Concordia's Thursday Report

Louise Arbour

Born in Montreal, the Honorable Louise Arbour was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada in 1999. She has had a tremendous impact on the laws for human rights and justice both within Canada and on the international stage.

She has served as chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunals in The Hague, appointed by the Security Council of the United Nations in 1996 to oversee the investigation of war crimes in the former Yugoslavia and genocide in Rwanda. In 1995, she headed a federal inquiry into alleged human rights abuses of prisoners at the Kingston Prison for Women.

Early in her career, Justice Arbour articled for the City of Montreal’s legal department. Then followed stints as a law clerk for the Supreme Court of Canada, and research officer for the Law Reform Commission.

Justice Arbour was a professor at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School from 1974 to 1987, and associate dean in 1987. She was vice-president of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association from 1985 to 1987. In 1987, she was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ontario; in 1990, she was appointed to the Court of Appeal for Ontario.

Geoffrey Ballard

Geoffrey Ballard

A native of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Dr. Geoffrey Ballard is a scientist who has spent close to 30 years working on alternative energy sources and technologies. He started his career as a research scientist in the United States, becoming research director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Conservation in 1974.

In 1979, he founded Ballard Power Systems, now a world leader in the development of affordable, zero-emission fuel cell systems for power plants, portable electrical generators, marine engines, and buses. Dr. Ballard’s contribution to the fuel cell was in compressing its size, increasing its power density and lowering its cost, by about a thousandfold, to the point where the fuel cell began to look like a competitive energy source.

His innovations in fuel cell technology have steered the auto industry, currently the world’s single biggest polluter, on a course towards manufacturing environmentally clean vehicles.

Dr. Ballard has received numerous honorary doctorates and environmental awards. In 1995, he received the Canadian Commemorative Medal. Since retiring, he has remained an active public speaker on education and technology, and a passionate lover of the arts.

Lionel P. Hurtubise

Lionel P. Hurtubise

A Montrealer who attended Loyola College, Lionel Hurtubise is chairman and former CEO of Ericsson Canada Inc. He has been called a champion of the information age, a tribute to nearly half a century’s work in mobile radiophone, cellular and wireless technologies.

Under Mr. Hurtubise’s leadership, Ericsson Canada has helped place Montreal as a primary location for information technology research and development, and manufacturing. He has also been key to building strategic relationships between Canadian universities and the telecommunications industry.

He began his career with the Canadian Marconi Company in 1953 and was instrumental in the formation of major international manufacturers of telecommunications equipment.

Mr. Hurtubise is past chairman of the Computer Research Institute of Montreal (CRIM), the Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research, Industry and Education (CANARIE), Société Innovatech Grand Montréal, Micronet and the Institut national des télécommunications. He chairs the Quebec chapter of the Canadian Advanced Technology Association (CATA). Since 1997, Mr. Hurtubise has been the Honorary Swedish Consul for Montreal.

Henry Mintzberg

Henry Mintzberg

Henry Mintzberg is known for his pioneering work in the field of strategic management in organizations. Born in Montreal, he earned his BA from Sir George Williams University in 1962, BEng from McGill University, and his Master’s and PhD degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr. Mintzberg is a distinguished contemporary management author, and his expertise is recognized around the world. Over more than 30 years, he has written extensively on management, the structuring of organizations and the strategy process. He has also served as a consultant and lecturer to businesses and governments around the world.

Dr. Mintzberg has received honorary doctorates from the University of Venice, the University of Lund, Lancaster University, Simon Fraser University, Université de Geneva, Université de Lausanne, Université de Liege, and Université de Montréal.

Since 1968, he has been a professor in the Management Faculty at McGill, where he holds the Cleghorn Chair in Management Studies. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and recipient of the 1996 Léon-Gérin Prix du Québec. In addition to outdoor sports, Dr. Mintzberg enjoys short story writing.

Robert Savoie

Robert Savoie

Born in Montreal, baritone Robert Savoie has sung around the world in 92 roles over the course of his 31-year career as an opera singer. His professional debut was in 1953 as Scarpia in Puccini’s La Tosca, at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan. From 1954 to 1958, Savoie performed more than 50 opera and operetta roles on Radio-Canada’s l’Heure du Concert. He then returned to the Italian scene, singing under the name Roberto Savoia until 1960.

