Notley calls decision to honour Suzuki ‘tone deaf’
Premier defends university’s right to confer degree
Premier Rachel Notley weighed in on the University of Alberta’s decision to grant environmentalist David Suzuki an honorary doctorate, saying that while she wouldn’t have picked him to receive the honour, it’s ultimately the university’s call.
“Speaking personally as an alumni, I’m not a big fan of this decision,” Notley told reporters Wednesday. “It struck me as being a bit tone deaf.”
But she stressed it’s up to the university to award honorary degrees.
“It is absolutely their right and obligation to defend that decision,” she said. “I don’t think that in a matter like this it’s appropriate for the government to be interfering with it.”
Suzuki — a scientist, activist and companion of the Order of Canada — has been a critic of Alberta’s energy industry, repeatedly calling for the oilsands to be shut down.
The decision to grant Suzuki an honorary degree has caused a furor amid national political debate over the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.
U of A faculty members Fraser Forbes, dean of engineering, and economist Andrew Leach are among those who have condemned the decision, and some donors have called for the degree to be rescinded. Calgary law firm Moodys Gartner cancelled a fiveyear $100,000 funding commitment to the university ’s law school.
But others are adamant the award go ahead.
On Wednesday, a letter signed by 94 professors, academic staff and students was sent to Postmedia criticizing its previous news coverage. The letter argued Suzuki’s achievements were belittled and advocated for him to receive the degree.
“Dr. Suzuki is receiving the honour in recognition of his work to spread scientific literacy, appreciation of nature, and knowledge of the deep ecological crises threatening life on the planet,” said the letter, coordinated by political science professor Laurie Adkin. “This is critically important work.”
University president David Turpin said he has no intention of reversing the decision.
“The university must give people the space and support they need to think independently without fear of external control or reprisal,” he said in a Postmedia op-ed Tuesday.
Opposition leader Jason Kenney took to Twitter, calling on Albertans to sign a UCP petition. In a video posted Tuesday, he said he was disappointed by the decision to honour someone who “makes millions defaming the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of Albertans.”
Notley said Wednesday she disagreed with Suzuki’s environment-versus-economy approach to debate.
“My personal opinion is that our government’s approach to dealing with the environment and the economy as complementary objectives as opposed to competing objectives is the better way to go,” she said.
Suzuki is one of 13 people scheduled to receive honorary degrees from the U of A this spring. The university will present him with an honorary doctorate of science during its spring convocation June 7.