A ceremony to celebrate Pride Month on June 7 at York University’s Vari Hall Rotunda was attended by staff, faculty, students and other University community members, who took part in the day’s events organized by the Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion (CHREI) in collaboration with the Office of Institutional Events and Student Community & Leadership Development.
Beginning with opening remarks, the event featured a flag unfurling ceremony and booths to share information about SLGBTQIA+ resources and services available at York. Attendees were also invited to enjoy free treats and snap a selfie with York’s mascot Yeo.
See a photo gallery of the event, below. Visit York’s Pride Month website to learn more.
Professor oversees new website exploring Portuguese diaspora
Share
A new website and travelling exhibit that explores the past and present of Canada’s Portuguese diaspora was developed by York University faculty member Gilberto Fernandes.
A former visiting professor in the Faculty Liberal Arts & Professional Studies’ (LA&PS) Department of History, Fernandes is currently a research associate in the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies and was recruited by the Portuguese Embassy in Canada to create the project.
The website, titled “Movimento Perpétuo: The Portuguese Diaspora in Canada,” was officially launched on June 1, coinciding with the beginning of Portuguese Heritage Month in Canada and the upcoming 70th anniversaries of the establishing of Portugal Canada diplomatic relations (1952) and the beginning of Portuguese mass migration to Canada (1953).
Gilberto Fernandes
The project contains over 70 profiles of Portuguese Canadian individuals and organizations in Ontario and Quebec; more than 80 digitized artifacts (some in 3D) crowdsourced from community members, most of them featuring audio commentary from the participants; 15 virtual tours of locations associated with the participants, featuring their audio commentary; 75 short documentaries from Rádio Televisão Portuguesa – Internacional (RTPi), National Film Board, and other sources; an illustrated timeline of Portuguese Canadian history with over 300 entries; an interactive business and service map of Toronto’s Little Portugal; videos made by community members; various selections of digitized historical records from public archives and personal collections; infographics, and more.
Participants were selected from among 100 short documentaries that Fernandes co-produced in 2015-17 for RTPi’s show Hora dos Portugueses. All of the artifacts and many of the photos, videos and records featured on the website were sourced from these participants. Many were also interviewed for the purpose of producing audio clips to accompany their materials.
A significant number of historical records featured on the website were selected from the archival holdings of the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections, including some of the community records donated with the help of the Portuguese Canadian History Project, of which Fernandes is the co-founder and lead director. The York University Libraries’ Digital Scholarship Infrastructure provided photographic equipment, technical training and a studio that helped develop many of the website’s immersive and interactive features.
Amanda Dinally, Ester-Judit-Flores, Madeline Ball and Rui Pascoal – undergraduate students in the Cross-Disciplinary Certificate in Public History at the LA&PS and Glendon College’s Departments of History – also made important contributions to this project during their experiential education placements in 2022-23.
The website is intended to become a community-sourced platform going forward, and a reference for researchers, teachers, students, artists, journalists and anyone interested in the Portuguese diaspora in Canada and around the world.
The exhibition with which the website is associated will be shown at the Toronto Metro Hall between Sept.11 and 22 and will be unveiled by a high-ranking official of the Portuguese government.
Lion’s Cup golf tournament raises $154,000 for athletes
Share
It was a successful day on the golf course Wednesday, May 31 as York University Athletics & Recreation raised $154,000 for athletic scholarships at the 20th annual Lions Cup, presented by TD Insurance.
Nearly 100 golf enthusiasts convened at the Wyndance Golf Club in Uxbridge, Ont., coming together with a mission to extend financial assistance to student-athletes. Notably, a number of York’s current student-athletes, who have similarly benefited from financial aid in their educational pursuits, actively interacted with the golfers.
Organizers led a variety of events on the course, such as the accuracy challenge and the longest-drive competition, all the while embracing the opportunity to establish valuable connections with professionals in their respective fields of study.
