University of Lethbridge Fall Convocation (Lethbridge News Now)

By Lara Fominoff

Paul Martin congratulates grads, talks Indigenous education, environment at U of L Fall Convoction

Oct 19, 2019 | 2:28 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The University of Lethbridge awarded more than 270 degrees, diplomas and certificates at its Fall 2019 Convocation ceremony Saturday, Oct 19. Among those receiving a degree was former Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin, who was given an honorary Doctor of Laws.

As Federal Finance Minister from 1993-2002 then Prime Minister from 2003-2006, Martin was a key figure in erasing Canada’s debt, while also focusing on improving lives of Indigenous peoples across the country.

Paul Martin speaks with reporters at the new Science Commons

During his speech to faculty and alumni, Martin congratulated and encouraged the new graduates, spoke of the importance of protecting the environment, respecting Indigenous rights, and how the U of L was a leader amongst post-secondary institutions.

“What you’re sharing with all those young graduates is all the hard work that they put into this and now, another stage in their life begins…the University of Lethbridge is an outstanding university. But what adds to that, is their involvement with the Indigenous peoples. The leadership that the University of Lethbridge has shown, in terms of the transition program, helping young, Indigenous people who’ve not had – who’ve been deprived some of the same educational background…but to give them that chance to make that transition is so important.”

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While he wasn’t at the University to speak about politics per se, he did touch on the importance of protecting the environment, and how much work he believes still needs to be done.

“The statement that we are not above nature, that we are part of nature; that’s an essential part that we got from the Indigenous peoples going back literally hundreds, if not thousands of years. And that really IS what this is all about. The need to protect the planet, is the need to protect our homeland.”

And how that ties in with Alberta as an oil- producing and oil-rich province, he said- was not necessarily mutually exclusive.

“The oil companies in Alberta sponsored many Indigenous young people to go into higher education and there was a great deal of understanding. I really do believe that all of this can be worked out. There is no doubt that protecting the planet is fundamental…but I think that we’ve got to recognize that when we work together we can accomplish great things.”

For the graduates, he also had some sage advice: Look ahead. Learn from the past, but also understand what you need to accomplish in the future.

“They can make the changes that are required. And one of those changes has got to be cooperation…There’s an opportunity for Canada because of who our population are, and what we stand for. There is an opportunity here for these young grads coming from this country.”

As for his “Martin Family Initiative,” which works with elementary and secondary school aged Indigenous, Metis and Inuit youth to improve their educational outcomes, he is open to also working with the U of L in a post- secondary capacity.

“Education is a lifetime thing, and I think that the ability to work with the university, certainly a university that has shown the leadership that the University of Lethbridge has, is something that we would all hope for.”