In more than 3,000 performances, he has sang at venues including the Covent Garden Royal Opera House in London and Carnegie Hall, and on stages throughout France, Scotland, the United States, South Africa and South America.

In 1965, he won an International Emmy for his starring role in Radio-Canada’s Le Barbier de Séville. In 1971, he performed the title role in Falstaff, for the inauguration of the John F. Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C.

After retiring from the stage in 1981, he developed his interest in arts administration, co-founding l’Opéra de Montréal, l’Orchestre Métropolitain and le Mouvement d’action pour l’art lyrique du Québec. He was Artistic Director at the City of Lachine for 20 years, where he coordinated numerous concert series and a yearly summer musical festival. He also taught voice at McGill University.

In 1991, Robert Savoie was named Chevalier de la Pléiade by l’Ordre de la francophonie et du dialogue des cultures de l’Assemblée internationale des parlementaires de langue française.

Shirley Thomson

Shirley Thomson

Shirley Thomson is the director of the Canada Council for the Arts, and the former director of the National Gallery of Canada and the McCord Museum. Her work has helped advance knowledge and understanding of people and their cultures, and the arts.

At the National Gallery, Dr. Thomson made her own passion for art an experience shared by a wider community. Her work to inform the government of the vital role of the arts within Canadian culture was recognized by her appointment to the directorship of the Canada Council for the Arts.

With an engaging commitment to the arts that has become her hallmark, Dr. Thomson has developed strategic priorities at the Canada Council for the long-term development of Canadian arts. Several new initiatives focus on recognition of the past and present work of aboriginal artists. And two years ago, the Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts were launched to recognize the accomplishments and vision of Canadian painters, sculptors, installation artists, photographers, and artists in film, video and new media.

Early in her career she was Secretary-General of the Canadian Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and director of the UNESCO pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal. Dr. Thomson is a Chevalier des arts et des lettres, named by the Government of France in 1990, and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1994.

Spring Convocation

Faculty of Arts and Science
June 11, 1:30 pm, Louise Arbour;
June 12, 10 am, Geoffrey Ballard

John Molson School of Business
June 11, 7 pm, Henry Mintzberg

Faculty of Fine Arts
June 12, 3 pm, Shirley Thomson, Robert Savoie

Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science
June 12, 7 pm, Lionel P. Hurtubise