From left: Janae Brown (track and field), Joselyn Gagliardi (women’s soccer), Jasmine Heath (track and field), David D’Agostino (men’s hockey), Guy Burry (co-chair, Lions Cup), Corrado Messina (senior relationship manager, Ontario Market Lead, TD Insurance), Bart Zemanek (associate director, advancement, Athletics & Recreation), Lucas Van Den Driesschen (track and field), Lexy Anonech (women’s hockey), Agostino Principato (men’s soccer), Nicholas Mohammed (summer intern, Athletics & Recreation)
Inaugurated as the Chair’s Cup in 2001, the Lions Cup carries a rich history. Its creators, Marshall Cohen, the former Chair of the York University Board of Governors, and his wife, Judi, had a visionary goal: to establish an event that not only generated funds but also cultivated bonds and backing among friends, alumni, and other supporters. Recent years have witnessed a notable shift in the tournament’s emphasis, now centred on bolstering varsity student-athletes by channeling all proceeds directly into athletic scholarships for the Lions.
The success of the scholarships is made possible through the generous contributions of both new and returning sponsors of this year’s tournament. Their support plays a vital role in promoting excellence in athletics and recreation, granting tomorrow’s athletes the opportunity to achieve their academic and athletic aspirations.
For a complete list of this year’s tournament sponsors and donors, please visit the tournament webpage.
Schulich ExecEd partners with York Regional Police to upskill civilian employees, officers
Share
Schulich ExecEd at York University’s Schulich School of Business, in partnership with York Regional Police (YRP), has debuted the Future of Leadership in Policing Program, meant to strengthen the business acumen and leadership skills of sworn and civilian employees.
The Future of Leadership in Policing Program is designed to be highly customizable, in order to ensure synergy with the learner’s current job position, to be driven by organizational values and help professionals identify potential avenues for growth at YRP.
The program is a series of five streams designed to support the various units, job positions and members at YRP, ensuring accessibility to experiential education across the organization. Participants will also have access to this program in a live, virtual format, to enhance the learning experience by providing a further layer of accessibility for those who are remote or in the field.
Each module has been developed with the unique leadership competencies and strategic objectives of York Regional Police for a fully comprehensive, synergized and custom experience for learners. This approach will take participants directly from the classroom back into the working environment. The Future of Leadership in Policing Program was designed with the goal of fostering growth at each career stage, inspiring exemplary leadership knowledge at every level of an individual’s career
“We are excited to announce the Future of Leadership in Policing Program in partnership with York Regional Police,” said Schulich ExecEd Executive Director Rami Mayer. “We are proud to partner with YRP as it addresses the challenges of policing in perhaps the most diverse region of the country and one that serves the community of York University. YRP has recognized that the high standards and values of the police service are reinforced and strengthened by leadership training at all levels of the organization. As such, it is making a significant and important investment in its people.
“We have long held at Schulich ExecEd that leadership values, skills and decision-making capabilities are a continuum from early in-career to senior roles. Leadership behaviours must be demonstrated in different ways across the talent pipeline. York Regional Police has recognized this, and the training provided will be customized and targeted at different job categories and roles, each with their own specific challenges and the respective leadership skills required,” he added.
“The best part of the Future of Leadership in Policing Program is that it was designed with our people at top of mind,” said YRP Chief Jim MacSween. “Our members work in so many different roles and diverse working environments across the region, so it was critical to find education opportunities that were accessible to all.
“Designed to include five unique learning streams and virtual classroom instruction, I’m confident that our partnership with Schulich ExecEd has resulted in a program that puts our people, and their professional and personal development, first,” MacSween continued.
Upon completion of the program, each participant receives a Schulich ExecEd digital micro-credential. At Schulich ExecEd, accelerated reskilling is a way forward allowing professionals to grow their careers, level up for senior roles and enable them to diversify their skillsets, specializations and knowledge.
Special performance part of AGYU exhibit by York grad student
Share
The Art Gallery of York University (AGYU) will host a special performance by York University PhD student Erica Stocking as part of MotherGinger Promenade, an exhibit running until Dec. 2.
