country is blessed with many gifted researchers whose work enhances the health and well-being of Canadians each day. Occasionally, we are fortunate enough to benefit from the talents of a scientist who is also a visionary in terms of how research is practiced. An innovator in both of these areas, Dr. Henry Friesen has had a profound impact on Canadian research, both at the bench and in the boardroom.
Dr. Friesen is a specialist in endocrinology and discovered the human hormone prolactin, excessive amounts of which can impede reproduction. He is also widely known for his research into the effectiveness of using the human growth hormone to stimulate the growth of very small children. As Professor and Head of the Department of Physiology at the University of Manitoba from 1973 to 1992, he has been a mentor not only to countless medical students, but also to more than 90 post-doctoral fellows and graduate students. Perhaps his most lasting impact on the medical community has come from his work outside the laboratory. A strong advocate for Canadian medical research, Dr. Friesen has authored and co-authored hundreds of research articles in the world’s most prestigious scientific journals. He has served on many national and international committees, and has been an executive member of the Medical Research Council, President of the National Cancer Institute of Canada and President of the Canadian Society for Clinical Investigation. These leadership skills were recognized in 1992, when Dr. Friesen was appointed President of the Medical Research Council of Canada, a post he held until 1999. While President of the Medical Research Council, Dr. Friesen’s vision and outstanding leadership guided a complete transformation of the way health research is conducted in Canada. Under his direction, the Medical Research Council has been completely restructured into the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. This transformed health research agency will foster innovation that will have a significant impact on the health care of Canadian as well as the economic vitality of Canada. Creation of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research will allow the health research community in Canada to truly compete on a level playing field within the global community.
Mr. Chancellor, for his outstanding contributions to furthering and improving medical research, both within and outside the laboratory, I ask that you confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Henry George Friesen.
Mr. Chancellor, behind every success story lies a great mentor. During his career as UBC Professor and Dean of Medicine, Dr. William Alexander Webber has impacted the careers of hundreds of medical and dental students in this province and inspired even more to greatness.
Dr. Webber has been associated with the university for nearly 50 years. In 1958 he graduated as an outstanding student in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and was the Gold Medallist in the Faculty of Medicine. Following his medical internship and post-doctoral training at Cornell Medical School he returned to UBC to begin his academic career in 1961. An exceptional medical educator, Dr. Webber has been recognised by his students and faculty continuously throughout his career, culminating with the Killam University Teaching Award and the President’s Service Award for Excellence in 1999. Dr. Webber served as Secretary and President of the UBC Faculty Association and a member of the University Senate from 1966-1975 and 1977-1990. He also served a term on the UBC Board of Governors. Beginning his university administrative career in 1971 as the Associate Dean in the Faculty of Medicine, he was subsequently appointed Dean in 1977. He filled his role with distinction serving 13 years - the longest term of any Dean of Medicine at UBC. Continuing his commitment to UBC with his appointment as Associate Vice President Academic from 1990 to 1996 and his concurrent term as Co-ordinator of the Health Sciences from 1992 to 1995, Dr. Webber's influence has extended far beyond the confines of the Faculty of Medicine. An eloquent and extremely well organized mentor, Dr. Webber has the rare ability of simplifying difficult concepts and making them come alive to students. His emphasis on quality teaching has extended across campus where he was instrumental in the development of the Centre for Faculty Development and Instructional Services, the Faculty Mentor program, the First Nations House of Learning and the Disability Resources Centre. The community of Vancouver has also benefited from Dr. Webber's dedication to teaching. He holds various leadership roles in the community, including the Vancouver Institute, the Osler Society of Vancouver and Boy Scouts of Canada. Active in professional bodies locally and nationally he has served on the Boards and Medical Advisory Committees of a number of Vancouver hospitals and played a major role in integrating the teaching hospitals into UBC's academic and research activities.
Mr. Chancellor, I ask that you recognize his unique and diverse contribution to UBC over the last five decades by conferring the degree Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon William Alexander Webber.
Mr Chancellor, successful persons are often measured by their ability to balance personal philosophies and values with the demands of business and commerce. By those standards, Mr. Robert Chao Feng Ho is indeed a successful man.
Robert Ho was born in China and left for Hong Kong at the time of the Communist Revolution. Starting with nearly no assets, he began his business career by salvaging scrap metal from old decommissioned ships. From that humble start, he built up a global shipping business based in the Philippines that currently employs 16,000 people. He spearheaded efforts in the 1950’s that enabled the Philippines to successfully develop its maritime resources, personally authoring and sponsoring legislation that provided the country with a strong maritime legal and commercial infrastructure. He strongly believed that the maritime industry would be able to provide immediate employment to a developing nation: today, the Philippines is a significant maritime nation. While building his business, Mr. Ho has never lost sight of the importance of community, education and global development. He believed strongly in maintaining ties with China, especially at times when the communist regime isolated his home country from economic and cultural relationships with other countries. The value he places on education is evident in the libraries and community facilities he has established in his ancestral home town, and also through his donations to universities and community organizations in other centres in China. He personally holds degrees from St. John’s University Shanghai, and Columbia University in New York. Educational institutions throughout the world have benefitted from his philanthropy, and the University of British Columbia is no exception. As Honorary Chair of the St. John’s Alumni Association (Hong Kong), Mr. Ho has been instrumental in establishing St. John’s College at UBC – relocating and reopening his alma mater from Shanghai which had been shut down in 1949 after the communist revolution. St. John’s College now houses 144 students from 29 countries studying within 42 different departments.
Mr. Chancellor, for his outstanding philanthropy and belief in people, society and societal values, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Robert Chao Feng Ho.
Mr. Chancellor, as Canada's 19th prime minister, the career in public life of this University of British Columbia alumna has been marked by a remarkable series of firsts.
From 1990 to 1993 The Right Honourable Kim Campbell was the first woman to hold the post of minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. In 1993 she became the first woman minister of National Defence and Veterans' Affairs. She went on that same year to become the first woman leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada and the first woman prime minister of Canada. But Ms. Campbell's dedication to public service began much earlier. Born in Port Alberni, B.C., Ms. Campbell began her political career at Vancouver's Prince of Wales Secondary School as the first female president of the student council. She went on to serve as president of the first-year class at UBC where she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree. From 1975 to 1978, she taught in UBC's Political Science Dept. In 1980, she won a seat as a trustee of the Vancouver School Board – the same year that she entered law school at UBC. While juggling the rigours of law school with school board responsibilities she somehow found time to indulge her long-time love of music and theatre to direct the annual law revue. Ms. Campbell served on the school board for four years and was its chairperson in 1983. She was admitted to the bar of British Columbia in 1983 and entered provincial politics that same year. She became a member of the Legislative Assembly in 1986 and moved to federal politics in 1988 when she became the member of Parliament for the riding of Vancouver Centre. During her career in federal politics, Ms. Campbell spoke up for what she believed in on the issues of the day, including abortion and free trade. As Minister of Justice, she led major changes in gun control and sexual assault legislation. After serving in the nation's top political post, Ms. Campbell returned to academia as a lecturer and fellow at Harvard University before she took up her appointment as Canada's Consul-General in Los Angeles in 1996. Throughout her career, Ms. Campbell has retained her connections to the academic community, especially her strong ties with her alma mater. Ms. Campbell has returned to lecture on campus several times and addressed the UBC Law School last year. She has also been very supportive of our university's alumni outreach program in Southern California, hosting a number of receptions at the official residence of the Consul-General throughout the past three years.
Mr. Chancellor, for her extraordinary accomplishments and dedicated service to both our community and our nation, I ask you to confer the degree, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon The Right Honourable A. Kim Campbell.
Mr. Chancellor, one of the most critical challenges we will face in this new century is to ensure that our cities are vital, vibrant centres that model sustainability and foster community. Harold Kalke has seen this critical challenge and embraced it.
