Good to see that Arar's wife Monia Mazigh is also recognized. She carried out a long battle to get Arar released and was faced with the scandalous leaks to the press of material from confessions by Arar obtained under torture.
Nipissing University announces honorary degrees, including Maher Arar . . .
Nugget Staff
Local News - Thursday, May 17, 2007 Updated @ 11:03:42 AM
Nipissing University will bestow honorary degrees on eight people at this year’s convocation ceremonies in North Bay and Brantford, including controversial figure Maher Arar.
Arar was paid $10 million by the Canadian government after false information from the RCMP led to his deportation from the United States to Syria, where he was tortured.
The university will recognize Dr. Avis Glaze, Kate Pace Lindsay, retired Lt.-Gen. Romeo Dallaire, former MP Jean Jacques Blais, Arar, Dr. Monia Mazigh, David Phillips and Dr. Robert Rosehart.
In North Bay, convocation will take place June 7 to 9, with two ceremonies per day, three for the faculty of education and three for the faculty of arts and science.
Rosehart will be conferred with his honorary degree in Brantford, at the university’s satellite campus June 13.
This is the second year Nipissing has held convocation in Brantford.
“This is a terrific group of individuals who have achieved a great deal and inspired many people in their lives and careers. We are very proud that they have agreed to honour Nipissing by taking part in our convocation ceremony,” said Dennis Mock, president and vice-chancellor of Nipissing.
Background:
Nipissing University Convocation ceremonies begin on Thursday, June 7 at 9:30 a.m. Dr. Avis Glaze will receive the honorary degree, Doctor of Education, and will deliver the convocation address to the graduates of Nipissing’s Faculty of Education, Primary / Junior division. Dr. Glaze is Ontario’s first chief student achievement officer and CEO of the Ministry of Education’s new Secretariat for Literacy and Numeracy. A highly respected educator, she has taught at the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary levels. She has served as an education officer with the Ministry of Education and was research coordinator with the Ontario Women’s Directorate of the Ministry of Labour. As well, Dr. Glaze served as commissioner on the Ontario Royal Commission on Learning in 1994 and was selected by the federal government to assist with educational reform in South Africa. Dr. Glaze has received many prestigious awards during her career, including Educator of the Year, the African Canadian Achievement Award, 2001 YWCA Women of Distinction Award and the Order of Ontario.
Kate Pace Lindsay will be bestowed an honorary Doctor of Education on Thursday, June 7 at 2:00 p.m. and will deliver the convocation address to the graduates of Nipissing’s Faculty of Education, Junior / Intermediate division. Born and raised in North Bay, Pace Lindsay is the team captain and program director for ACT NOW…the best you can be! School Program, an interactive wellness program that works to inspire people of all ages and abilities to lead a healthy lifestyle.
One of the greatest women’s speed racers in the world, she won six World Cup medals and three Canadian downhill championships during her competitive skiing career. She won the downhill event at the 1993 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, while competing with a broken wrist, and was named Canadian female athlete of the year in 1993. Pace Lindsay was a member of the national team at the 1994 and 1998 Winter Olympics.
Lt.-Gen. Romeo Dallaire will receive the honorary degree, Doctor of Education on Friday, June 8 at 9:30 a.m. and deliver the convocation address to the graduates of Nipissing’s Faculty of Education, Intermediate / Senior division and Master of Education. Dallaire was appointed to the Senate in 2005 as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. In 1994, Dallaire commanded the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda. His book on his experiences in Rwanda, Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda, was awarded the Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction in 2004. Since his retirement from the military, Dallaire has worked to bring an understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder to the general public. As a champion of human rights, his activities include: visiting lecturer at Canadian and American universities and public speaking engagements on issues relating to human rights and genocide prevention; visiting Darfur as a member of Prime Minister Martin’s Special Advisory Team on Darfur; advocacy for the Canadian Forces mission to Afghanistan; leadership in a project to develop a conceptual base for the elimination of the use of child soldiers; and leadership in activities aimed at the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Dallaire has received numerous honours and awards, including Officer of the Order of Canada; Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec and the Aegis Award for Genocide Prevention from the Aegis Trust (United Kingdom). He is the recipient of the United Nations Association of Canada’s Pearson Peace Medal.