The performance, which takes place June 10 at 3 p.m. with a reception following at 4 p.m., charts a path through the emergence of fashion as a discipline within modernism in late 19th century Paris, its entanglement in rhythms and spaces of visibility, and the social and material conditions of movement. Inspired by early examples of public promenades (such as those on the Bois de Boulogne in Paris after its redevelopment as a society gathering point in the late 1800s) as spaces where economic, social and aesthetic interests come together in an event of looking and being seen, Stocking invites the audience to consider, “What is a closet and where can it take you?”
Erica Stocking, MotherGinger Promenade, 2023. Courtesy the artist
The performance builds on Stocking’s ongoing project, MotherGinger, named after the iconic drag character from Russian composer Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker. By referencing this figure, characterized by a massive dress that houses eight children, Stocking foregrounds the connection between mothers as producers of human bodies for labour, Western industrialization and the blurring of the boundary between leisure and work.
Stocking has developed MotherGinger as a brand, with multiple forms from performances to pop-up shops. Situating itself within fashion as a conceptual framework, this project considers the ways that gender, fashion, Western modernism, subjectivity and survival intertwine within this balletic character.
Engaging both container technologies and the character’s roots in the Zanni characters of commedia dell’arte, MotherGinger Promenadeis an invitation, a monologue, and a fashion show.
Exhibition: AGYU Vitrines May 27 — Dec. 2
For this installation of MotherGinger, Stocking has transformed the AGYU vitrines into stylized containers – evoking closets, window displays and travel trunks. In calling attention to the structure of the vitrines, and their role as containers, this installation echoes the writing of Australian researcher Zoë Sofia on “container technologies,” which highlights the significant role of containers throughout history, including vessels and a myriad of objects and devices frequently associated with women’s labour. For Sofia, as well as for Stocking, containment is not passive; it is active and integral, exemplified by human beings’ inextricable entanglement and reliance on their own container, their own environment.
The AGYU vitrines are situated in the colonnade of the Accolade East Building, a space designed for movement. To promenade is to move with the intent of display, and, in this iteration of MotherGinger, garments made from domestic household materials and found objects displayed in the vitrines are removed, worn, and later returned in a series of performances that echo the movement of clothing through private and public spaces, testing what it means to be seen.
Erica Stocking: MotherGinger Promenade is curated by Clara Halpern, assistant curator, Exhibitions, AGYU.
About the artist
Erica Stocking is an artist working at the intersection of sculpture, performance and installation. Her work has been exhibited in Canada at Artspeak, Mercer Union, The Western Front and at the Contemporary Art Gallery. Stocking’s public artworks are part of the City of Vancouver, City of Surrey and SFU Community Trust Collections. She received her BFA from Emily Carr Institute in 2004, and recently completed an MFA at OCAD University in 2021. Stocking lives and works in Toronto and is currently pursuing her PhD in visual arts at York University.
AGYU gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday, during exhibitions; AGYU vitrines can be accessed at any time.
AGYU is a public, University-affiliated, non-profit contemporary art gallery supported by York University, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and by our membership.
York University to confer 10 honorary degrees during Spring Convocation
Share
Spring Convocation at York University will see graduates crossing the stage beginning June 9 at the Glendon Campus, and continuing with Keele Campus ceremonies running June 16 to 23. Throughout the 13 ceremonies, York will confer honorary degrees to nine changemakers who will receive an honorary doctor of laws (LLD), and one who will receive an honorary doctor of science (DSc).
Honorary degree recipients are recognized for their contributions to community building, their advocacy for social justice and their philanthropy, and will offer words of encouragement, motivation and congratulations to graduands.
Below are the honorary degree recipients in order of the Faculty ceremonies at which they will be honoured:
Joan Andrew
Friday, June 9 at 2 p.m. – Glendon College: Joan Andrew (to receive LLD) Joan Andrew is a graduate of Glendon College, York University. She spent more than 35 years working for the federal and provincial governments, retiring in 2009 from the Ontario Public Service as the deputy minister of the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration. Post-retirement, Andrew joined the now Toronto Metropolitan University as public service in residence in the Department of Politics and Public Administration. Andrew has also held volunteer roles with the United Way and the Toronto Region Immigrant Employee Council, and was the vice-chair of the Niagara Parks Commission until 2018.