A real estate developer known for his social conscience, Mr. Kalke creates projects that are acclaimed as critical elements to re-establishing neighbourhood in our cities. Raised on a farm near Success, Saskatchewan, he obtained his Civil Engineering degree from the University of Alberta and a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario. In 1971, he established Kalico Developments Limited, a company involved in a wide range of real estate projects that emphasize sound building principles, environmental responsibility and above all, healthy living. His projects have won community and heritage awards for their ingenious use of recycled materials, innovative energy sources and construction methods. They are regarded by many as models of sustainability. But the scope of Mr. Kalke’s concerns extends beyond construction materials. He is a builder who believes passionately in the possibilities that emerge when people of diverse backgrounds and interests are brought together. More than an entrepreneur, he is a philosopher and an ethicist who sees clearly that the spaces in which we live and work help to determine what we are capable of. A plainspoken advocate who is eager to help people better understand development issues, Mr. Kalke is also a founding member and director of the Urbanarium Development Society, a non-profit organization that aims to increase public appreciation of urban planning. Such a committed proponent of community has been a most appropriate member of UBC’s Board of Governors. In his six years on the board -- including two terms as chair -- he has exhibited an unswerving dedication to his vision for UBC. It is a vision of the university that encompasses both its function as a centre of learning and its function as a physical space. Through his attention to the buildings and spaces we use to nurture and enrich our activities, Mr. Kalke has helped us to create a sense of place. Through his development principles he has guided us in the governance studies that seek to determine UBC’s role as a Vancouver community. Harold Kalke has truly served UBC -- as a builder of buildings and a builder of relationships.
Mr. Chancellor, for his contributions to UBC and to Vancouver, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Harold C. Kalke.
Mr. Chancellor, Canada is a country known for its commitment to the rights of the individual, to diversity and to education. This commitment is often accelerated by the actions of one pioneering individual. Maureen Donald is just such a pioneer for those Canadians who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Profoundly deaf since the age of two, Ms. Donald was hired to teach at Vancouver's Jericho Hill School for the Deaf in 1945, making her one of the first two deaf teachers of the deaf in B.C. At the time, it was believed that deafness precluded a post-secondary education and that teaching - including teaching the deaf - was an impossible career choice. Ms. Donald rejected these prejudices. She pursued studies in the Faculty of Arts at San Francisco State College - for 15 summers. A teacher at Jericho Hill for 33 years, she retired in1978 and has been described by colleagues as the 20th century's outstanding teacher of the deaf in Canada. In addition to being a teacher, Ms. Donald served as a role model and advocate for deaf children. She co-hosted a children's television show that actively promoted acceptance of, and pride in, sign language. She led the way in creating the first dictionary of Canadian Sign Language. She contributed to the establishment and co-ordination of many Canadian organizations promoting services for the deaf. Her association with UBC includes a central involvement with the UBC Program in Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing since its inception in 1968. She has supervised practicum students, served as a popular guest lecturer and opened her home to many students. Ms. Donald has made an enormous contribution of service to the deaf community on a community, provincial, national and international level. She was the first woman president of the Vancouver Association of the Deaf and served on the executive of the Western Canada Association of the Deaf. She has received many honours in recognition of her dedication including the Award for Meritorious Service from the BC Ministry of Education. In 1982, she became one of the very few Canadians named to the National Fraternal Society of the Deaf Hall of Fame for her exceptional contribution to the deaf community on an international level.
Mr. Chancellor, we believe Ms. Donald is the first deaf person to receive an honorary degree from a Canadian university. I ask you to recognize her extraordinary accomplishments by conferring the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Maureen Mitchell Donald.
MR. CHANCELLOR, rare is the circumstance when the accomplishments and influence of a single individual garner national and international recognition for not only himself, but the works of other artists in his region. Such recognition of Vancouver artists has come about largely because of Gordon Smith's ability to seek out new horizons, accomplish exceptional work, and influence a community through his art, teaching and selfless public participation.
His reputation as one of the country's leading artists is supported by his work being represented in many of the world's great halls of art, including the National Galley of Canada, the New York Museum of Metropolitan Art, the Smithsonian Institute and the London Art Museum. It is also acknowledged in the current cultural literature, and in the number of leading public and private collections in North America and Europe in which his works are featured. His painting shows a vibrant balance between landscape and abstraction that has been maintained throughout his career. This hybrid quality in his art has enriched Canadian visual arts with a vision of Canadian culture that will leave its mark on generations of western artists.
Born in England, he began his formal art education in Canada, graduating in 1937 from the Winnipeg School of Art. He traveled frequently during the 1940s and 50s far from the economic and cultural centres of the time, to bring his creative vision into contact with that of European and American artists. He has been a member of the Canadian Group of Painters since 1956, and for the better part of three decades, his vision of Canadian culture has been acknowledged nationally. It has led to invitations to sit on important committees, such as the Canada Council's Advisory Committee, the National Capital Commission, the Manitoba Arts Council, and the British Columbia Arts Board. More recently, his accomplishments and his multifaceted contribution to Canadian culture were recognized when, in 1996, he was made a member of the Order of Canada.
During his work as a teacher for 25 years in the Faculty of Education at UBC, he won the affection and respect of hundreds of students, and became an inspiring role model for his fellow instructors. He also played a vital educational role at the early Vancouver School of Art and the Banff School of Fine Arts. His dedication to art education knows no bounds, and his generosity to this venture is unparalleled. Many years after his retirement, he continues to give generously of his time, tutelage and resources to young emerging artists.
Mr. Chancellor, in recognition of the breadth and excellence of his contributions to the performance and teaching of art, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, upon GORDON APPELBE SMITH.
MR. CHANCELLOR, achievements in social justice are often associated not with legislation but with images that speak to our hearts and provide a catalyst for social conscience. The work of Joy Nozomi Kogawa is full of such images.
A second-generation Japanese-Canadian who was born in Vancouver in 1935, Ms Kogawa was just six years old when her family was transported to an internment camp in central British Columbia during the Second World War. The hardships and injustices she witnessed and experienced there have informed her novels, poetry, essays and activism. After the war, Ms Kogawa pursued studies in education at the University of Alberta and taught elementary school in Coaldale, Alberta. She then studied music at the University of Toronto after which she enrolled at the Anglican Women's Training College and the University of Saskatchewan.
In 1957, she moved to Toronto, married and began a family. Two years later, she started to write and The Splintered Moon was published in 1968. Other works followed and it was the novel Obasan, published in 1981, that won her fame as a writer and a campaigner for social justice. The novel draws heavily on her own internment experiences, weaving historical fact and subjective impressions into a fabric of images seen through the eyes of a little girl. Moving and eloquent, the work has been recognized with many awards, including the Books in Canada First Novel Award in 1981 and the Canadian Authors' Association Book of the Year Award in 1982.
Obasan strengthened a spirit of activism for Kogawa who worked with the National Asssociation of Japanese Canadians from 1983 to 1985. Her contribution to our understanding of the injustices suffered by these citizens earned her membership in the Order of Canada in 1986. Two years later, the government of Canada signed the Canadian Redress Agreement which offered restitution to Japanese-Canadians. Ms Kogawa fictionalized the battle to win redress in her next work, called Itsuka, published in 1992. The heroine of these novels had also appeared in Obasan and in the children's book, Naomi's Road, published in 1986. Her most recent novel, The Rain Ascends, is about children who have suffered abuse by a clergyman. In her poetry and her fiction, Ms Kogawa continues to create images that speak to us, inspire us and move us to action.
Mr. Chancellor, for her significant contribution to literature and to the social history of this province and this country, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, upon JOY NOZOMI KOGAWA.
MR. CHANCELLOR, in the Knowledge Revolution, it is with increasing frequency that we are witnesses to collaboration between outstanding scientists and gifted entrepreneurs. "Outstanding scientist" and "gifted entrepreneur" are one and the same in the person of Dr. Julia Levy.
As the President and Chief Executive Officer of QLT Incorporated, and a Professor Emeritus of Microbiology at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Levy has successfully bridged the gap between business and academia. Her work in immunology, tumor biology and photochemistry has been instrumental in the development of a promising new cancer treatment called photodynamic therapy.
