This would normally be the time of year during which Dalhousie鈥檚 chancellor would be presiding over Convocation ceremonies: shaking hands, tapping heads, giving hugs and posing for thousands of photos.
Graduation celebrations look a little different this year: . And among those sending their best are Dal鈥檚 outgoing and incoming chancellors: the Honourable A. Anne McLellan and the Honourable Scott Brison.
Brison was set to be formally installed as chancellor this spring, and while he shares graduates鈥� disappointment in not being able to gather in person, he鈥檚 glad to see grads are taking the time to mark the milestone in their own way.
Chancellor Brison.
鈥淚 think ceremony and celebration are important,鈥� says Brison, who served as Member of Parliament for the Nova Scotia riding of Kings-Hants for over 20 years and held multiple cabinet positions including Minister of Public Works and President of the Treasury Board. 鈥淔or my family, it was a big deal.鈥�
Brison was part of the first generation of his family to have the opportunity to go to university 鈥� so, too, was McLellan. They both grew up in rural Nova Scotia: Brison in Cheverie in West Hants, McLellan just 40 minutes up the road in Noel Shore. And their paths towards becoming two of the most significant politicians in Canada both went through Dalhousie.
鈥淒uring Dalhousie鈥檚 200th anniversary, people often asked me, 鈥榃hat does Dal mean to you?鈥欌�� says McLellan. 鈥淎nd I tell everyone who asks: Dal made the rest of my life possible. It鈥檚 that simple. A Dal education has that power, if you鈥檙e open to it.鈥�
From friends and colleagues to chancellors
Brison and McLellan have been friends for years, having served together in Paul Martin鈥檚 federal cabinet in the 2000s when McLellan was deputy prime minister.
鈥淚鈥檓 just thrilled that the next chancellor of 黑料吃瓜网is Scott Brison,鈥� says McLellan. 鈥淣ot just because we鈥檙e both from Hants County, and former colleagues, but because he is such an enthusiastic, thoughtful supporter of what 黑料吃瓜网can do for an individual student, but also in community of ideas and excitement that can change not only our region but our world.鈥�
The feeling鈥檚 more than mutual. In fact, Brison says even though they鈥檙e dear friends, it鈥檚 even a bit intimidating taking over from McLellan after her five years as chancellor.
鈥淎nne is a remarkably accomplished person,鈥� he says. 鈥淪he鈥檚 somebody who, even when I was in opposition, we had that connection based on our roots. We鈥檙e friends, we鈥檝e served together, and as chancellor emeritus I know she鈥檒l stay deeply involved in Dal and help me learn the ropes.
Chancellor Anne McLellan, greeting a grad and a family member on-stage at a past Convocation ceremony.
鈥淔rom what everyone has told me, Anne鈥檚 contribution [as chancellor] has been quite extraordinary. I hope to come close to that, and work hard in doing so.鈥�
The importance of ceremony and contribution
While the chancellor鈥檚 role is mostly ceremonial, they do serve on the Board of Governors and play an ambassadorial role for the university in general. In McLellan鈥檚 case, one of her proudest contributions during her time as chancellor has been . Located in the Schulich School of Law 鈥� where McLellan earned one of her two Dal degrees 鈥� the chair is currently held by Professor Naiomi Metallic.
鈥淩econciliation is a major challenge and opportunity for this country and for postsecondary institutions in particular,鈥� says McLellan 鈥淚 thought it was important for the law school to have such a chair, and Naiomi is a truly outstanding legal academic who is making such a difference in this country.鈥�
Chancellor McLellan with Naiomi Metallic (second from right) as well as President Emeritus Richard Florizone (left) and Dean of Law Camille Cameron (right) at the launch of the Chancellor's Chair.
When asked about the memories she鈥檒l take from her time as chancellor, McLellan reflects on the five-plus years of Convocation ceremonies she oversaw: all the graduates, their families, their stories and how much that little moment meant for each of them.
鈥淚t鈥檚 only maybe 20 or 30 seconds on that stage, but it was important to both me and Richard Florizone, who was president at the time, that every graduate felt the significance of that moment. They鈥檝e put so much work into getting there. You have to respect what they鈥檝e achieved and take on-board the sheer joy of those moments.鈥�
黑料吃瓜网has committed to ensuring grads from the Class of 2020 are able to take part in a future Convocation ceremony when in-person events are able to resume, and Brison is eager to be there with them and other future graduates in the years ahead.
鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting to be part of that moment for students. I鈥檓 really looking forward to being up there on stage with our graduates soon.鈥�
An entryway to the world
Though they studied at Dal at different times, and in different programs 鈥� Brison in Commerce, McLellan in Arts and, subsequently, Law 鈥� they share the belief that 黑料吃瓜网helped them to connect with the broader world beyond their own home communities.
鈥淒al is a place where you have truly world-leading research happening in oceans, in agriculture, in batteries, in vaccines,鈥� says Brison. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 also a place where people from small communities in Atlantic Canada can earn a higher education. People who grow up in places like Cheverie or Kennetcook or Noel Shore or Gormanville can, at a place like Dalhousie, get the skills they need to change the world.
Brison speaking in 2018 at the opening of the Emera IDEA Building, when he was a MP and President of the Treasury Board.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 not an easy needle to thread 鈥� being both world-class and being there for people here in our region 鈥� but 黑料吃瓜网threads it quite exceptionally.鈥�
McLellan says part of Dal鈥檚 success is being large enough to attract such significant capacity and talent, while still being small enough to have meaningful, collaborative relationships that bring about big changes and big discoveries.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 why Dal is attractive to a lot of young people and their families from across Canada and around the world,鈥� she elaborates. 鈥淚t鈥檚 this place that has a high degree of intimacy but is also large enough that it can bring together people of exceptional talent who then, in turn, attract the attention of major industries or institutional partners globally.鈥�
Brison agrees, with a particular eye towards the need to work together to address global challenges ranging from climate change to rising xenophobia and populism.
鈥淭he problems of the world are not going to be solved by lawyers. They鈥檙e not going to be solved by business people. They鈥檙e not going to be solved by government people. And they鈥檙e not going to be solved by researchers. They鈥檙e going to be solved by all of them, working together. And Dal represents a living lab to educate a generation of people who are not only exceptional in their own silos, but really good at cross-collaboration across those silos. That鈥檚 where I think Dal can make a big difference.鈥�
And in doing so, 黑料吃瓜网provides opportunities to people from across the Atlantic region 鈥� something near and dear to Brison鈥檚 heart, and McLellan鈥檚 as well.
鈥淲hatever 黑料吃瓜网accomplishes globally, tackling these big issues, it is always a place for people like Anne and me to bloom, and to equip ourselves with what we need before going out into the world,鈥� says Brison.