Daniel Kahneman
Friday, June 16 at 10:30 a.m. – Faculty of Health: Daniel Kahneman (to recieve DSc) Daniel Kahneman is professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University, and is best known for his work with Amos Tversky on human judgment and decision making, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2002. His book, Thinking, Fast and Slow, has sold more than seven million copies worldwide. He is also the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2013), and the Distinguished Lifetime Career Contribution of the American Psychological Association.
Denis Mukwege
Friday, June 16 at 3 p.m. – Faculty of Education: Dr. Denis Mukwege (to receive LLD) Denis Mukwege is a world-renowned obstetrician/gynecologist and human rights activist who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for his efforts to end rape as a weapon of war. In 1999, he founded Panzi Hospital with the intention of it being a center of excellence for maternal health. Many of his first patients, however, were women and girls who had been raped with extreme brutality during armed conflicts. Panzi Hospital and Panzi Foundation have been recognized for their pioneering work in specialized responses to gender-based violence. He has received various awards worldwide for his dedication to peace and justice, including the United Nations Human Rights Award (2008); the European Union’s Sakharov Prize (2014), and more.
Cory Doctorow
Tuesday, June 20 at 10:30 a.m. – Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies I: Cory Doctorow (to receive LLD) Cory Doctorow is a science fiction author, activist and journalist. He has written about creative labour markets and monopoly, nonfiction about conspiracies and monopolies, science fiction for young adults and most recently, a technothriller about finance crime. He works for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, is a MIT Media Lab research affiliate, is a visiting professor of computer science at Open University, a visiting professor of practice at the University of North Carolina’s School of Library and Information Science and co-founded the UK Open Rights Group. In 2020, he was inducted into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame, and in 2022 earned the Sir Arthur Clarke Imagination in Service to Society Award for lifetime achievement.
Susur Lee
Tuesday, June 20 at 3 p.m. – Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies II: Susur Lee (to receive LLD) Praised as one of the “Ten Chefs of the Millennium” by Food & Wine magazine, Susur Lee is still at the top of his game. Chef Lee has made numerous television appearances on Chopped Canada, MasterChef Asia, Top Chef Canada, and has been a judge on Wall of Chefs, Top Chef Masters and Iron Chef Canada and America. His awards and achievements include being an ambassador for Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations, receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award by Canada’s 100 Best, and being named the first foreign chef to be granted The Red Chef’s Hat Award in Qing Dao, China. Lee cooks his signature French and Chinese fusion at his flagship restaurant, LEE.
Ruth Lor Malloy
Wednesday, June 21 at 10:30 a.m. – Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies III: Ruth Lor Malloy (to receive LLD) Ruth Lor Malloy was brought up in a Chinese restaurant family in Brockville, Ont. There she was subjected to racist slurs and social rejection. College in Toronto opened her eyes to other victims of racial discrimination and she wanted to find solutions. This led to testing Black discrimination in Washington, D.C., a key test case of refusal of service to Black customers in a Dresden, Ont. restaurant and a delegation to Ottawa. She is the author of a dozen guide books on China and newspaper travel stories as she explored the world, collected old shoes for Canadian museums and continued to help relieve suffering and misinformation where possible. Her recently-released memoir Brightening My Corner relates her efforts to help, and her struggles with her own relationships and identity.
Shaun Loney
Wednesday, June 21 at 3 p.m. – Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies IV: Shaun Loney (to receive LLD) Shaun Loney (MSc) is a Canadian leader in the social enterprise sector. Based in Winnipeg, where he’s heavily impacted by Indigenous wisdom, Loney has co-founded a dozen social enterprise non-profit businesses now operating in six Canadian cities and six First Nations. He has written five books about his journey modernizing relationships between government and non-profits, including An Army of Problem Solvers: Reconciliation and the Solutions Economy. His work has been recognized as having national importance by Ashoka Canada, Ernst and Young, and Canada Clean50.