In addition to combining enormous skill in business and research, she was also an exemplary teacher. After graduating with a B.A.(Hon) from UBC, she completed her Ph.D. at the University of London. She returned to Canada to begin her academic career and she was appointed to the UBC Microbiology Department in 1958 and served there until her retirement in 1999. As a faculty member, Dr. Levy was a dedicated proponent of the importance of immunology and of educating both graduate and undergraduate students in this discipline. Throughout her academic career she maintained a full undergraduate teaching load and trained and mentored countless graduate students who went on to careers in academia, research and the emerging biotechnology industry.
She is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a former president of the Canadian Federation of Biological Sciences and the Canadian Society of Immunology. She received a gold medal from the Science Council of B.C. in 1981 and the Killam University Research Award in 1986. Dr. Levy was appointed to the National Advisory Board of Science and Technology in 1987 and held a Medical Research Council Industrial Professorship between 1987 and 1992. In 1989 she was awarded a YWCA Women of Distinction Award in the category of Health and Education. As a founding partner of QLT Incorporated, she has made a major contribution to the biotechnology sector in Canada. Not only has she been the driving force behind the growth and development of the company since its foundation in 1981, she has also been responsible for the correct scientific and business decisions made during the company's infancy when its future was at times uncertain.
Mr. Chancellor, for her contribution as a teacher, researcher, administrator and entrepreneur, and for the enormous benefits that have accrued to society as a result of her many endeavors, I ask you to confer the degree Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon JULIA GERWING LEVY.
Read her acceptance speech....
MR. CHANCELLOR, throughout history we have witnessed remarkable advances in human achievement gained through the integration of ideas, technology and the determination to succeed. Tom Schnackenberg's career is a dramatic illustration of what can happen when mind, heart and machine combine forces.
Coming to UBC from the University of Auckland in New Zealand in 1968, Tom Schnackenberg started a program of study as a doctoral student in nuclear physics. He became distracted, however, by the lure of the local sailing scene and within three years was involved in racing to the exclusion of his studies. And for that distraction, sailors around the world are forever grateful. Marrying the mind of a physicist to the competitive spirit of a sailor, Tom Schnackenberg began to design racing sails using scientific principles.
His greatest success came in 1983, with the design of innovative sails for Australia II, the first boat ever to take the America's Cup title away from the United States. This remarkable achievement earned him the Order of Australia Medal for services to yachting. He continued to apply science not only to sail design, but to all design aspects, and to the development of high tech equipment to monitor performance. His work ranges from theoretical considerations of the interplay between air and water to developing the hardware to help competitors succeed. In 1995 he served as design co-ordinator and navigator for New Zealand's Black Magic, which also won the America's Cup. He went on to defend the cup last year in Auckland and Team New Zealand again won in a clean sweep. In addition, he has played leading roles in many other cup events and world championships and was the New Zealand sailing coach at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic games. He is currently serving as syndicate head, designer and navigator for Team New Zealand as it prepares for the next defense of the cup in 2003. His responsibilities include, not only maintaining a superior technological edge, but also managing a team of more than 80 sailors and on-shore personnel.
For his services to yachting, Tom Schnackenberg was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1995 and he is an honorary fellow in the Institute of Professional Engineers of New Zealand. His accomplishments certainly distinguish him as an engineer and a yachtsman. Perhaps more importantly, he is distinguished as a human being by the character he has shown as a leader, a sportsman and a profoundly moral man.
Mr. Chancellor, for his impressive knowledge of science, his exciting innovations and his relentless search for excellence, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon THOMAS WILLIAM SCHNACKENBERG.
Read his acceptance speech....
MR. CHANCELLOR, there is perhaps no profession that presents such unique challenges to both the heart and the mind as the practice of surgical medicine. Dr. Haile Debas has drawn from rich reserves of both intellect and compassion to reach great heights in the North American surgical community. But more than that, he has summoned the additional strength and conviction to reach out in earnest to his students, his research colleagues, the universities he has served, and to the people of his African homeland.
Dr. Debas was born in Eritrea and educated in Science at University College in Addis Ababa. He received his medical degree from McGill University and trained as a surgeon in Ottawa and UBC. His plan to return to Eritrea was thwarted by the civil war with Ethiopia, and he spent a year in private practice in the Yukon Territory and northern British Columbia. He then joined the Department of Surgery at UBC and remained here from 1970 to 1980. Following faculty appointments at the University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Washington, he was recruited to the University of California at San Francisco as chair of the Department of Surgery in 1987.
He was named to his current post of Dean of the School of Medicine in 1993, and holds the Maurice Galante Distinguished Professorship of Surgery. The recipient of continuous U.S. federal funding for 22 years, Dr. Debas has achieved national recognition as a gastro-intestinal investigator, and has made original contributions to the physiology, biochemistry and pathophysiology of gastro-intestinal peptide hormones. Under his leadership as Dean, he initiated the formation and fostered the continued excellence of several interdisciplinary centres, among them the AIDS Research Institute, the Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, the Center for Social, Behavioral and Policy Studies, the Center for Integrative Medicine, and the Neurodegenerative Research Institute.
In 1990 he was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, and is one of only a few surgeons to be elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has also been intimately involved in the advancement of his people in now independent Eritrea. He recently initiated a program in Registered Nursing and has laid the foundations for the development of a new medical school. In the United States, he has championed the cause of ethnic minorities as President of the Association for Academic Minority Physicians, as well as the Society of Black Academic Surgeons.
Mr. Chancellor, for contributions to society that transcend even the rigorous practise of medicine, I ask you to confer the degree Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon HAILE TESFAYE DEBAS.
Read his acceptance speech....
MR. CHANCELLOR, as scientists, teachers and citizens we are challenged to meet one of this century's most critical demands - the need for a safe, sustainable and nutritious food supply. UBC alumnus and plant scientist Paul Hugh Williams has been involved in this crucial endeavour for more than 40 years.
Dr. Williams graduated from UBC with a bachelor's degree in Agriculture in 1959. He obtained a doctorate in Plant Pathology and Botany from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1962 and joined the faculty there in the same year. He has continued to serve that university as an emeritus professor following his retirement in 1995.
His research has focused on the development of disease-resistant vegetable crops. His specialty is Brassica crops - the family of vegetables that includes the unassuming, yet economically important, cabbage, cauliflower and turnip. Dr. Williams has published actively over his career and made numerous contributions to the understanding of pathogen attack and plant-based genetic resistance. He is best known for his development of 'fast plants' which are characterized by rapid growth and small size, making them ideal for research and teaching. Based on his findings, he had the vision to establish the Crucifer Genetics Co-operative in 1983 which facilitates the distribution of seeds of these remarkable genetic lines and provides key information to approximately 2,000 scientists in more than 50 countries. The plants are used to accelerate traditional breeding programs and as research tools in cellular and molecular biology. The resulting new genetic information has aided in the development of multiple disease-resistant cultivars, which have been distributed to plant breeders nationwide. In addition, Dr. Williams began the Wisconsin Fast Plants program which develops classroom teaching materials that especially aid in the teaching of biology. An associated project is the Bottle Biology Program where students build small ecosystems in discarded plastic containers. These programs have reached out to more than 50,000 biology teachers from kindergarten to university-level and are used in international training workshops. More than three million students use fast plants in their classes and research.
Dr. Williams' contributions to teaching and research have been recognized with many awards including the Erickson Gold Medal of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science, the Distinguished Teaching Award of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Teaching Award of the American Society of Plant Physiologists. Dr. Williams has also been named a fellow of the American Phytopathological Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Mr. Chancellor, for his contributions as a researcher, teacher and leader in the plant science community, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon PAUL HUGH WILLIAMS.
MR. CHANCELLOR, as residents in this land of abundant natural diversity, we owe a special debt to those individuals whose pioneering work has informed and stimulated our environmental awareness and action. Dr. Chris Pielou is one of those pioneers. As a mathematical ecologist, she has played a key role in bringing Canada to the attention of the world ecological community.
Dr. Pielou earned an honours degree in Botany from England's University of London in 1950 and obtained her doctoral degree in Statistical Ecology from the same institution in 1962. In addition, she earned a Senior Doctorate from the university in 1975. First employed as a research scientist in Canada's federal departments of forestry and agriculture, Dr. Pielou then spent one-year terms as a visiting professor at North Carolina State University and Yale University. She moved to Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario where she was appointed a professor in the Biology Department from 1968 to 1971. A move eastward took her to Dalhousie University in Halifax where she served as a Killam Research Professor and professor of Biology for the next 10 years. Dr. Pielou spent the last five years, prior to retiring in B.C. in 1986, working as a research professor in the Biology Department of the University of Lethbridge.
