Innes was a Distinguished Research Professor, he held a senior Canada Research Chair and at the time of his death he was the incumbent of a York Research Chair. A world-renowned scholar, he remained energetically active and engaged in cutting-edge research until the very end of his life. As a department member and a citizen of the School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design, and the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, he was involved with York University at all levels.
“It is difficult to imagine the collegium without his gracious and wise presence and his thoughtful contributions,” said Heather Campbell, associate professor and chair of the Department of English. “He has mentored his younger colleagues, and nurtured the careers of emerging scholars, with great generosity. Generations of graduate and undergraduate students will feel this loss as we, his colleagues and friends, do.”