Jean Jacques Blais will receive the honorary degree, Doctor of Letters on Friday, June 8, at 2:00 p.m. and deliver the convocation address to the graduates of Nipissing’s Faculty of Arts and Science. Born and raised in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, Blais is a lawyer, Queen’s counsel and Privy Councillor as well as a former Member of Parliament who served for eight years as a Minister of the Federal Crown. Throughout his career, Blais has served in a number of high profile roles including Postmaster General and Deputy House Leader, Solicitor General for Canada, Minister of Supply and Services and Receiver General for Canada, and Minister of National Defense. Since 1990, Blais has been a member of 11 election missions organized by the Commonwealth, the Organization of American States and the UN, including Deputy Chairman of the Provisional Election Commission of Bosnia Herzegovina in 1998; leader of an Elections Canada/IFES mission to Afghanistan for eight months and Head of an IFES mission to Iraq in 2003. In 2004, in Sri Lanka, he chaired a working group of parliamentarians reflecting on the use of parliament as a stabilizing agent in conflict affected societies.
Maher Arar and Dr. Monia Mazigh, will each receive the honorary degree, Doctor of Letters on Saturday, June 9, at 9:30 a.m. Arar and Mazigh will both deliver the convocation address to the graduates of Nipissing’s Faculty of Arts and Science. Born in Syria and living in Canada since the age of 17, Arar was detained by the United States in 2002 and deported to Syria for alleged links to al-Qaeda. He was held in Syria for 10 months, enduring torture and beatings. Dr. Mazigh, currently an assistant professor at Thompson Rivers University and Arar’s wife, campaigned relentlessly for Arar’s release and return home. As a result, he was returned to Canada in October 2003. Dr. Mazigh then successfully pressured the Canadian government to call a public inquiry into his deportation. In 2004, under pressure from Canadian human rights organizations and a growing number of citizens, a Commission of Inquiry was announced to investigate the actions of Canadian officials in relation to the Arar case. Dr. Mazigh’s unrelenting efforts reminded all Canadians of the dangerous impact of security legislation on the rights of all citizens. In 2006, Arar was cleared of all terrorism allegations. Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized to Arar and his family for the terrible ordeal that they suffered. In making the difficult decision to reveal their personal story to the Canadian public, Arar and Mazigh wanted to achieve three objectives: to clear his name, to hold accountable the people responsible and to ensure that this would not happen to any other Canadian. Arar has stated that his determination to persevere was due to the obligation he felt as a human being to keep his case alive in hope that the attention would help other innocent people. He has revealed that his endurance in coping with the stress of his ordeal and its ramifications has been strengthened by the support and generosity he has received from Canadians.
David Phillips will receive the honorary degree, Doctor of Letters on Saturday, June 9, at 2:00 p.m. and deliver the convocation address to the graduates of Nipissing’s Faculty of Arts and Science. Canada’s foremost weather expert, Phillips has been employed with Environment Canada’s weather service for 39 years. As senior climatologist, he studies Canadian climates and promotes the importance and understanding of weather and climate in this country. He has published several books, papers and reports on the climate of Canada including several essays in The Canadian Encyclopedia. Phillips has been a national lecturer for the Association of Canadian Clubs, the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society and presents talks to local service groups, naturalist groups, universities and schools. He has twice received the Public Service Merit Award and has been awarded the Patterson Medal for Distinguished Service to Meteorology in Canada and the Camsell Award for Outstanding Service to the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Phillips was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2001. He is a Fellow of both the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographical Society and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Phillips is the author of seven books including The Climates of Canada, and two national best-sellers: The Day Niagara Falls Ran Dry and Blame It on the Weather. Internationally, David Phillips has been involved for 25 years as an advisor on climate applications and services to the United Nations World Meteorological Organization.
Dr. Robert Rosehart will receive the honorary degree, Doctor of Education on Wednesday, June 13, at 3:00 p.m. and deliver the convocation address to the graduates of Nipissing University’s concurrent Bachelor of Education program in Brantford, Ontario. Dr. Rosehart is currently president of Wilfrid Laurier University and his commitment to university leadership spans 30 years. By the end of his current term, Dr. Rosehart will have served 23 years as a president of an Ontario university. Formerly, he was the president of Lakehead University for a total of 13 years. In 1997, Dr. Rosehart assumed the presidency of WLU. Dr. Rosehart has served as an environmental and public policy consultant to both the federal and provincial governments. He currently chairs the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre Advisory Board, is a member of the Association of Universities and Community Colleges Standing Advisory Committee on Educational Issues and Funding (SACEIF), serves as an Executive Committee member of Canada’s Technology Triangle Inc., the Waterloo region’s economic development partnership and chairs the Selection Committee for the Government of Ontario’s Amethyst Awards, which recognize Ontario’s outstanding public servants.
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