Justice Harry LaForme of the Ontario Court of Appeal will receive an honorary doctorate Saturday during Convocation.
The University of Windsor will confer degrees on approximately 1,000 graduating students during two sessions of its 108th Convocation ceremonies at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 14, in the St. Denis Centre.
The University will bestow honorary doctor of laws degrees on two outstanding individuals: Kevin G. Lynch, vice chair of BMO Financial Group; and Justice Harry LaForme of the Ontario Court of Appeal.
Dr. Lynch has been a senior executive and leader in both the public and private sectors, as well as active in university governance, not-for-profit organizations and corporate boards. In his role with BMO Financial Group, he is a key strategic advisor to the bank, with a focus on global issues of importance to BMO and its customers.
Previously, Lynch spent 33 years with the Government of Canada, including as Clerk of the Privy Council, Cabinet Secretary, Deputy Minister of Finance, Deputy Minister of Industry, and executive director at the International Monetary Fund.
He currently serves as chancellor of University of King’s College in Halifax and on some of Canada’s highest-profile corporate boards. He will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree and will address Convocation at the 10 a.m. session.
Justice LaForme is a member of the Eagle Clan of the Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation located in southern Ontario. His appointment to the Ontario Court of Appeal in November 2004 was the first of an Indigenous person to an appellate court anywhere in the Commonwealth.
He served as commissioner on the Indian Commission of Ontario and chaired the Indian Specific Claims Commission as well as the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission until his resignation over issues of its independence.
Among distinctions he has received is the naming in his honour of a bursary for first-year students in the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Law.
He will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree and will address Convocation at the 3 p.m. session.
Fall Convocation opens at 10 a.m. on Saturday, when degrees will be conferred on graduating classes (including graduate studies) in the faculties of arts, humanities and social sciences; business; education; human kinetics; nursing; science; and law.
At the 3 p.m. session, degrees will be conferred on graduands in the Faculty of Engineering.