Recognized as Canada's leading ecologist, she has influenced generations of ecologists through her writing. Her nine books cover topics such as ecological diversity and biogeography and her first book, published in 1969, set the standard for the application of mathematics to ecology. Since her retirement, she has produced three additional books including a text on northern evergreens and a naturalist's guide to the Arctic.
Dr. Pielou's distinguished career has been recognized with many honours and awards. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, she is also a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is a recipient of the Eminent Ecologist Award of the Ecological Society of America. She has also been given the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada and an honorary degree from Dalhousie University.
Mr. Chancellor, for her role as Canada's leading ecologist, her contributions to mathematical ecology and her activities to promote environmental preservation, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon EVELYN CHRYSTALLA PIELOU.
Read her acceptance speech....
MR. CHANCELLOR, through both pioneering athletic achievement and administrative leadership, this University of British Columbia alumna has contributed immeasurably to furthering Canada's reputation as one of the great sporting nations of the world.
A member of one of B.C.'s most recognized athletic families, Tricia Smith's international career in the sport of rowing began in 1976 in Montreal at the first-ever Olympic Games regatta for women. She was a winner of Canada's first-ever medal in women's rowing, a bronze at the1977 World Championships. Before her career ended, she would win a total of seven World Championship medals, as well as a gold medal at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. It was these achievements, along with her silver medal performance at the 1984 Olympics, that signalled the beginning of a long and historic era of international dominance by Canadian women rowers. On her way to becoming Canada's most internationally medalled female athlete, she co-founded and chaired national athlete advisory councils. She also completed her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Law degrees at UBC, and was admitted to the bar in 1986.
After closing out her remarkable athletic career at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Tricia Smith continued to practise law, but remained active in sport administration, serving as the first female chair of Sport B.C., a board member of the Commonwealth Centre for Sport Development, and as an arbitrator for the Canadian Centre for Sport and Law. More recently she has assumed international leadership positions as a member of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport, the ultimate authority concerning issues in international sport. As a member of the executive committee of the International Rowing Federation, her work includes expanding opportunities for women in rowing in developing countries. She also serves as a board member of the Canadian Olympic Association, and is a Canadian representative of the World Olympians Association.
Tricia Smith has also dedicated herself to local service as chair of the B.C. Chapter of Olympians Canada, and as a board member of both the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame and the Rick Hansen Institute. A daughter of UBC graduates, she has also served the university as president of the UBC Alumni Association. In 1991, she joined her mother Patricia Smith, a former basketball player, and her sister, former Olympic swimmer Shannon Smith, in the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame. One year ago, she was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Sports Hall of Fame.
Mr. Chancellor, for her many triumphs in an athletic career that spanned 12 years and four Olympic Games, and for her role in leadership, advocacy and governance of international sport, I ask you to confer the degree, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon TRICIA CATHERINE SMITH.
Read her acceptance speech....
MR. CHANCELLOR, the most inspiring academic careers often belong to those whose outstanding dedication to knowledge is accompanied by an unwavering generosity of service. Ever since her arrival in Canada from her native Romania, Martha Salcudean has exhibited an abundance of both of these characteristics.
After an eight-year term at the University of Ottawa, she came to UBC in 1985 as head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, in which capacity she served for 12 years. She subsequently served as Associate Vice-President, Research. In addition to these important roles, she has made major research and service contributions to the multiple communities she has served. At UBC alone, she has held more than 30 formal and significant service roles over a 15-year period. She has also held memberships and offices in more than 50 organizations associated with scholarly and professional activities of interest to British Columbia, Canada, and the world.
Dr. Salcudean has played a pivotal role in university engineering research through selfless and energetic participation on several grant selection committees for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. She has served as a member of the Governing Council of the National Research Council, chair of the Science Policy Committee, of the Royal Society of Canada, as well as president of the B.C. Science Council. She is world renowned for her research contributions in the area of heat transfer and fluid flow, and is widely respected in the Canadian engineering community for her personal contributions to computational fluid dynamics and the modeling of transport phenomena in industrial processes. In recognition of her achievement, she received the B.C. Science Council gold medal in 1991, the UBC Killam Research Prize in 1993, and was elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 1994. In 1995 she was awarded the Engineering Research Institute of Canada's Julian C. Smith Medal for "Achievement in the Development of Canada," and the following year she was the recipient of the Meritorious Achievement Award from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia. In 1998 she was named Laureate of the Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Prize, an honour reserved for Canada's most distinguished scholars. In addition, her service to the province was recognized the following year, when she was named to the Order of British Columbia.
Mr. Chancellor, for her distinguished academic career, and for her contribution to the engineering profession and the advancement of science and technology in British Columbia and Canada, I ask you to confer the degree Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon MARTHA EVA SALCUDEAN.
Read her acceptance speech....
MR. CHANCELLOR, as we see technology speeding into uncharted territory, it is likely that society's need for ethical, moral and philosophical reflection has never been greater. We are fortunate indeed to have individuals such as Ian Hacking to help inform our perspectives on the history and philosophy of science.
Dr. Hacking is a Vancouver native who graduated from UBC in 1956 with a degree in Mathematics and Physics. He obtained a degree with first-class honours in Moral Sciences from Cambridge University in 1958 and earned his graduate degrees at Cambridge in 1962. Regarded as one of the top-ranked philosophers in the world, Dr. Hacking has written nine books and hundreds of scholarly articles that range in subject matter from physics and probability to medicine and psychiatry. Through the translation of these works he has influenced scholars around the world. His books on the theory and history of probability: The Emergence of Probability, published in 1975 and The Taming of Chance, published in 1990, are already established as classics. The latter was included in the Modern Library List of the best 100 non-fiction books of the 20th century.
UBC was privileged to have Dr. Hacking serve as a faculty member in the Philosophy Department from 1964 to 1969 following his work as an instructor at Princeton University and as a research fellow at Cambridge University. He left UBC for Cambridge where he stayed for six years before moving to Stanford University where he served from 1975 to 1982. He is currently at the University of Toronto as University Professor in the Department of Philosophy and the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology. He has continued his association with UBC through lectures on campus, including a series of presentations at Green College where he also serves as a member of the college advisory board.
As a great credit to his distinction as a scholar, last year Dr. Hacking was the first anglophone ever to have been elected to a permanent professorship at the College de France. The recipient of a variety of honours, he has held numerous distinguished fellowships including the Royal Society of Canada, the British Academy and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is also the recipient of a Killam Research Fellowship and a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Mr. Chancellor, for his exceptional international contributions to scholarship, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon IAN MACDOUGALL HACKING.
MR. CHANCELLOR, in the history of a few fortunate universities, there are some rare individuals whose contribution shines as a unique and stellar example of service. Dr. David Francis Hardwick is such an individual.
A UBC alumnus and professor emeritus, his relationship with this university spans 50 years. A Vancouver native, Dr. Hardwick obtained his medical degree from UBC in 1957. He interned at Montreal General Hospital and was an assistant resident in Pediatrics at Vancouver General Hospital. He worked for three years at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles and returned to Vancouver for a residency in Pathology, and has established a career specializing in pediatric pathology. Dr. Hardwick returned to UBC as a clinical instructor in 1963 and for more than 35 years he committed himself to strengthening the relationship between the teaching hospitals and the university. His leadership led to the development of new laboratory facilities in each of the major teaching hospitals and he has been responsible for the recruitment and mentoring of many outstanding teachers and researchers.
Dr. Hardwick earned the first UBC Alumni Citation Award in 1990 and the Sydney Israel's Founders Award in 1996 for his role in founding B.C.'s Children's Hospital. In addition, he was a primary force in the development of the Variety Research Centre, the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics and the B.C. Research Institute for Child and Family as it was originally known. Serving as Associate Dean, Research and Planning, in the Faculty of Medicine from 1990 to 1996, Dr. Hardwick was key in building government relationships that advance the academic and scientific mission of UBC and its teaching hospitals. In addition to these local achievements, he has made outstanding international contributions to the discipline, recognized in part by a distinguished service award from the International Academy of Pathology in 1994.
