The Thursday morning Loyalist College Convocation ceremony honoured 398 graduates from the Schools of Health and Human Studies. The guest speaker was The Honourable William G. Davis who was Premier of Ontario from 1971 until 1985 and served as a Member of the Ontario Legislature from 1959 until 1985. In 1962 he was appointed Education Minister. During the mid-eighties Mr. Davis served as Canada’s Special Envoy on Acid Rain. This assignment resulted in a report that represented significant progress concerning the acid rain environmental issue. In 1986 he was invested as a Companion of the Order of Canada and in 1987 Mr. Davis was invested with the Order of Ontario.
In his address, Mr. Davis stressed that, “education has to be our priority. Look at any professional, whether a doctor, accountant or lawyer, and you see someone who has accomplished a lot. But without their kindergarten teacher, grade eight teacher, high school teachers or the college or university faculty members who taught them, they would not be what they are today. I hope that you, today’s graduating class, will enthusiastically and sincerely accept the responsibilities you will face. I envy you and the contributions that you will be able to make to your communities. I know what service is all about, and I extend a challenge to you. I urge you to understand that public service is something fundamental and know that if we abandon our commitment we will be diminished.”
Mr. Davis was presented with an honorary diploma by Mr. Bob Cottrell, Chair of the Loyalist College Board of Governors, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to public service, his distinguished career as a former Premier of Ontario, and his singular contributions as Education Minister responsible for the establishment of Ontario’s outstanding community college system.
Media Contact: Marilyn Warren, Communications, Loyalist College, (613) 969-1913, ext. 2332; e-mail: mwarren@loyalistc.on.ca