Nancy Archibald
Thursday, June 22 at 10:30 a.m. – Faculty of Science: Nancy Archibald (to receive LLD) Nancy Archibald began her career as a public school teacher in Toronto and Niagara Falls, before starting a career at the CBC as a researcher working on documentaries for The Nature of Things. Later taking on roles as story editor and producer/director, Archibald was appointed executive producer of the show in 1972 and senior producer in 1979. She is the recipient of several awards and recognitions, including The Federation of Ontario Naturalist’s Distinguished Service Award (1985) in recognition of outstanding contributions toward maintaining a diverse and wholesome environment, and the Toronto Women in Film and TV’s Outstanding Achievement Award (1990).
Thomas Lee
Thursday, June 22 at 3 p.m. – Lassonde School of Engineering: Thomas Lee (to receive LLD) Thomas Lee is the Walter Booth Chair in Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship at McMaster University. Prior to his role at McMaster, he was part of the leadership of several Canadian start-ups commercializing autonomous robotics, mathematical computation and cryptography. He was a pioneer in the introduction of smart digital technologies in engineering education and his work has influenced universities throughout North America, Europe, Middle East, India and Japan. His current research and teaching explore new ways to address complexity and uncertainty in modern engineering. In 2019, he was inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering for his contributions to engineering education and entrepreneurship.
Michael Tulloch
Friday, June 23 at 3 p.m. – Osgoode Hall Law School: Michael H. Tulloch (to receive LLD) Justice Michael Tulloch was appointed Chief Justice of Ontario in December 2022, after serving 10 years as a judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, and nine years as a judge on the Superior Court of Justice in Ontario. He has a long and distinguished career of service as a member of the Canadian judiciary, a Crown prosecutor, a lawyer in private practice, and a renowned writer, speaker and professor. Tulloch has led systemic reviews of the justice system at various levels, provided leadership on legal and judicial committees, designed, and delivered international justice sector reform programs, and contributed to a myriad of civic, charitable, and community development initiatives. He holds a BA in economics and business from York University and graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University with a law degree in 1989. He was called to the bar in Ontario in 1991.
The convocation website includes a full schedule of all ceremonies.
Spring Convocation set for 2023 graduands
Share
Beginning June 9, graduating students will experience the time-honoured tradition of crossing a stage to accept a diploma when York University’s 2023 Spring Convocation gets underway.
Running from June 9 to 23, this year’s spring convocation will feature 13 ceremonies at both the Keele and Glendon campuses, as well as new celebrations for Black and 2SLGBTQIA+ graduands.
This year’s events will reflect the first changes recommended by a working group assembled in August 2022 by York President and Vice-Chancellor, Rhonda Lenton, tasked with exploring updates to the University’s convocations that further embed decolonization, equity, diversity and inclusion principles, embody respect for Indigenous ways of knowing and being, and align with the institutional value of sustainability.
Among the changes taking effect this year will be clearer language around existing policies regarding First Nations, Métis or Inuit students, faculty and guests being encouraged to wear traditional ceremonial dress of their people and culture; the Canadian national anthem occurring after a land acknowledgement and, where possible, an Honour Song; and further reductions in plastic and paper waste and such as digital programs available via QR codes onsite.
New this year are special celebrations for Black and 2SLGBTQIA+ graduands that will take place on Wednesday, June 28 and Thursday, June 29 respectively. These events will celebrate and recognize the achievements of the Class of 2023 and the professors, staff, classmates, alumni, friends, family and allies who have supported their journey. The events are open to all members of the YorkU community.
As before, all Convocation ceremonies will be webcast live and a link to the feed, as well as a schedule of ceremonies, will be available on the Convocation website.
Congress 2023 a success
Share
York University’s Keele Campus welcomed more than 10,000 guests and over 400 volunteers from May 27 to June 2, when the University hosted Congress 2023 in partnership with the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences.
