Distinguished jurist R. Roy McMurtry was officially installed as the 12th chancellor of 91ÑÇÉ« in a formal ceremony on Friday afternoon.
McMurtry, 75, is the former chief justice and attorney general of the Province of Ontario, and the former Canadian high commissioner to Great Britain. He succeeds former Canadian Supreme Court justice Peter deCarteret Cory, who has served as 91ÑÇÉ«’s 11th chancellor since 2004.
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| Above: Roy McMurtry, 91ÑÇÉ«'s 12th chancellor (centre) is congratulated by Marshall Cohen, chair of the Board of Governors of 91ÑÇÉ« (left) and by 91ÑÇÉ« President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri (right). Photo by Gary Beechey, BDS Studios. |
More than 200 invited guests, VIPs, University faculty, staff, alumni, students and well-wishers watched as McMurtry took the chancellor’s oath which was delivered by Marshall Cohen, chair of the Board of Governors of 91ÑÇÉ«. As part of the installation ceremony, 91ÑÇÉ«'s new chancellor received welcome addresses from representatives of all of the University's constituents including faculty, staff, alumni and students. 91ÑÇÉ« President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri and Patrick Monahan, dean of 91ÑÇÉ«’s Osgoode Hall Law School, officially welcomed McMurtry to the 91ÑÇÉ« family. Representatives from numerous universities, colleges and other postsecondary organizations from around the globe also delivered welcome remarks to McMurtry.
The well-respected jurist and former politician was joined by his wife Ria and his eldest grandchild Lauren McMurtry. Many of McMurtry’s friends and colleagues also attended the ceremony, including Ontario’s former premier Bill Davis, 78, who, as McMurtry noted, was elected to the Ontario Legislature in 1959, the year of the birth of 91ÑÇÉ«.
Left: Chancellor McMurtry delivers his installation address. Photo by Gary Beechey, BDS Studios.
In his installation address, McMurtry thanked his predecessor Peter Cory for his encouragement and, the University for welcoming him to the family.
McMurtry spoke of his long affiliation with the University, which included his visits to 91ÑÇÉ« during his time as Ontario's attorney general and chief justice of Ontario. He also talked of his role as a 1958 graduate from Osgoode Hall in downtown Toronto, and of the 1991 honorary doctorate he received from 91ÑÇÉ«. He talked of the important role that 91ÑÇÉ« played in his late mother's life. "I shall always be grateful for the welcome and learning experience given by the University to my late mother when she commenced her studies as a widow and graduated as a senior citizen," said McMurtry. "In 1980, she received her BA in history from Atkinson and became a great admirer of her teacher, Professor Irving Abella, who is here this afternoon.
91ÑÇÉ«'s new chancellor said he had long been an admirer of 91ÑÇÉ«'s commitment to social justice, equality and accessibility. "As a new member of the 91ÑÇÉ« family, I hope to be able to assist and encourage in the education of students who will be meaningfully engaged with their communities in order to strengthen our pursuit of a just society and our social cohesion."
Key among his goals will be to assist 91ÑÇÉ« with its outreach program to students, including skills training, mentoring and tutoring. “I believe that universities must give a greater priority to their outreach to broader communities and I believe this outreach will be more effective if it is tied to the universities’ academic mission,” said McMurtry.
In his role as chief justice of Ontario and as part of his recent work as co-chair of a City of Toronto committee, with MPP Alvin Curling, that reviewed the root causes of youth violence in Ontario, McMurtry said he became very aware of the monumental challenges associated with making meaningful recommendations that will mobilize the political will of government. “I have become much more personally aware of the despair and lack of hope shared by many of our young people. These sentiments have their roots in poverty, racism, lack of education and often an absence of positive role models,” said McMurtry.
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| Above: 91ÑÇÉ«'s 12th chancellor receives a standing ovation at the conclusion of his installation address |
“I am particularly pleased to be part of 91ÑÇÉ« as I know that this outreach has been a priority of the University. In particular, I am thinking of the that was established in 1992,” he said. “I am told the project operates in 23 schools in the Jane and Finch community and offers programs and activities designed to promote equity in public education and increase access to postsecondary opportunities.”
McMurtry also took note of 91ÑÇÉ«’s pivotal role in the and, as part of his installation address, he took the opportunity to wish the Canadian scientific team, led by 91ÑÇÉ« Professor James Whiteway, every success in their historic mission.
“I am also very excited by the fact that I will be chancellor for 91ÑÇÉ«’s 50th anniversary next year. It certainly will be an important opportunity to educate the world more about 91ÑÇÉ«, of 91ÑÇÉ«’s dreams and vision to improve society, locally and globally,” said McMurtry.
He concluded his comments by stating that he hopes to be an effective ambassador to 91ÑÇÉ« and to assist the University in building bridges to the communities it serves.
As chancellor of 91ÑÇÉ«, McMurtry will serve as the honorary or titular head of the University. The chancellor acts as an ambassador for the University, confers degrees and chairs meetings of the University council, which is one of the governing bodies of the University.
The Board of Governors of 91ÑÇÉ« struck a in October 2007 to search for a successor to Peter deCarteret Cory. Members of the 91ÑÇÉ« community were invited to submit suggestions of individuals for the position.
Click to view an archived Webcast of Chancellor McMurtry's installation address.
By Jenny Pitt-Clark, YFile editor.