Ballet dancer Rex Harrington and journalist Michele Landsberg are among 10 distinguished national and international figures who will receive honorary degrees from York at Spring Convocation in June. Here is the list, including the Faculty ceremonies where they will be honoured:
Herbert Carnegie, community leader
Faculty of Arts I, June 12
For over 40 years, Herbert Carnegie has been a mentor and tireless community activist. One of the most promising hockey players of his era, the former Quebec Ace never had the opportunity to turn professional due to the racial barriers of the time. Finding inspiration in disappointment, he redirected his energies to become a successful businessman and financial planner. Opening the first hockey school in Canada, he wrote The Future Aces Creed to encourage, inspire and guide young people. In 1987, he established the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation to provide university scholarships for young civic-minded students.
Dominic D’Alessandro, corporate leader
Schulich School of Business, June 16
Dominic D’Alessandro, president and chief executive officer of Manulife Financial, is highly respected for his integrity, exceptional leadership and commitment to both the financial services industry and the community. An Officer of the Order of Canada, D’Alessandro was also named Outstanding CEO of the Year in 2002 by Report on Business, which later ranked Manulife Financial first in its sector for corporate social responsibility in 2004. D’Alessandro has led fundraising campaigns for the United Way of Greater Toronto, the Salvation Army and the Corporate Fund for Breast Cancer Research. He is also a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at York’s Schulich School of Business.
Barnett J. Danson, public servant
Faculty of Arts II, June 13
Barnett J. Danson has served Canada in many capacities, most notably with distinction in World War II, as a member of Parliament and as minister of national defence. He was also the first Chair of the Canadian War Museum’s advisory board, a governor of the Canadian Council on Aboriginal Business, and producer of “No Price Too High”, a six-part CBC series on Canada’s role in World War II. More recently, Danson’s own visual impairment due to age-related macular degeneration has led to his involvement with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and the AMD Alliance International which helps those with the disease understand treatments and rehabilitation. Danson is a model citizen, a strong supporter of human rights and the values that make Canadian society unique.
Stanley I. Greenspan, medical doctor
Faculty of Arts III, Atkinson Faculty of Liberal & Professional Studies II, June 15
Stanley Greenspan is a clinician, scholar and activist in psychoanalysis. Among the many awards he has received, Greenspan has twice received the American Psychiatric Association’s prestigious Ittleson Prize for outstanding contributions to child psychiatry research and American mental health. With York’s Stuart Shanker, Greenspan set up and co-chairs the Council of Human Development, an international group of biological and social scientists who believe that early childhood is the most important time in a human being’s development in terms of establishing the foundations for intellectual, emotional and moral growth.
Rex Harrington, ballet dancer
Faculty of Fine Arts, June 12
Rex Harrington retired in 2004 after 21 years as a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada. He overcame significant challenges in his early life to become arguably the finest male ballet dancer in Canadian dance history, both as a soloist and as partner to distinguished ballerinas such as Karen Kain and Evelyn Hart. His powerful stage presence combined with his technical skill and compelling sense of drama won him leading roles and guest appearances around the world, including a performance for Queen Elizabeth II in her Jubilee year. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Peter Hogg, constitutional scholar and educator
Osgoode Hall Law School, June 16
Peter Hogg, scholar in residence at Toronto’s Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP and professor emeritus and former dean at York’s Osgoode Hall Law School, is Canada’s leading constitutional law scholar. Author of the definitive Constitutional Law of Canada, he has been cited twice as much as any other source by the Supreme Court of Canada and appeared as counsel in a number of constitutional cases. Often called upon to give expert testimony in constitutional law, governmental liability and trusts, he has also advised provincial and federal governments. He was named a Companion of the Order of Canada in 2003.
Claude R. Lamoureux, business and public leader
Glendon College, June 17
Claude Lamoureux, president and chief executive officer of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, has been a consistent voice for progressive business practices. Under his leadership, not only has plan grown to more than $80 billion from $17 billion in assets, it is widely recognized for its progressive and innovative operation. As a francophone of Quebec origin, Lamoureux has served both through example and actions to reinforce the place of Quebeckers and the French language in Toronto. He introduced bilingualism to the OTPP operations and, as a member of the board of Le Théatre Français de Toronto, he has sought to enrich francophone cultural life in Toronto.
Michele Landsberg, journalist and community activist
Faculty of Education, June 13
Michele Landsberg has been a prominent journalist for nearly 40 years. An award-winning columnist and the author of three books, she has written extensively on women’s issues, media, the environment and urban issues. She is passionate about the benefits of a healthy public education system. And as a social activist, Landsberg has served on the boards of organizations that help assaulted women and promote the causes of global feminism and peace in the Middle East.
Victor Ling, scientist and cancer researcher
Faculty of Science & Engineering, Faculty of Environmental Studies, School of Kinesiology, June 14
Victor Ling, vice-president of research at the British Columbia Cancer Agency and BC Cancer Research Centre, is internationally recognized for leadership in cancer research, particularly for his work on multi-drug resistance. He is an advocate for students and young scientists and acknowledged as a role model for those entering this field.
Geoffrey Oldham, scientist and development expert
Atkinson Faculty of Liberal & Professional Studies I, June 14
Geoffrey Oldham, honorary professor at the University of Sussex and Chair of the board of trustees of the Science and Development Network based in Britain, is widely recognized as a pioneer in international science, technology and development policy research and analysis. Oldham played an important role in the conception, founding and establishment of the Canadian International Development Research Centre. He was United Kingdom delegate to the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development and chaired its working groups on gender and science for development. A Commander of the British Empire, he is held in high esteem as a scientist and policy figure, for his wisdom and commitment to human development, and for his work on behalf of women in science and technology.