To his students, Dr. Hardwick is known to be a witty, talented and impassioned teacher. His abilities have earned him numerous awards, including the Certificate of Excellence - Master Teacher Award from UBC in 1974 and the University Teaching Excellence Award and Prize in 1994. Committed to enriching student life, Dr. Hardwick served as faculty adviser to the Medical Undergraduate Society for 26 years and was instrumental in creating the Medical Student and Alumni Centre. Hardwick Hall, the principal facility at the centre, was named in his honour in 1997. In the same year, he received the President's Service Award for Excellence at UBC, presented in recognition of distinguished contributions to the university.
Mr. Chancellor, for his service as a public servant for medical education and health delivery, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon DAVID FRANCIS HARDWICK.
Read his acceptance speech....
MR. CHANCELLOR, one of the most critical challenges we will face in the 21st century will be in ensuring that ours is a knowledgeable citizenry. Long ago, John Patrick Blaney, known to his friends as Jack, recognized this challenge, and he embraced it. Through his unwavering commitment to post-secondary education and to lifelong learning, he has been an extraordinary servant to his community.
A native of Vancouver and an alumnus of the University of British Columbia, Dr. Blaney's long association with post-secondary education began in 1962 in the UBC Continuing Studies Department. For more than half of his 12 years there, he served as the department's associate director. In 1974 he was named dean of Continuing Studies at Simon Fraser University. After assuming the position of vice-president of University Development in 1984, he turned his attention to fulfilling his vision of a major academic presence in the downtown core. As the central player in its form and in its development, he spearheaded the young university's first solo national fundraising campaign, and in 1990, the doors to the Harbour Centre campus were opened.
As both vice-president for Harbour Centre and dean of Continuing Studies, he oversaw the expansion and development of program offerings in the university's newly created urban gateway, and embarked on a plan to further extend Simon Fraser's downtown presence by creating a centre for dialogue. The recent establishment of the Morris Wosk Centre for Dialogue is further testimony to his leadership and total dedication to the ideals of education and the pursuit of knowledge. In 1997, he was named Simon Fraser University's seventh president. His steady progress in administrative ranks reflected the university's recognition that, in Jack Blaney, they possessed an administrator with remarkable team-building skills, energy and a farsighted vision for education in the 21st century. Throughout his administrative career on Burnaby Mountain, he was known for being effective in bringing the university together with government, business, and the community to forge productive alliances, often under difficult circumstances. He was instrumental in fostering a more cooperative relationship among BC post-secondary institutions, and worked tirelessly with his colleagues at sister universities to improve relationships with government and to raise funding levels to improve the quality of education for all British Columbians.
He has served on many boards, including the Leon and Thea Koerner Foundation, the Vancouver Board of Trade, the Vancouver Police Board, the Business Council of British Columbia and the Laurier Institution. His leadership qualities have brought him recognition from the University of Toronto in the form of a Distinguished Educator Award, bestowed by the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. He was also the recipient of the Lieutenant Governor's Medal for Excellence in Public Service, given by the Institute of Public Administration of Canada.
Mr. Chancellor, for his role as a leader and visionary in post-secondary education, and for his noble contribution to the social, intellectual and economic development of our community, I ask you to confer the degree Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon JOHN PATRICK BLANEY.
Mr. Chancellor, in this era of geo-political uncertainty, many live in hope that the international scales of justice will ultimately replace violence as a principal tool in the pursuit of peace among nations.
The potential for this occurrence has been advanced, in large measure, by the courage, vision and dedication of Justice Louise Arbour.
Her reputation as one of North America's most eminent jurists was confirmed to the world when, in 1996, she was appointed by the United Nations Security Counsel to serve as prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.
She carried out this difficult and extraordinarily complex work in a manner that garnered international recognition for her energy, her diplomacy, and her effectiveness.
Born in Montreal, Justice Arbour was educated at the Collège Régina Assumpta in Montréal and at the Faculté de Droit of the Université de Montréal, and was called to the bar of Quebec in 1971.
Her distinguished career includes contributions to legal scholarship, teaching and academic administration in her capacity as an assistant, and later associate professor, and ultimately associate dean of York University's Osgoode Hall Law School.
During her latter years at Osgoode Hall, she also devoted her energy to the advancement of human rights and liberties as vice-president of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.
Her service on the bench began in 1987 when she was appointed judge of the Ontario High Court of Justice and later the Ontario Court of Appeal. In 1995 she was appointed as a federal commissioner to conduct an inquiry into events at the Prison for Women in Kingston, Ontario.
On September 15, 1999, she was elevated to the Supreme Court of Canada.
This succession of distinguished appointments, along with countless awards and honorary degrees, underscores a record of accomplishment and dedication to Canadian and international law that is unprecedented in some respects, and outstanding in every respect.
Mr. Chancellor, in recognition of her exemplary record as a legal scholar; an advocate for justice, and for further elevating the rule of law and Canada's stature as a champion of justice, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, upon Justice Louise Arbour.
MR. CHANCELLOR, there is perhaps no better example of the enormous positive impact volunteer work has on our society than Mrs. Harriet Winspear. She has distinguished herself as an outstanding citizen through over 40 years of tireless community work to the betterment of higher education in both Vancouver and Edmonton.
Mrs. Winspear attended UBC in 1922/23 as an Arts undergraduate and took part in the 1922 Great Trek, an event she credits for spearheading her life-long commitment to community involvement. Today, as the oldest living Great Trekker and recipient of the 2000 AMS Great Trekker Award, Mrs. Winspear is the personification of the spirit of the Great Trek: she epitomizes a passionate devotion to the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge.
At 97 years of age, Mrs. Winspear remains as active as ever in her feverous pursuit of continuing education and innovation. Since her relocation to Edmonton in 1961, Mrs. Winspear has given of her time and talent to UBC’s sister institution, the University of Alberta, where she is honorary chair of the Arts Development Council for the Faculty of Arts. Her love for and dedication to the arts is evident in her participation in the Edmonton Opera and Symphony Orchestra as well as promoting and attending student concerts. Through her own hard work, Mrs. Winspear has inspired countless others to get out into the community and take a leading role in the improvement of our society.
Her remarkable achievement as a community role model has been recognized by many honours – the Edmonton YWCA Special Lifetime of Distinction Award, the Edmonton Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow, and an LL.D. from the University of Alberta. Her efforts are not only a gift to those communities she has so selflessly served, but a beacon of the good in humanity that we so urgently need in today’s world of unrest and terror.
Mr. Chancellor, for her unwavering commitment to public service and support of education, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon HARRIET SNOWBALL WINSPEAR.
MR. CHANCELLOR, there is perhaps no one whose contribution to the development and preservation of Canadian Literature –- and in particular, British Columbian literature –- is as grand and significant as Ronald Smith.
Mr. Smith graduated from UBC with a B.A. in English in 1969. He went on to complete his post-graduate studies in Britain and returned to UBC as an instructor briefly before taking up a post at Malaspina University-College in Nanaimo, where he retired in 1998.
Throughout his career as a teacher, writer and publisher, Mr. Smith has been central to the phenomenal growth of literary, historical and public policy publishing in British Columbia for the past quarter of a century. As founder of the Oolichan Press in 1975, Mr. Smith has mentored and cultivated a generation of writers who, through telling stories with a uniquely West Coast perspective, have advanced the quality and importance of Canadian literature.
His sound judgment and consummate editorial skills have helped turn young talents into established authors, and established authors to greater heights. It is largely owing to Mr. Smith that writers originating in B.C. are now domestically and internationally recognized as of the highest quality both in creativity and discipline.
Under Mr. Smith’s leadership, Oolichan Press has published nearly 200 titles to date and gained the reputation for publishing both critically acclaimed and historically significant books that would not have otherwise been available. From works on Aboriginal land claims and Aboriginal government to identity-defining histories of such communities as Nanoose Bay, Deep Cove and Port Alberni, Mr. Smith has been tireless in his efforts to ensure that our stories are not only told, but told with integrity, grace and character.
