Cape Breton University to Confer听Six听Honorary Degrees听on Outstanding Individuals during听Spring 2021 Convocation
On Saturday, May 8, 2021, during the virtual spring convocation celebration, Cape Breton University will confer honorary doctorates on six individuals from across the country who have made a significant impact in their fields of study as well as their 福利免费在线看. CBU will confer the degrees Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, on Dr. Robert Strang, accepting on behalf of public health professionals in Nova Scotia, and Dr. Shiv Sharma. Also, CBU will confer the degrees Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, on the Honorable Dr. Mayann Francis, the Honorable Margaret McCain, Mr. Denis Ryan and Mr. Doug MacPhee.
鈥淚 am delighted to recognize the achievements of such accomplished and听deserving professionals听representing the healthcare, cultural and public service sectors of Canada, and the world,鈥� says David C. Dingwall, President and Vice-Chancellor. 鈥淭hese individuals are the epitome of hard-work, dedication and perseverance and are exactly the strong role models we at Cape Breton University want our students to emulate. Each with their own unique leadership styles, they give selflessly to the communities they serve.鈥�
Dr. Robert Strang
Dr. Robert Strang is Chief Medical Officer of Health in Nova Scotia appointed in August 2007.鈥� He received his medical degree from the University of British Columbia and completed Family Practice and Public Health and Preventive Medicine residencies at UBC.听Dr. Strang was an Associate Medical Officer of Health in South Fraser Health, BC, from 1997-1999 and in 1999, moved to Halifax to become Medical Officer of Health for Capital District Health Authority. As CMOH, he has provided leadership around the renewal of the public health system in Nova Scotia and worked tirelessly to better support healthcare for Nova Scotian families and communities. He is passionate about public health and has worked with non-government organizations such as Smoke Free Nova Scotia, Heart and Stroke Foundation and Public Health Association of Nova Scotia.鈥� Dr. Strang has an adjunct appointment with Dalhousie University, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology.
鈥淭hrust into the spotlight and a true team player, Dr. Strang will accept this honour on behalf of all public health professionals of Nova Scotia,鈥� adds President Dingwall. 鈥淭hese professionals have stepped up to protect the people of our great province during a very difficult听time, and听continue to guide us to safety. For their commitment and for unwittingly shining a bright light on this important sector, we salute听them.鈥�
The听Honourable听Dr. Mayann Francis, ONS.
Dr. Mayann Francis grew up in Whitney Pier, Nova Scotia, and attended university in Halifax and New York, where she received her Master’s in Public Administration.听Dr. Mayann Francis held the role of Lieutenant Governor for the province of Nova Scotia from 2006听–听2012.听 She was the first African Nova Scotian and the second woman to be appointed as the vice-regal representative. Dr. Francis served from 2015听–听2020 as the first Distinguished Public Service Fellow in the Faculty of Management, School of Public Administration at Dalhousie University.
She has served in many leadership roles, including Chair of the Board for the Atlantic School of Theology.听 Among her many accomplishments,听author can also be added to the list. Nimbus Publishing published her first children’s book,听“Mayann’s Train Ride”听in October 2015, which was translated into French in 2018. Her memoir, 鈥淢ayann Francis, An Honourable Life鈥�, was released in June 2019,听and was included in The Hill Times’听list of 100 best non-fiction books.听Dr. Francis is working on her second children’s book scheduled for publication in 2021.
鈥淕rowing up in Whitney Pier, Cape Breton, helped shape the person I am today and helped build the strong foundation I needed to be successful to reach my goals,鈥� says the Honorable Dr. Mayann Francis. 鈥淚 am so humbled to receive an honorary doctorate from Cape Breton Island鈥檚 university and proud to share this honour with so many other impactful and recognized individuals. I know my parents would be very proud and I wish they were here to celebrate this honour with me.鈥�
The Honorable Margaret McCain
Margaret Norrie McCain was born October 1, 1934, in northern Quebec. Mrs. McCain received a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours in History from Mount Allison University, Sackville, N.B., and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Toronto. In 1955 she married听entrepreneur听G. Wallace F. McCain of听Florenceville, N.B. They had听four children and nine grandchildren. Mrs. McCain was a member of the Mount Allison University Board of Regents from 1974-1994 and served as Chancellor of the University from 1986-1994.听 On April 28, 1994, Margaret Norrie McCain was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of New Brunswick and was the first female to hold this position. She served in that role until April 1997. Margaret McCain was a member of the Board of the National Ballet School for 18 years, serving as Board Chair from 1998 to 2000. She is currently Chair of the Margaret & Wallace McCain Family Foundation.
