News

Church Point (N.S.), 13 April 2021 – Université Sainte-Anne is proud to announce that it will award Bob Rae an honorary doctorate in political science during the virtual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 15, 2021.

Originally from Ottawa, Ontario, Mr. Rae graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Arts in Modern History (Specialist) in 1969, and a Master of Philosophy from Oxford University in 1971 (as a Rhodes Scholar). He also graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in 1977.

He was elected eleven times to the House of Commons and the Legislative Assembly of Ontario between 1978 and 2013. He was the Premier of Ontario from 1990 to 1995 and served as interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 2011 to 2013.

Mr. Rae stepped down as a Member of Parliament in 2013 to return to legal practice and, in particular, to work with Indigenous communities and continue his work in education, governance, and human rights. He was senior counsel at the law firm Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP until the summer of 2020.

He was also Canada's Special Envoy to address issues related to humanitarian aid and refugees around the world, in particular to Myanmar.

In July 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Mr. Rae as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York.

He is a Privy Councillor, a Companion of the Order of Canada, and Member of the Order of Ontario. He has received numerous awards and honorary degrees from institutions in Canada and around the world.

He and his wife Arlene have three daughters and five grandchildren.

For his contribution to the public sector, Indigenous communities and particularly for his work in the areas of education, governance and human rights, Université Sainte-Anne is proud to award an Honorary Doctorate in Political Science to Mr. Bob Rae.

The entire community is welcome to attend this virtual ceremony in honour of our students and the Honourable Bob Rae, which will be broadcast on Saturday, May 15, at 2 p.m. on Université Sainte-Anne's Facebook account.

A complete list of honorary doctorate recipients is available on our website.

About Université Sainte-Anne

Université Sainte-Anne, the only French language post-secondary institution in Nova Scotia, offers university and college-level courses as well as a French immersion program and customized training in French as a second language. Recognized for its excellent programs as well as its unique and exceptional living environment, Sainte-Anne offers experiential learning opportunities that promote student engagement and success, and an atmosphere which encourages a culture of excellence in research and development. Solidly established in its community, Université Sainte-Anne is a partner of choice for all those who wish to strengthen the vitality of the regions surrounding its 5 campuses as well as all of Acadie throughout Nova Scotia.

For more information

Rachelle LeBlanc, Director of Communications and Marketing
Université Sainte-Anne
Tel.: 902-769-2114 Extension 7222
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Only some of our news updates are published in English.

To see all our news, visit the Actualités page.

Only some of our news updates are published in English.

To see all our news, visit the Actualités page.