A message from President Peter MacKinnon I want to express a very warm welcome to the graduates, families and friends who join us today. Convocation is the Universitys most important ceremony, for it is here that we celebrate the accomplishments of our students and the contributions of their loved ones to their success. You should be proud of this day, and of the commitment and sacrifice that it represents. We at the University of Saskatchewan salute you our graduates and we extend to you our very best wishes for the future. We hope that you will stay in touch with us through our University of Saskatchewan alumni family, and that we will have the opportunity to welcome you home to our campus many times in the years ahead. Warmest congratulations! University of Saskatchewan 1 2002 Spring Convocation University of Saskatchewan 2002 Spring Convocation he word “Convocation” arises from the Latin “con” The ceremony, solemnized in the presence of the University Tmeaning “together,” and “vocare” meaning “to call.” community and family and friends of the graduands, consists Our Convocation ceremony is a calling together of the new of three parts: a procession marking the leaving of the old graduates of the University of Saskatchewan, symbolizing status and entering the new; the President’s statement to the the historical practice of calling graduands, the Secretary’s petition and together all former graduates. In the Chancellor’s consent for their current times, the major functions admission; followed by individual of Convocation are the election of presentation by their Dean and representatives to University admission by the Chancellor to the governing bodies and the admis- degrees to which they are entitled. As sion of candidates to degrees. The graduates are admitted to their degrees, Chancellor, elected by convocation a graduation hood, which has a colour as its Chair, is the highest official symbolizing a particular degree, is and spokesperson of the University. placed over each graduate’s head. A banner displaying the University crest The Convocation ceremony marks is hung above the stage, as a symbol the transition from the role of of the University’s authority to confer student to the holder of a degree degrees. with its accompanying rights and privileges. Candidates for degrees, Following the conferring of degrees and known as graduands, having acceptance of each graduate as a completed the requirements of a member of Convocation, a reception is course of study, are recommended held – a celebration on the occasion of by college faculties and the the formal transition from the role of University Council to receive learner to the role of producer and degrees from the University of contributor in the field of the graduate’s Saskatchewan. choice. We honour and welcome this year’s graduates! University of Saskatchewan 2 2002 Spring Convocation The Chancellor W. T. (Tom) Molloy om Molloy was born and raised in Saskatoon. He Distinguished Community Service; Rotary Golden Wheels Tattended St. Thomas More College and later the College Award for Excellence, Saskatoon B’nai Brith “Proud of You of Law, both at the University of Saskatchewan. He Award”, and the Head of the Public Service Award for received his B.A. and LL.B. in 1964. He has practiced law Excellence in Service Delivery. in Saskatoon since graduation and is with the MacPherson Leslie & Tyerman’s In 1996 he was made an officer of the Saskatoon office. He has represented the Order of Canada, with a citation that reads: Government of Canada as the Chief He is widely known for his role as Chief Federal Negotiator in the successfully Negotiator for the Government of Canada concluded treaties in Nunavut and with the in the Nunavut Land Claim Agreement. His Nisga’a in British Columbia and an integrity, commitment to a just settlement Agreement in Principle with the Sechelt and personable rapport have also been Indian Band. He presently represents valuable in his leadership of numerous Canada in treaty negotiations in British cultural, educational and charitable Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova groups, not only in Saskatchewan but also Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Nunavut. nationally, including the Meewasin Mr. Molloy has been described as Foundation and PRIDE Canada. “Canada’s most expert treaty negotiator.” The University of Saskatchewan Alumni Association awarded him the 2000 Alumni Mr. Molloy recently authored a book The Honour Award in recognition of receiving World is our Witness: The Historic Journey notable acclaim for professional of the Nisga’a into Canada. The book has achievements, which in turn has enhanced won two Saskatchewan Book Awards, The Brenda MacDonald the image of the University of Saskatchewan and its alumni. Riches First Book Award and the Non-fiction Award which In January 2001, The Canadian Bar Association Sask- was sponsored by the University of Saskatchewan. atchewan Branch named him as the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. For his