Louise Arbour	Louise Arbour Born in Montreal, the Honorable Louise Arbour was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada in 1999. She has had a tremendous impact on the laws for human rights and justice both within Canada and on the international stage. She has served as chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunals in The Hague, appointed by the Security Council of the United Nations in 1996 to oversee the investigation of war crimes in the former Yugoslavia and genocide in Rwanda. In 1995, she headed a federal inquiry into alleged human rights abuses of prisoners at the Kingston Prison for Women. Early in her career, Justice Arbour articled for the City of Montreal’s legal department. Then followed stints as a law clerk for the Supreme Court of Canada, and research officer for the Law Reform Commission. Justice Arbour was a professor at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School from 1974 to 1987, and associate dean in 1987. She was vice-president of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association from 1985 to 1987. In 1987, she was appointed to the Supreme Court of Ontario; in 1990, she was appointed to the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
Geoffrey Ballard	Geoffrey Ballard A native of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Dr. Geoffrey Ballard is a scientist who has spent close to 30 years working on alternative energy sources and technologies. He started his career as a research scientist in the United States, becoming research director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Conservation in 1974. In 1979, he founded Ballard Power Systems, now a world leader in the development of affordable, zero-emission fuel cell systems for power plants, portable electrical generators, marine engines, and buses. Dr. Ballard’s contribution to the fuel cell was in compressing its size, increasing its power density and lowering its cost, by about a thousandfold, to the point where the fuel cell began to look like a competitive energy source. His innovations in fuel cell technology have steered the auto industry, currently the world’s single biggest polluter, on a course towards manufacturing environmentally clean vehicles. Dr. Ballard has received numerous honorary doctorates and environmental awards. In 1995, he received the Canadian Commemorative Medal. Since retiring, he has remained an active public speaker on education and technology, and a passionate lover of the arts.
Lionel P. Hurtubise	Lionel P. Hurtubise A Montrealer who attended Loyola College, Lionel Hurtubise is chairman and former CEO of Ericsson Canada Inc. He has been called a champion of the information age, a tribute to nearly half a century’s work in mobile radiophone, cellular and wireless technologies. Under Mr. Hurtubise’s leadership, Ericsson Canada has helped place Montreal as a primary location for information technology research and development, and manufacturing. He has also been key to building strategic relationships between Canadian universities and the telecommunications industry. He began his career with the Canadian Marconi Company in 1953 and was instrumental in the formation of major international manufacturers of telecommunications equipment. Mr. Hurtubise is past chairman of the Computer Research Institute of Montreal (CRIM), the Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research, Industry and Education (CANARIE), Société Innovatech Grand Montréal, Micronet and the Institut national des télécommunications. He chairs the Quebec chapter of the Canadian Advanced Technology Association (CATA). Since 1997, Mr. Hurtubise has been the Honorary Swedish Consul for Montreal.
Henry Mintzberg	Henry Mintzberg Henry Mintzberg is known for his pioneering work in the field of strategic management in organizations. Born in Montreal, he earned his BA from Sir George Williams University in 1962, BEng from McGill University, and his Master’s and PhD degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Mintzberg is a distinguished contemporary management author, and his expertise is recognized around the world. Over more than 30 years, he has written extensively on management, the structuring of organizations and the strategy process. He has also served as a consultant and lecturer to businesses and governments around the world. Dr. Mintzberg has received honorary doctorates from the University of Venice, the University of Lund, Lancaster University, Simon Fraser University, Université de Geneva, Université de Lausanne, Université de Liege, and Université de Montréal. Since 1968, he has been a professor in the Management Faculty at McGill, where he holds the Cleghorn Chair in Management Studies. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and recipient of the 1996 Léon-Gérin Prix du Québec. In addition to outdoor sports, Dr. Mintzberg enjoys short story writing.
Robert Savoie	Robert Savoie Born in Montreal, baritone Robert Savoie has sung around the world in 92 roles over the course of his 31-year career as an opera singer. His professional debut was in 1953 as Scarpia in Puccini’s La Tosca, at the Teatro Nuovo in Milan. From 1954 to 1958, Savoie performed more than 50 opera and operetta roles on Radio-Canada’s l’Heure du Concert. He then returned to the Italian scene, singing under the name Roberto Savoia until 1960. In more than 3,000 performances, he has sang at venues including the Covent Garden Royal Opera House in London and Carnegie Hall, and on stages throughout France, Scotland, the United States, South Africa and South America. In 1965, he won an International Emmy for his starring role in Radio-Canada’s Le Barbier de Séville. In 1971, he performed the title role in Falstaff, for the inauguration of the John F. Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C. After retiring from the stage in 1981, he developed his interest in arts administration, co-founding l’Opéra de Montréal, l’Orchestre Métropolitain and le Mouvement d’action pour l’art lyrique du Québec. He was Artistic Director at the City of Lachine for 20 years, where he coordinated numerous concert series and a yearly summer musical festival. He also taught voice at McGill University. In 1991, Robert Savoie was named Chevalier de la Pléiade by l’Ordre de la francophonie et du dialogue des cultures de l’Assemblée internationale des parlementaires de langue française.
Shirley Thomson	Shirley Thomson Shirley Thomson is the director of the Canada Council for the Arts, and the former director of the National Gallery of Canada and the McCord Museum. Her work has helped advance knowledge and understanding of people and their cultures, and the arts. At the National Gallery, Dr. Thomson made her own passion for art an experience shared by a wider community. Her work to inform the government of the vital role of the arts within Canadian culture was recognized by her appointment to the directorship of the Canada Council for the Arts. With an engaging commitment to the arts that has become her hallmark, Dr. Thomson has developed strategic priorities at the Canada Council for the long-term development of Canadian arts. Several new initiatives focus on recognition of the past and present work of aboriginal artists. And two years ago, the Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts were launched to recognize the accomplishments and vision of Canadian painters, sculptors, installation artists, photographers, and artists in film, video and new media. Early in her career she was Secretary-General of the Canadian Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and director of the UNESCO pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal. Dr. Thomson is a Chevalier des arts et des lettres, named by the Government of France in 1990, and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1994. Spring Convocation Faculty of Arts and Science June 11, 1:30 pm, Louise Arbour; June 12, 10 am, Geoffrey Ballard John Molson School of Business June 11, 7 pm, Henry Mintzberg Faculty of Fine Arts June 12, 3 pm, Shirley Thomson, Robert Savoie Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science June 12, 7 pm, Lionel P. Hurtubise