As a celebrated writer and poet in his own regard, Mr. Smith has inspired and delighted us with his wit, charm and insight. His works, including his latest collection of comic stories titled What Men Know About Women, have been described by critics as "superb," "transformative," and "truly magical."
Mr. Chancellor, for his outstanding contribution to British Columbia’s intellectual and cultural life, his generosity towards others and his unflagging reaffirmation of the validity and vitality of Canadian literature, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, upon RONALD FENWICK SMITH.
MR. CHANCELLOR, long before multiculturalism became a popular buzzword in Canada, one man had a pioneering vision of people of all ethnic backgrounds living in harmony. Phil Lind has insisted on providing all Canadians with access to television programming and local news in their language of comfort, and today, his vision is a reality and his hard work has ensured that diversity is an integral part of Canadian living.
As Head of Programming for Rogers Community Channel in Vancouver, Mr. Lind invented multilingual, multicultural television in the early 1970s. Today, such programming bears testament that Canada is a country that welcomes people of all cultures.
As a businessman, Mr. Lind has led Rogers Communications Inc. to become Canada’s largest cable operator with more than 2.25 million subscribers. He headed the company’s successful expansion into the U.S. and was integral in the sale of Rogers’ U.S. assets, totaling more than $800 million, in 1989. Throughout his career at Rogers, where he has been Vice-Chairman and Director since 1991, Mr. Lind has been an unflagging advocate of diversity in broadcasting. His contribution to Canadian culture is deeply rooted in his love for the liberal arts, expertise in technology and his conviction that every person should have access to such a powerful medium of communication as television.
As former Chair of the Canadian Cable Television Association and the founding Chair of the Canadian Television and Cable Production Fund, Mr. Lind has been instrumental in the success of a great deal of entertainment and educational programming in Canada. His influence on the quality and breadth of what we see on television has made Canada a leader in broadcasting worldwide.
Mr. Lind graduated from UBC with a B.A. in Political Science in 1965 and went on to earn an M.A. in Political Science and Sociology at the University of Rochester. His successful career in broadcasting and numerous public services have been widely recognized. In 1998, Mr. Lind was the first man to receive a Canadian Women in Communications Mentor of the Year Award. In 1993, he was awarded the "Canada 125 Medal" by the Canadian Government for his involvement in community affairs. He has also received the highest honour bestowed by the Canadian Cable Television Association and the Canadian Film and Television Producers Association’s Jack Chisholm Award for Lifetime Contribution.
Mr. Chancellor, for his substantial involvement to the diversity of our culture and his generous support of liberal arts education through broadcasting and technology, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon PHILIP BRIDGMAN LIND.
MR. CHANCELLOR, ties between countries are becoming more and more intricate and complex. It is crucial to develop close relationships with our global partners to enhance the conditions in such important areas as international law, human rights, and the basic understanding of different cultures. Maurice Copithorne has done just that.
Currently a professor specializing in International Law at UBC, Prof. Copithorne brought with him over 30 years of diplomatic and legal experience. It has been a rich resource for the university and Prof. Copithorne has contributed enthusiastically to many facets of campus life. The discourse on international issues and on university outreach has benefited immensely, as have many students seeking guidance on international careers.
Prof. Copithorne graduated from UBC with a B.A. in 1954 and an LLB in 1955. He had chaired the World University Service branch on the campus and had participated in a major student seminar in Japan. A young Maurice Copithorne decided he would try for the Canadian Foreign Service. In the following 30 years, he served on the International Control Commission for Vietnam, supervising the cease fire between the communists and non-communists, and on the first Canadian embassy team to China during those difficult years of the Cultural Revolution.
He subsequently held high offices in the then Department of External Affairs, including Ambassador to Austria, Canadian Commissioner in Hong Kong, Assistant Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs for Asia and the Pacific, and Legal Advisor to the Department.
In 1995, Prof. Copithorne was invited to take up the post of U.N. Special Representative on the Human Rights Situation in Iran, the first Canadian to be appointed to such a position. For his contributions, he was honoured by the United Nations Association and the B.C. Human Rights Coalition as well as the Rotary Club of Vancouver. His concern for promoting cultural understanding here in Canada was evident in his work as a National Council Member of the Canadian Human Rights Foundation, Chairman of Festival Hong Kong, and in his work with the Vancouver Chamber Choir as President of the Board.
As Chairman of the UBC International House Advisory Board at UBC since 1996, Prof. Copithorne has provided exemplary leadership to the UBC international community and those working towards the internationalization goals of the Trek 2000 vision.
Described by colleagues and students as a wise individual with the mind of a lawyer, a wry wit and an ability to see the humour in every situation, he has been an unfailingly popular teacher. For his personable approach to teaching and great inspiration to students and fellow educators, as well as his service to the community beyond the university, the Alma Mater Society honoured Prof. Copithorne with a Great Trekker Award in 2000.
Mr. Chancellor, for his vision in advancing both the principles and practice of international law and human rights, and for the guidance he continues to provide to members of the UBC -- and indeed -- the global community, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon MAURICE DANBY COPITHORNE.
MR. CHANCELLOR, with the sharp decline of fisheries in the world’s oceans, the need to preserve and manage our marine resources has become increasingly evident. Professor Emeritus Timothy Parsons has devoted his life’s work to this important cause.
Prof. Parsons’ career in oceanography spans more than four decades, including 21 years at UBC as a researcher and an educator. Before coming to UBC in 1971, he worked as a research scientist at the Fisheries Research Board of Canada for 13 years and served at the Office of Oceanography for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris.
Prof. Parsons has focused his efforts on developing a method of fisheries management based on the dynamic relationships between marine life and the physical, chemical and biological environments. His work has shown how accurate measurement of environmental factors can lead to a better understanding of our ecosystem.
Throughout his long career, Prof. Parsons has cultivated a generation of scientists not only here in British Columbia, but around the world through numerous visiting professorships and lectures. His publications have been adopted as texts and standard manuals for seawater analysis worldwide. Indeed, Prof. Parsons’ efforts have influenced a new generation of holistic ocean scientists and managers. His legacy will live on and future generations will continue to benefit from his vision and hard work.
Since his retirement from UBC in 1992, he remains active in the academic community as both a Professor Emeritus at UBC and an Honorary Scientist Emeritus for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans at the Institute of Ocean Sciences.
Last year, the Science and Technology Foundation of Japan awarded Prof. Parsons the 2001 Japan Prize, the country’s equivalent to the Nobel Prize, for his enormous contributions to the development of Biological Oceanography.
Mr. Chancellor, for his original and outstanding achievements in the conservation and management of fisheries resources and for advancing the understanding of marine environment from coast to coast, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon TIMOTHY RICHARD PARSONS.
MR. CHANCELLOR, for over three decades Chief Simon Lucas of the Hesquiaht Band on the west coast of Vancouver Island, has been a tireless advocate of aboriginal and non-aboriginal people working together to restore fisheries resources to once-thriving coastal communities.
Chief Lucas played an instrumental role in the restoration of the Hesquiaht community after a devastating tidal wave in 1963. He helped reconstruct the band’s physical infrastructure as well as instituted a revival of the cultural elements of the community and its people.
As Coastal Co-chair of the B.C. Aboriginal Fisheries Commission and Executive Board Member of the Aboriginal Council of B.C., Chief Lucas was declared an ‘elder’ at age 40 for his unique ability to draw people together for the common cause of rebuilding natural resources. His wealth of knowledge on environmental issues, encompassing both traditional aboriginal teaching and modern fisheries science, is only surpassed by his willingness to share them. He truly has a gift to present complex issues in simple and understandable ways.
Chief Lucas is also an internationally renowned spokesperson on social issues such as health, drug and alcohol abuse, family violence and suicide. His numerous public service engagements cover such diverse issues as HIV/AIDS prevention, endangered species protection and international human rights.
