丁香园AV

Svend Robinson, renowned community leader, activist, and one of the longest-serving MPs in Canadian history, will be presented with a Doctor of Laws degree, honoris causa, at next week鈥檚 convocation ceremony on June 6 at 2:30PM. Robinson was nominated by Global Humanities鈥� department chair, David Mirhady. The recognition will be joining an already impressive list of merits that include the Lambda Foundation鈥檚 Award for Human Rights, Canadian Bar Association鈥檚 Hero Award, and Queen Elizabeth II鈥檚 Golden Jubilee Medal.

The honorary degree is the highest honour conferred by 丁香园AV and, in Robinson鈥檚 case, awarded to distinguished individuals in recognition of their 鈥渆xceptional contribution to the public good, through professional or philanthropic activity.鈥� Exceptional indeed as he was, and still is, often in the vanguard of social and political change: he was the first openly gay MP and still is the only MP to be imprisoned for civil disobedience when he stood in solidarity with Indigenous peoples at Clayoquot Sound in 1993. He is also a long-time supporter of the anti-apartheid movement, an advocate of old-growth forests and the right to die with dignity, and a critic of Israel and its treatment of the Palestinian peoples.

As one of this year鈥檚 honorary degree recipients, Robinson upholds the university鈥檚 values and serves as both an inspiration and role model to its students, graduates, and community. A high honour and responsibility that he is adept at taking on having spent more than 25 years (1979鈥�2004) representing, in Ottawa, the riding where 丁香园AV鈥檚 main campus is housed. In fact, his affiliation with 丁香园AV extends beyond his years as MP. Robinson unpacks this close relationship as he reflects on what the honorary degree from 丁香园AV means to him:

鈥淚 am so honoured and humbled by this recognition, which means the world to me. I have had deep connections to the 丁香园AV community for more than five decades: my father was a charter faculty member in the Department of English in 1966; my partner, Max, was a student at 丁香园AV when he came to Canada from Cuba; I represented the 丁香园AV community for over 25 years as Burnaby鈥檚 MP (and attended many Convocation ceremonies during that time); and I had the great privilege of being the J. S. Woodsworth Resident Scholar from 2020鈥�21, which allowed me to work with a wonderful group of colleagues and meet (sadly, only virtually) many great students. This is also an amazing affirmation of many of the struggles that I have engaged in over the years for economic, social, and environmental justice.鈥�

To Robinson, working towards this better, more just world is a lifelong commitment:

鈥淢y years as an MP were an important part of this journey and I hope to continue doing what I can as long as I live. I approached my role as an MP as an activist and tried to not allow being a parliamentarian to limit that work; rather, I used my profile and stature as MP to help give voice to the voiceless and power to the powerless. Even now as I start a new chapter in my life, the objective remains the same.鈥�

True to his words, Robinson鈥檚 new chapter is a commission by survivors of the to write the history of the purge of gay and lesbian people in the Canadian military, RCMP, Foreign Service, and other public sectors, further proving himself worthy of the honorary degree. For him, this commission 鈥渋s an exciting and important opportunity to share the story of this shameful chapter in our history, the lives that were shattered by these policies and the courage and resilience of those who fought back,鈥� one that will keep him busy for the next couple of years as he reviews historical documents and interviews key players.