Anger grows at U of A over honorary degree for oilsands opponent
EDMONTON The dean of the University of Alberta engineering faculty has posted a scathing letter on his own school’s website criticizing the decision to grant an honorary doctorate to environmentalist David Suzuki.
“It truly saddens me to know that many of you are, as am I, left feeling that one of Alberta’s most favoured children, the University of Alberta, has betrayed you by choosing to confer this honorary degree,” says the Monday post attributed to Fraser Forbes, which doesn’t mention Suzuki by name.
“I am not surprised by the level of outrage being expressed across the entire breadth of our engineering community — surely such is to be expected when one’s fundamental values are so directly questioned!”
Suzuki, a scientist, broadcaster and companion of the Order of Canada, is scheduled to receive an honorary doctorate of science during the spring convocation June 7.
The move has attracted outrage from people upset with his position that the oilsands should be shut down and pipeline construction stopped.
Semi-retired businessman Dennis Erker said he has donated money to the U of A and helped with fundraising campaigns since the 1970s, but that will end if Suzuki’s doctorate isn’t rescinded.
He has heard others make similar vows.
“It will probably be the most expensive degree ever granted by the university when you consider the amount of money the university gets from people from the energy sector or related to the energy sector in our province,” Erker said.
“We will probably lose 50 per cent of those contributions.”
Forbes, who couldn’t be reached for further comment, wrote the decision has precipitated a “crisis of trust” in the engineering faculty and the university has become disconnected from the people it’s meant to serve.
He feels the problem is that recipients are chosen by the university senate without faculty input.
“That the impact of this year’s honorary degree selection has created such a rift between our university and Albertans shows the university didn’t simply miss the mark, but, as you have told me loud and clear, left many of you, its supporters, feeling hurt and devalued,” he wrote.
“I am deeply sorry (ashamed, in fact) for the hurt that we at the university have caused Albertans in the last two weeks. It need not have happened. It should not have happened. My apologies.”
An email campaign started by Calgary lawyer Robert Iverach last week urges people to write to U of A president David Turpin, chancellor Doug Stollery and others demanding the senate reverse what Iverach calls a “stupid decision.”
The group is looking at taking out newspaper ads to publicize the issue, said Iverach, who estimates millions of dollars in public donations are at stake.
“This is a complete slap in the face to the entire energy industry in Alberta … to have a guy like Suzuki come into Alberta saying our oil should stay in the ground because of climate change and other things.” A university spokesman declined to comment.
The institution says in a post it’s aware some people have expressed “displeasure” Suzuki is being given the doctorate, but such moves are intended to honour recipients’ contributions in various fields rather than indicate agreement with their perspectives.
“While we recognize that certain of Dr. Suzuki’s perspectives on the current debate between economic development and environmental sustainability are themselves a subject of debate, as an institution of higher learning the university is committed to the expression of, exposure to and debate of diverse points of view,” the post says.