work in the community he has received a number of awards including the City of Saskatoon Certificate of University of Saskatchewan 3 2002 Spring Convocation Honorary Doctor of Laws Alan C. Cairns lan C. Cairns studied at the University of Toronto and brought a meticulous scholarly sensibility, a keen awareness A Oxford University, from which he obtained a D. Phil. in of constitutional priorities, and a passion about the 1963. He was a member of the Department of Political Science constitutional future of the country to bear on issues of at the University of British Columbia from 1960 until his pressing and significant concern to the citizens of Canada. retirement in 1995. Since his retirement, He has published countless articles and Dr. Cairns has had visiting appointments books over his career and is still active in and chairs at the University of Toronto, his research and writing. Queen’s University, the University of Saskatchewan, York University, the In recognition of his achievements, he has University of Waterloo and the University been made an Officer of the Order of of British Columbia. While at the University Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Saskatchewan, Professor Cairns was the of Canada. He was awarded the first incumbent of the Law Foundation of Governor General’s International Award for Saskatchewan Chair in the College of Law Canadian Studies, and was the recipient and he taught in the Department of Political of the prestigious Canada Council Killam Studies. His list of academic contributions Scholarship 1989-1991. The career of since his retirement is a four-page Professor Cairns demonstrates that the document. scholarly role – that patient, disinterested, orderly process of attempting to understand Dr. Cairns is a well-known expert on and explain historical events and societal constitutional and political issues. A fellow phenomena – is not subordinate or inferior political scientist at York University to direct involvement in the political or described Professor Cairns as “the leading student of administrative process. The task of reflecting on the Canadian politics” as a way of capturing the contribution, significance of public events is important to any democratic which he has made to academic analysis and public debate society which is to function properly, and there can be few on questions concerning constitutional developments in better examples of mastery of this craft than Professor Cairns. Canada. As a writer and commentator, Professor Cairns has University of Saskatchewan 4 2002 Spring Convocation Honorary Doctor of Laws Margaret (Peggy) L. McKercher eggy McKercher has made outstanding contributions to Saskatchewan Medical Research Foundation, the Sask- Pher alma mater, her city, her province and country in areas atchewan Order of Merit Advisory Committee, and the of enormous significance. Canadian Water Resources Board of Directors. She has served Mrs. McKercher graduated from the University of Sask- as chair of the Sherbrooke Community Centre Fund Raising atchewan where she was active in student Campaign. She was the first woman to be government and excelled as an all-round elected to the Rural Municipality of Corman athlete. She was a recipient of the Spirit of Park Council and served as Deputy Reeve Youth Award, and is a member of the and on a range of committees. University’s Athletic Wall of Fame. She is Peggy McKercher’s ongoing love of sports a former faculty member. Mrs. McKercher and understanding of the positive force served as the University representative and physical activity can be in our lives, led to subsequent Chair of the Meewasin Valley her work on the Jeux Canada Games Board Authority in its formative years, contrib- of Directors and the ParticipACTION Board uting to an innovative and invaluable of Directors. concept in civic conservation, beauti- fication and development. Her leadership Mrs. McKercher was honoured as Sask- and administrative skills were also utilized atoon Citizen of the Year in 1989, and has as Vice-Chair of Wanuskewin Heritage been the recipient of numerous other Park, which was developed and built by awards including the Rosalie Early MVA, and which houses a state of the art Memorial Award; the Governor General’s University of Saskatchewan Archae- Canada 125 Award; the Ernst and Young, ological lab interpreting 6000 years of Plains Indian history. Bank of Montreal Award for Socially Responsible Entrepreneur Peggy McKercher’s appreciation of history and our cultural of the Year, Western Canada for 1994. In 1995 Peggy heritage is further manifested in her service as a Board member McKercher was invested in the Order of Canada. On November of the National Capital Commissions’ Canadiana Fund, the 21, 2001 she was awarded the Saskatchewan Order of Merit. Saskatchewan Arts Board, and most recently as the In 1995 Peggy McKercher assumed the role of Chancellor of Saskatchewan representative on the Trans Canada Trail the University of Saskatchewan and her term of office Foundation Advisory Board.