The seven-day event – Canada’s largest academic gathering – invited scholars, graduate students, policymakers and community members to identify and discuss the decisions we need to take today to build a better world for all, as part of conference’s theme “Reckonings and Re-imaginings.”
Andrea Davis speaking during Congress 2023
The theme was implemented as a guide for knowledge sharing during the hundreds of events taking place at the Keele Campus, including presentations, panels, workshops, art exhibits, community activities and more.
“My desire over the many months of planning was to create a culture shift at Congress 2023 – to create a space where Indigenous and Black knowledges, and community and artistic practice, could enter and transform the disciplines of the humanities and social sciences and impact the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in a way that was tangible and real, beyond the written word,” says Professor Andrea Davis, Congress 2023 academic convenor.
“I truly believe that we accomplished that, and I am deeply grateful to the many York community members who walked with me on this journey and executed this vision with passion. None of this would be possible without the unparalleled, team-centred leadership of Congress Director, Liz McMahan, and my fearless colleagues on the scholarly planning committee who guided and contributed to every aspect of the vision of Congress 2023 from the planning of Indigenous initiatives, to the centering of art, and the building of community relations. I am indebted to them, and to all our staff teams and volunteers. I have such an increased understanding and appreciation of the work they do quietly every day to make the University function. I am truly grateful to have been able to lead this partnership of ideas.”
York’s team of dedicated staff, faculty and volunteers were pivotal to the success of conference, which included more than 250 faculty and scholars from York presenting their research to Congress participants affiliated with 67 academic associations.
“I am deeply grateful to the nearly 900 staff and over 400 volunteers who made Congress 2023 a reality. Hosting an event of this magnitude on our campuses required a tremendous amount of collaboration and creativity. The community really came together to provide all of the services and support that were needed that made for an exceptional experience for attendees,” says McMahan.
See more stories about Congress here. To view images captured during Congress, go here. For a video with highlights from the week, see below.
Students earn Robert Everett Exceptional Leadership in Student Governance Award
Share
In honour of Robert Everett, a distinguished senior assistant secretary of York University, who made extraordinary contributions supporting University governance for nearly three decades, President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton established in 2018 the Robert Everett Exceptional Leadership in Student Governance Awardto recognize and celebrate students and their impact on governance at York University.
The University secretariat has announced that three students are recipients of this award for the 2022-23 academic year.
The students are:
Ana Kraljević, Glendon College/Collège universitaire Glendon, BA, bilingual (Hon.), double major in Canadian studies and études françaises/French studies, was selected for her significant and lasting contributions to York governance. Her contributions have included roles as president of the Glendon College Student Union (GCSU), vice-president academic affairs for the GCSU, member of Glendon’s Faculty Council and student senator.
“Faculty members were struck by your dedication to governance, not only by you actively serving in Faculty and Senate roles but by your truly impressive levels of leadership at Glendon and York University,” reads a letter from University Secretary Pascal Robichaud.
The letter goes on to say a fellow student commended Kraljević for her work in being an advocate for student needs by critically looking at issues from different perspectives and acting as a liaison between students and governing bodies.
Ariana Mah, Glendon College/Collège universitaire Glendon, BA, bilingual (Hon.), political science (international bachelor of arts), was selected for her contributions to the York University Board of Governors, leadership roles on the Glendon College Student Union and membership of collegial bodies at departmental and Faculty levels.
A letter informing Mah of the award, from Robichaud, says the award recognizes Mah’s dedication to governance in Faculty roles, but also in fostering active student participation. “(Senior members of the faculty administration) were in high praise of your exceptional dedication to Glendon College, notably with your involvement in changes to the grading system and academic honesty policies through your service work, as well as your collegial leadership.”
Mah was commended for her input, diligence, collegiality and genuine interest in these roles and contributions.
Yashna Manek, Faculty of Science, BA (Hon.), double major in mathematics for education and French studies, was chosen as a recipient for significant contributions to governance in the Faculty of Science, Senate and the University as a whole.
