As read by St. Paul's Principal Rick Myers:
At Canadian universities, the Chancellor is the formal head of the institution, in much the same way that a Governor-General is our formal head of state. In cases where the institution grants degrees, it is the Chancellor who has the formal authority to confer them. Chancellors typically serve on the institution’s board of governors as well. But the main role of a Chancellor is to advance the institution’s mission, either by making helpful connections with government, funders and donors, or by representing ideals and values that are important to the institution.
St. Paul’s University College was fortunate to have had Dr. Lloyd Axworthy serve as our first Chancellor over the past three years. The College benefitted in a multitude of ways from his international profile and his expertise in areas of importance to us: international development, Indigenous education, human rights, and the campaign against landmines. We are deeply grateful to Dr. Axworthy for his fine service to the College.
The Board is confident that it has found a worthy successor to Dr. Axworthy in Mr. Jean-Paul Gladu. JP, as he likes to be called, is from the Lake Nipigon area, and is a member of the Bingwi Neyashii Anishinaabek First Nation. He grew up with a deep love of the lakes and forests where he hunted and fished as a child, and that love has never diminished. Indeed, we had some trouble connecting with him last week in order to finalize arrangements for today. It turned out that he was off the communication grid because he was hunting moose in the bush up north. I expect this is not a common problem among Canadian university chancellors.
Not surprisingly, JP’s aspiration as a young man was to become a conservation officer. To that end, he enrolled in the Forest Technician program at the Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology. As part of that program, he completed several courses at Algoma University. One of the qualities that makes JP a fine choice for Chancellor is that he learned at an early age how important postsecondary education is to the advancement of Indigenous people and their communities. He went on to complete a degree in Native American Forestry at Northern Arizona University and an MBA at Queens. His commitment to self-improvement through education continues today as he works his way through the Directors Education Program at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. All of this from a man who was the first in his family to pursue higher education.
JP never actually became a conservation officer, for his education had given him the opportunity to make a much more substantial contribution along that same path. Right out of college, he started working for First Nation communities across Northern Ontario to advance the progress of community forestry. His contributions in this area were substantial. Recognizing that a First Nation’s economic success had to be grounded in a capacity to leverage its land assets, he worked to make his own community the first in Canada to adopt the land code provisions of the First Nations Land Management Act and then led negotiations to create the first forestry cooperative in Ontario to be fully owned by First Nations. Later, JP was able to raise $12 million in financing to create a 67,000 ton pellet plant and a major sawmill operation.
In 2012, the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business was looking for a new President and Chief Executive Officer. CCAB is the pre-eminent organization in Canada for Indigenous companies and for companies that work with Indigenous communities. The CCAB board saw in this dynamic young entrepreneur from Lake Nipigon the perfect choice to lead their organization. He has not disappointed them. During his tenure as President, CCAB membership has more than doubled and its national reputation has grown steadily. Under JP’s leadership, CCAB has introduced two major new initiatives. One is the TFAB – Tools and Financing for Aboriginal Business – a program designed to help Indigenous entrepreneurs launch or grow their businesses. The other is the Certified Aboriginal Business program, which will be foundational to Aboriginal procurement programs in Canada.
JP has always made it a priority to serve the broader community. Most notably, he is a founder and co-chair of the Indigenous Place-Making Council, an organization that promotes the development of buildings, landscapes, public space and public art that reflect and celebrate Indigenous identity and culture. The IPMC has been involved in some spectacular projects, such as the Spirit Gardens in Thunder Bay. I invite you to peruse this little brochure after we’re done today, or go to their website: ipmcouncil.com
Ladies and Gentlemen, our College is very lucky to found such a distinguished successor to Lloyd Axworthy. Former Prime Minister Paul Martin, who has worked closely with JP to promote entrepreneurship among Indigenous youth, has this to say about him:
"JP Gladu’s dedication to the causes he believes in is boundless. I have worked with him for years and his understanding of the major issues facing Canada is exhaustive. What a wonderful appointment for St. Paul’s.”
SSHRC President, Ted Hewitt, who was kind enough to join us today, says of JP: “he is articulate, persuasive, and optimistic about how Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada can and must work together on reconciliation; as such he is a leader for our times.”
Finally, Jim Balsillie, who was unable to attend today because of a prior commitment, sent these words:
“Today’s appointment of JP is a confirmation of his leadership and the positive impact he is having within the First Nations community nationally, especially on the issue of economic advancement. JP and I share the view that economic development and economic prosperity is the critical engine of healthy, sustainable communities. I have long admired his commitment to advance the interests of the Indigenous peoples in Canada and especially the interests of Indigenous businesses because they represent the potential to fundamentally transform our country for the better. I can’t think of a more suitable individual to be asked to serve as Chancellor of St. Paul’s University College.”
Mr. Balsilllie, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
JP, on behalf of the Board of Governors, let me express our delight at your willingness to take on this role, despite your exceptionally busy schedule. We look forward to working with you to advance the mission of the College, particularly in relation to the support of Indigenous students and the advancement of Indigenization across the University of Waterloo campus.