Working with the UBC Fisheries Centre, the First Nations House of Learning at UBC, and the B.C. Aboriginal Fisheries Commission, Chief Lucas provides counsel to leading UBC academics in the field of Aboriginal Fisheries. He is a strong supporter of higher learning opportunities for aboriginal students and he is always ready to help UBC reach into communities not always easily accessible.
An avid fisherman, Chief Lucas has always maintained a strong cultural and spiritual link with his community through fishing. His love for the ocean is a compelling inspiration to others to care for and respect the land and sea.
Mr. Chancellor, for his life-long contribution to the protection of our natural resources and his tremendous contribution to the University of British Columbia, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon SIMON PETER LUCAS.
MR. CHANCELLOR, in the past decade, information technology has made an incredible impact in all areas of our society, forever changing how people communicate, conduct business and learn. In raising awareness of the endless possibilities of this important intellectual revolution, Gerri Sinclair has graced a field traditionally dominated by men with her talent, wisdom and leadership.
With a Bachelor of Arts and Ph.D. in English from UBC, Ms. Sinclair has established herself as one of the world’s foremost leaders in multimedia applications. Driven by her passion for technology, education and the arts, Ms. Sinclair is a visionary who recognized early on the need to bring together highly creative individuals. These artists, writers, educators, scientists and engineers have created a truly interdisciplinary body of knowledge that has, and will undoubtedly continue to benefit humankind for decades to come.
Throughout her career, Ms. Sinclair has devoted herself to the continuous development of Canada’s interactive multimedia education field. Her enormous contributions to the Information Highway Advisory Council, the Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research, Industry and Education and the Canada Foundation for Innovation have helped this country to lead the world.
Ms. Sinclair has also founded and led two of Canada’s most innovative and successful multimedia initiatives. In 1987, she founded the EXCITE lab at SFU, which continues to be one of the world’s most influential forces, working with government, industry and schools to develop highly sophisticated technology. NCompass Labs, a spin-off company from EXCITE, at which she served as President and CEO, revolutionized web-systems authoring and was eventually acquired by Microsoft in 2001 for over $50 million.
As the recipient of such outstanding recognitions as the 1999 Canadian Women in Communications Woman of the Year Award and the 1999 Canadian Women in New Media Pioneer Award, Ms. Sinclair is an inspiration to all people. She continues to work tirelessly in mentoring and encouraging women of all ages to offer their unique contribution to the world of information technology.
Mr. Chancellor, for her pioneering contribution to the betterment of education through technology, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon GERALDINE BONNIE SINCLAIR.
MR. CHANCELLOR, one would be hard-pressed to find another sex educator in British Columbia whose influence and contributions rival those of Meg Hickling. For 25 years, Ms. Hickling has been at the forefront of providing reproductive health information, working directly with children, parents and public health professionals.
Known to two generations of British Columbians as ‘the little sex lady in the polyester suit,’ Ms. Hickling has made a profound and positive impact in the sexual health of tens of thousands of people. More importantly, her tremendous efforts to affect public policy to include sexual health in the public agenda will continue to benefit generations to come.
When Ms Hickling began her career as a registered nurse nearly three decades ago, she was saddened by the number of youth she cared for whose lives were irrevocably marked by a lack of knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases. Ms Hickling went on to great success as an educator and a role model in the field, sustaining an extremely high level of commitment and courage throughout her entire career.
It is perhaps difficult to imagine today the taboos that once surrounded discussion of sexual issues with children. Ms. Hickling’s candid and professional approach to ‘body science’ has gone a long way to ensuring that children and parents are comfortable talking about these sometimes uncomfortable topics.
Her characteristic warmth and humour help convey effectively even the most complex health promotion and disease prevention matters. The crucial message she has never failed to deliver is that sexuality is an important part of healthy living; when ignored, tragic and life-threatening consequences can ensure.
For her pioneering work on sexual health education, Ms. Hickling was invested into the Order of British Columbia in 1997 and the Order of Canada in 2001. She has also received the Registered Nurses Association of British Columbia’s Award of Excellence and the YWCA’s Women of Distinction Award. In 1999, the Vancouver Sun included her in the Top 100 British Columbians of the Century. Ms Hickling is the author of several best-selling books on teaching sex to children, including the groundbreaking "Speaking of Sex: What your Children Need to Know and When They Need to Know It." Her video "Sex Spelled out for Parents" won second place at the U.S. National Council of Family Relations Media Awards.
Mr. Chancellor, for her unique contributions to the way we understand sexuality and for bringing the important issue of sexual health into the public agenda, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon MARGARET G. HICKLING.
MR. CHANCELLOR, there are many individuals who enter the field of medicine intending to make a difference. There are few who have been as successful as Dr. Charles Scriver.
Dr. Scriver graduated cum laude from McGill University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1951 and Doctor of Medicine in 1955. He received his Fellowship in Pediatrics in 1961 and in that year founded the DeBelle Laboratory in Biochemical Genetics at the Montreal Children’s Hospital to study genetic disorders in children.
For the succeeding five decades he dedicated his professional life to the health and well being of children with metabolic diseases.
Very early in his career, he helped to virtually eliminate vitamin D deficiency rickets in the province of Quebec by advocating that the vitamin be added to marketed milk.
He also developed and instituted a method of examining the blood of newborn infants to screen for a number of inherited biochemical conditions. His screening programs led to treatments to prevent severe mental retardation in children with conditions such as hypothyroidism. The screens also allowed for treatment of a previously lethal disorder in children called tyrosinemia.
In 1969, Dr. Scriver helped to create the Quebec Network of Genetic Medicine, which served as an international model for the organization and management of genetic diseases.
His broad vision also created the Canadian National Food Bank that allows metabolic disease physicians across Canada to order special products for their patients at a minimal cost.
Dr. Scriver has also educated young people at risk for transmitting genetic diseases about the health issues they need to consider in their life plans. He has worked with community groups and educators to set up counseling programs that have influenced the lives of many young people.
As a teacher, Dr. Scriver has touched the lives of generations of medical students. He pioneered a comprehensive approach to genetic education that integrates science with broader social and philosophical considerations.
The author of more than 500 publications, he serves as senior editor of "The Metabolic and Molecular Bases of Inherited Disease", regarded as the single most authoritative text in the field.
A recipient of the Gairdner International Award, Dr. Scriver is also a Companion of the Order of Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and London. In 2001, he was elected to the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.
Mr. Chancellor, for his work as a scholar, a teacher and a champion of public health efforts, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon CHARLES ROBERT SCRIVER.
MR. CHANCELLOR, the pace of current medical innovation makes it clear that this new century will bring solutions to health problems we thought could never be solved.
One of those problems is neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s. Contributing enormously to the solutions is Dr. Donald Calne.
Educated at the University of Oxford, Dr. Calne worked in England and at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland before coming to UBC in 1981.
He headed the division of Neurology from 1981 to 1993 and directed the Neurodegenerative Disorders Centre from 1990 until his retirement in 2001.
His contributions include introducing a treatment for Parkinson's that has since become a routine therapy. He was also the first to demonstrate that the disease causes latent brain damage even before the first symptoms appear.
He greatly advanced the understanding of Parkinson’s by defining two kinds of receptors in the brain for dopamine – the chemical messenger that is deficient in the disease.
In addition, under his leadership, UBC researchers and clinicians are recognized as leaders in using positron emission tomography, or PET scans, to see chemical activity in the brain. The team has contributed extensively to knowledge of other neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington’s, dystonia and Lou Gehrig’s disease.
As a teacher, Dr. Calne has educated hundreds of undergraduates, residents and post-doctoral fellows. He has also written three books on neurology for scientists and physicians, and one book for the public. In addition, he has published more than 500 papers and chapters on neurological topics and edited eight books on degenerative diseases of the brain.
He has served on many boards and committees and in 1999, he chaired an International Congress on Parkinson’s Disease of the World Federation of Neurology held here in Vancouver.
His remarkable accomplishments have earned him numerous honours including a Killam Research Prize, the B.C. Science and Engineering Gold Medal and the Canadian Medical Association’s highest honour, the Starr Award. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1998 and received a Fellowship in the Royal Society of Canada in 2001.
Now a professor emeritus of Neurology, Dr. Calne continues his work to understand and combat neurodegenerative illness.
