‘We’re counting on you’
Former prime minister Kim Campbell receives honorary Acadia degree
The latest group of arts and divinity graduates from Acadia University are moving forward with a few words of wisdom from a former prime minister.
Honorary Doctor of Civil Laws degree recipient Kim Campbell – the first, and only, woman to serve as Prime Minister of Canada ¬– was the guest speaker at the Wolfville-based university’s 3 p.m. convocation May 13.
“Two bits of advice: one is, there is an elixir of life - it’s called exercise,” said Campbell, to laughs.
“The other one is that there is a secret to happiness – kind deeds.”
Campbell has a law degree and experience serving at all three levels of government. She’s held the position of minister of State for Indian Affairs and Northern Development, minister of Justice and Attorney General, minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs.
She became the first woman elected as prime minister of Canada in June 1993, and went on to head several global organizations following her time in office. She challenged the new Acadia grads to use their educational background to search for truth in a digital age fraught with falsehoods.
“From my perspective, you are at the heart of why I have hope that we will deal with the challenges facing us,” she said.
“This is all part of a search for Axewomen basketball star Paloma Anderson spots a familiar face in the crowd.
the truth and a respect for the truth, and an understanding of what it means to our lives,” she later added.
She said the wisdom and understanding gained in the pursuit of a liberal arts degree will prove useful
in many facets of life, particularly in a world where the generations of tomorrow will be tasked with ensuring the latest technological breakthroughs are properly regulated.
She listed allegations of cyber activity interfering with voting results in other parts of the world as one example of how technology can undermine the democratic process.
“We are living in difficult times,” she said.
Campbell told the graduates to stand for integrity and truth as they use their understanding of how to analyze information as critical thinkers to chart the course for future generations.
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