Senior members of the faculty administration noted Manek’s “utter dedication to governance, evidenced by your service as a member of the Science Student Caucus, student senator and member of the Senate Appeals Committee,” according to a letter from Robichaud.
Additionally, the letter outlines Manek’s steadfast support to incoming students and prospective students, and was noted for having a profound impact on fellow students.
More about Robert Everett
Robert Everett
The award was established in honour of the late Robert Everett, a distinguished senior assistant secretary of the University who made extraordinary contributions supporting University governance for nearly three decades. President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton established the Robert Everett Exceptional Leadership in Student Governance Award in 2018 to recognize and celebrate students and their impact on governance at York University.
Osgoode grad hopes scholarship will help inspire Indigenous youth
Share
Osgoode Hall Law School graduand Justin Thompson hopes a major scholarship he recently won will help inspire other Indigenous youth to reach for the stars.
Justin Thompson
The member of Nipissing First Nation near North Bay, Ont., who officially graduates from York University’s Osgoode at Spring Convocation, was recently named a recipient of the $10,000 John Wesley Beaver Memorial Award. John Wesley Beaver was a former chief of the Alderville First Nation in eastern Ontario who served as a fighter pilot in the Second World War and rose to become a high-ranking executive at Ontario Power Generation. The scholarship is offered annually by Ontario Power Generation through Indspire, a national Indigenous charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people.
“Indigenous students want to see someone like themselves who is achieving things,” said Thompson. “So getting the award helps to show that anything is possible for Indigenous students and the sky is the limit.”
Thompson, who is the first in his immediate family to attend university, said the award also represents for him one more sign of hope that Indigenous youth and their communities can look forward to a brighter future after many generations of suffering under colonial oppression. His own great-grandmother, Agnes, was a residential school survivor.
In 2014, for example, his community enacted its own constitution, effectively supplanting the federal Indian Act. In addition, Nipissing First Nation is currently developing its own citizenship law, which will allow the community – not the federal government – to decide who is a citizen. Alongside these developments, he added, the community is enjoying better times economically and is eagerly awaiting the results of the Restoule case, a landmark case currently before the Supreme Court of Canada that could see members of the Anishinaabe Nation in northern Ontario win better compensation for the lands they agreed to share with the Crown under the 1850 Robinson Huron Treaty.
“We’ve seen all these exciting changes,” said Thompson. “So I want to play my part in helping my community become more sovereign and to exercise its rights of self-determination, loosening the grip of the Indian Act.”
Even as a teenager, he said, that desire drove his decision to become a lawyer. The scholarship has helped him to realize that dream, he added. In July, after completing his bar admission exams, he will begin articling in the Toronto office of Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP, one of Canada’s leading Aboriginal law firms.
As an aspiring Indigenous lawyer, Thompson said, Osgoode was his first choice of law school after he completed undergraduate and graduate studies at Trent University in Canadian and Indigenous studies. His graduate research there focused on the issue of Indigenous over-incarceration and the lasting impacts of the Indian Act related to the criminalization of Indigenous individuals.
“I came to Osgoode specifically for the Indigenous Intensive,” he said. “And the Indigenous faculty here have been an amazing source of support.”
The only program of its kind in North America, the Intensive Program in Indigenous Lands, Resources, and Governments (IPILRG) explores the legal issues related to Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous rights through the combination of a rigorous academic experience with challenging placements in Indigenous, Aboriginal or environmental law.
“The Intensive was my favourite aspect of law school,” said Thompson. “It was a bit disrupted by COVID, but [Professors] Amar [Bhatia] and Jeff [Hewitt] made sure we had all the support we needed.”
As an Indigenous law student, Thompson said, other highlights of his Osgoode experience included participating in the Kawaskimhon National Aboriginal Moot and his leadership roles with the Osgoode Indigenous Students’ Association (OISA).
“We took on a lot of important initiatives,” he said, citing in his third year the association’s ReDress Week event, its Moose Hide Campaign against domestic and gender-based violence and its Orange Shirt Day, which featured guest speaker and Osgoode alumna Kimberley Murray, the federal government’s Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools.