Mr. Chancellor, for his significant research and clinical accomplishments, his leadership and for the distinction he brings to this university, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon DONALD BRIAN CALNE.
MR. CHANCELLOR, no one in UBC’s history has made greater contributions to the athletic development of our students than Douglas (Buzz) Moore. Buzz Moore has been a fixture in the UBC Athletics Department for nearly four decades. He has lent his enormous talents to three athletic directors and helped countless student athletes achieve greater integrity and character through the practice of sport.
Buzz joined UBC in the 1950s as the Business Manager of the Athletics Department. Drawing from his successful careers as a celebrated rugby player and bakery owner, Buzz combined astute business acumen with political savvy to improve the level of athletic activities both on and off campus. His involvement with the Big Block Club has become a legend in its own right. The club’s annual banquet continues to be one of the most well-attended fundraising events on campus, filled with friends and admirers of Buzz who are all too eager to open their pocketbooks in support of university sports.
Rumour has it that former UBC President Walter Gage would cringe whenever he heard Buzz softening up the secretary outside his door, for he knew it wasn’t a matter of whether or not, but how much funding Buzz would convince him to invest in the betterment of athletics.
Since his official retirement in 1986, Buzz has remained with UBC Athletics on a volunteer basis. His dedication, work ethic and special charm have earned him the reputation as the "go-to guy" in the department. He is a fundraiser, historian, coach, accountant, sports information director, construction superintendent, alumni liaison, and most important of all, a mentor to the young men and women who represent UBC with their high level of sportsmanship in various athletic arenas both locally and internationally.
His achievements in sport and contributions to the university community have been recognized by the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame, the UBC Hall of Fame, the UBC Alumni Association and the Vancouver Rugby Union.
For decades, the name Buzz Moore has been synonymous with UBC Athletics and anyone who has come in contact with Buzz will attest to his generosity and dedication. Few people have given so much and asked for so little in return, so when it was suggested that this presentation not be held on Friday morning – because Buzz has taken his wife grocery shopping every Friday for the past 36 years – we gladly complied.
Mr. Chancellor, for his incredible commitment and devotion to UBC’s student athletes and the development of university sport, and for the integrity, respect and perseverance he has shown, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon DOUGLAS LORNE (BUZZ) MOORE.
MR. CHANCELLOR, British Columbia’s history is marked by a few individuals who have made a contribution to public service that is not only innovative and influential but indeed unique.
UBC alumnus the Honourable Garde Gardom is just such an individual.
After graduating from UBC Faculty of Law in 1949, Mr. Gardom was called to the Bar of B.C. the same year and pursued his career as a barrister and solicitor in Vancouver.
First elected in 1966 as a member of the provincial legislature in the constituency of Vancouver-Point Grey, Mr. Gardom was re-elected five subsequent times, the last being 1983.
He was named to provincial cabinet in 1975 as Attorney General and Government House Leader and ultimately became B.C.’s longest-serving House Leader.
His degree of commitment and involvement is evidenced by the numerous legislative committees and boards of which he was a member.
In 1979, he became the province’s first minister of Intergovernmental Relations. He also served as chair of the Legislative Committee, a member of the Treasury Board, the Constitution Committee, the Legislative Rules Committee and other important decision-making bodies.
In these roles, Mr. Gardom was an outspoken advocate for public accountability.
Legislative measures that are now familiar to us all -- such as the recording of debates, and the offices of the Ombudsman and the Auditor General -- were created in large part through his efforts.
As director of the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, Mr. Gardom launched CounterAttack Against Drinking and Driving. Begun in 1978, this program has saved lives by significantly changing attitudes about driving while impaired.
His initiative was again demonstrated as he led B.C.'s position during the Constitutional negotiations leading to the patriation of the Canadian Constitution from the United Kingdom in 1982.
When Vancouver was chosen as the site of Expo '86, Mr. Gardom hosted dignitaries from around the world as part of the Official Visits Program for which he was responsible.
His retirement from politics came in 1987, but his public service continued. Appointed Agent-General for British Columbia in the United Kingdom and Europe, he represented this province abroad until 1992.
In 1995, Mr. Gardom became B.C.’s 26th Lieutenant Governor and served with distinction until 2001.
A life-long sports enthusiast and accomplished athlete, he was inducted into B.C.’s Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the 1945/46 UBC Men’s Basketball team.
Mr. Chancellor, for his remarkable service to this province and for the distinction he brings to this university, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Garde Basil Gardom.
MR. CHANCELLOR, in a time of heightened sensitivity to corporate governance and ethics, it is inspiring to find an individual who has tied his business acumen to such a strong sense of social responsibility and community purpose. Irving (Ike) Barber is not only one of the most successful and respected foresters in British Columbia. By recognizing the importance education and research play in the economic and social well-being of the community, he has also become one of our most responsible and generous citizens.
The founding chairman of Slocan Forest Products Ltd., Mr. Barber recently donated $20 million to transform UBC’s Main Library into a "high tech" information centre. Thanks to his donation, and with additional funds from the Provincial Government and UBC, the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre will be a lifelong learning resource for UBC students, faculty and staff as well as communities throughout the province and the world.
A 1950 graduate of the UBC Faculty of Forestry, Mr. Barber qualified as a professional registered forester in 1952 and has been involved in the B.C. forest industry ever since.
In 1978, at the age of 55, he founded Slocan Forest Products Ltd. and built it into one of the leading lumber producers in North America. Under his direction, the company has been at the forefront of forest renewal and has sought to enhance B.C.’s forests through research and responsible practice.
During his career, Mr. Barber also made a huge investment in the development of mills in northern B.C., encouraged the growth and development of businesses and forestry operations by local First Nations people, and helped to bring a measure of economic stability to a region that is beginning to realize its potential.
Mr. Barber’s vision and generosity have helped to strengthen B.C. and improve the quality of life for B.C. residents. He has been instrumental in helping to establish programs to promote research with the creation of the I.K. Barber Enhanced Forestry Laboratory at the University of Northern British Columbia, the Irving K. Barber Diabetes Research Endowment Fund at UBC, and the Ike Barber Human Islet Transplant Laboratory at Vancouver Hospital in partnership with UBC.
Mr. Chancellor, for his successful entrepreneurship, his strong support of higher education and forestry research, and his dedication to his community, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, upon Irving Kearl Barber.
MR. CHANCELLOR, it takes vision, confidence and compassion to be a leader in research, in higher education and in society at large. Dr. Shirley Tilghman has successfully mastered this fine balance on her way to becoming one of the world’s leading molecular biologists, an exceptional teacher and mentor, and the President of Princeton University.
Born in Toronto, Dr. Tilghman received her BSc at Queen’s University and a PhD in Biochemistry at Temple University in Philadelphia. During postdoctoral studies at the National Institutes of Health, she made a number of groundbreaking discoveries while participating in cloning the first mammalian gene. She continued her research at the Institute for Cancer Research in Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University, furthering our understanding of the roles that genes play in the development of the mammalian embryo.
Dr. Tilghman was a critically important architect of the human genome project in the late 1980s, helping to formulate the specific goals of a 15-year plan that would culminate in the sequencing of the human genome.
Dr. Tilghman is also renowned for her support and mentoring of students and young scientists. She has provided national leadership on behalf of women in science and has made a determined effort to make the early careers of young scientists as meaningful and productive as possible.
She has also served on numerous advisory boards and committees of great influence and has been the recipient of many prestigious awards for her scientific excellence and community service.
While there is no doubt that she is a world-renowned scholar in her field, Dr. Tilghman has been equally active outside the academic arena. It is her enthusiastic dedication not only to higher education and research but also to society in general that attracted the attention of the search committee for the Princeton presidency.
"She has a passion and enthusiasm for whatever she does," the selection committee chair said when announcing Tilghman as the 19th president of Princeton last year. She is one of only three women to head an Ivy League school and is the first Princeton president without a Princeton degree in almost 100 years.
Mr. Chancellor, for her unique scientific discoveries, her commitment to teaching and her passionate contribution to both her local and our global community, I ask you to confer the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, upon Shirley Marie Tilghman