Dr. Shiv Sharma
Dr. Shiv Sharma graduated from SN Medical School in Agra, India, in 1962, with an MBBS Medical Degree. He completed his medical internship in Kampala, Uganda in 1964. For the first year of his medical career, Dr. Sharma worked as a medical officer for the Government of Uganda.听From 1965 until his retirement in 2016, Dr. Sharma worked in medical practices throughout Canada. Sharma had his own practice in Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, and developed a strong reputation in the 福利免费在线看 as a trusted doctor and 福利免费在线看 leader.
He is a past听president of the Rotary Club of Port Hawkesbury and contributed significantly to the creation of one of the first Hindu temples in North America in Auld’s Cove, Nova Scotia.听As well, Dr. Sharma and his wife were the founding members of the first Hindu Society in the Maritimes.听For his contributions to the medical 福利免费在线看, Dr. Sharma was recognized at the age of 70 by the College of Family Physicians of Canada for his outstanding service to the profession. He also was given honorary Emeritus status from the Canadian College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Dr.听Denis Ryan听
Born in Newport, County Tipperary, Ireland,听Dr. Denis Ryan immigrated to Canada in 1969 where he and his family settled in Toronto. He formed the critically acclaimed band Ryan’s Fancy in 1970 and moved to St. John’s, Newfoundland,听in 1971 to attend Memorial University. After graduation,听Dr. Ryan and his family moved to听PEI in 1977,听and would听eventually听settle in听Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1980 residing听there ever since. Over 13 years, Ryan’s Fancy would go on to record more than 14听albums and create a television series that aired in Canada, Ireland and the United States. In 1983 the group was disbanded, and听Dr. Ryan then turned his attention to business investments.听Dr. Ryan is the founder of Nova Scotian Crystal, Canada’s only mouth-blown, hand-cut crystal manufacturer.听Dr. Ryan听was听the National Chairperson of the听Fund Raising听Committee for the Darcy McGee Chair of Irish Studies at Saint Mary’s University, a member of the Board of听Directors听for the Victoria General Hospital听Foundation, and Vice-Chairperson of the Danny Gallivan Scholarship Fund at St. Francis Xavier University, as well as a member of the Board of Governors.听In听1994, Dr. Ryan received an honorary degree from St. Mary鈥檚 University.
Mr. Doug MacPhee
Mr. Doug MacPhee is renowned for his musical accomplishments and is a true pillar of traditional Scottish music. Celebrated both as an accompanist and as a soloist, he is widely known for his unique ability to emulate the sound of the Cape Breton fiddle on the piano.
Over the course of his admirable career, Mr. MacPhee has released six solo recordings. He recorded accompaniment on over 60 albums with such Cape Breton fiddle luminaries as Buddy听MacMaster, Donald MacLellan, Johnny Wilmot, Carl听MacKenzie, John Campbell and Joe Cormier, to name a few. Mr. MacPhee has played a vital role in the foundation and growth of such institutions dedicated to music and culture as the Gaelic College in St. Anne’s, the Celtic Colours International Music Festival and the Beaton Institute at Cape Breton University.
Mr. MacPhee was inducted into Order of Canada for his contribution to Cape Breton traditional culture in 2008, honouring his musical accomplishments, as well as his archival work.听Mr. MacPhee鈥痟as lived in Toronto, Boston and even California, but the call of returning home was strong and he is always happiest playing music and living home in New Waterford, Cape Breton.
Cape Breton University has been awarding honorary degrees since 1989, and during that time, has welcomed听individuals听from around the听world in numerous sectors into our Alumni family.
The听2021听spring听convocation will be celebrated through听a virtual听platform听on Saturday,听May 8, 2021,听at听2:00 pm.听