Honorary Degrees

Darryl Sittler

Darryl Sittler was drafted 8th overall by the Maple Leafs in 1970, and by 1975 he had been named Captain, but it was in the year 1976, that he would leave his mark on history. On February 7, at Maple Leaf Gardens, Darryl would accomplish a feat that had never been achieved before, and has not been equaled since, scoring six goals and recording four assists, for an NHL record ten points in one game. Later that season, while facing the Philadelphia Flyers in the playoffs, Darryl scored five goals in a single game, matching another NHL record that still stands. Five months later at the Montreal Forum, he would score the Canada Cup winning goal, in overtime vs. Czechoslovakia.

In 1982, Darryl would play his final game with the Maple Leafs, having become the team’s all-time leading scorer, and seven years later he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2003, he became just the 10th player to have his number raised to the rafters of Scotiabank Arena. Prior to the start of the 2014/15 season, Darryl was immortalized with a bronze statue on Legends Row. During the 16/17 season, both the Maple Leafs and the NHL announced their one hundred greatest players of all-time… Darryl made both lists.

Darryl’s contributions to our community have been equally impactful. An official ambassador for the Maple Leafs since 1991, he has been recognized for his work supporting such causes as Have a Heart for Down Syndrome, Special Olympics Canada and Colon Cancer Canada. He even laced up for a portion of the Marathon of Hope with Terry Fox. For his dedication, Darryl has been honoured with the Sovereign Medal for Volunteers, Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee Medal… and a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Darryl will receive his Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters on Saturday June 5th at the 11 a.m. EST Orillia Main Convocation Ceremony.  

Donald Paterson

Donald Paterson was born in Fort William, Ontario – now Thunder Bay. He left Thunder Bay at age 12 to attend an independent school (Ashbury College) in Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa as a boarding student. 

Following high school, Donald attended the University of Toronto attaining a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Political Science. 

Donald returned to Thunder Bay and joined the family business, ending his career with Paterson GlobalFoods as Chairman of the corporation. He went on to chair the newly formed TBayTel Corporation and was instrumental in transforming TBayTel from a city department to a fully independent corporate entity with a modern governance structure. 

During the course of his career, Donald performed many years of volunteer activity within Thunder Bay as well as provincially and nationally. He was the founding President of the Ontario Arts Foundation and served in that capacity for several years.

Donald married Lori Jean Hacio and together they raised a daughter and two sons of whom they are very proud. Donald and Lori are blessed with three grandchildren with another expected this year.

Donald will receive his Honorary Doctorate in Commerce on Saturday May 29th at the 11 a.m. EST Thunder Bay Main Convocation Ceremony.  

The Honourable Murray Sinclair LLB MSC IPC

The Honourable Murray Sinclair is an Anishinaabe and a member of the Peguis First Nation. He is a Fourth Degree Chief of the Midewiwin Society, a traditional healing and spiritual society of the Anishinaabe Nation responsible for protecting the teachings, ceremonies, laws, and history of the Anishinaabe.

He graduated from law school in 1979. He has been involved with the justice system in Manitoba for over 40 years, as a lawye representing Indigenous clients, as an AdjunctProfessor of Law at Robson Hall, as Associate Chief Judge of Manitoba’s Provincial Court and as a Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench.

He was the first Indigenous Judge appointed in Manitoba and Canada’s second. He served as Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry of Manitoba and as Chief Commissioner of Canada’s Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

He retired from the Bench and was appointed to the Senate in 2016.

After retiring from the Senate in early 2021, he returned to the practice of law and mentoring young lawyers. He is currently writing his memoirs.

The Honourable Sinclair will receive his Honorary Doctorate in Laws on Saturday May 29th at the 11 a.m. EST Thunder Bay Main Convocation Ceremony.  

Rosalind Lockyer

Seven years studying at Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland, and at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario, earned Rosalind a Psychology Degree and certified teaching credentials. Together with twenty years of working as a teacher, entrepreneur, and community developer, Rosalind became blatantly aware of the many systemic issues that kept women from achieving their life goals. In 1995, she founded PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise, channelling this experience, her passion, and determination to continue to work for positive change locally, provincially, nationally and internationally. Today, PARO is recognised as the “largest peer lending network in North America’ supporting its unique form of women-centred Community Economic Development with 180+ PARO Circles located across Ontario.

In 2005, Northern Ontario Business awarded her the prestigious Influential Women of Northern Ontario Award-Public Sector recognizing her leadership in building PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise into the dynamic organization that it is today, serving women entrepreneurs living in rural, urban and remote communities of Ontario.

Rosalind Lockyer has dedicated her lifetime toward supporting gender equality and building sustainable livelihoods for thousands of women ‘who need it the most’. Important to her role as Founder and CEO of PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise and co-founder of the national group, the Women’s Economic Council (WEC) is supporting women who are disadvantaged by the intersectionality of poverty, race, sexism, ageism, and disability.

Rosalind Lockyer is Treasurer for the International e-Rotary for Social Innovators, and the board director for Ontario on the Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada board (WEOC), and a member of the Gender Equity Network of Canada. Through her work and community activity, she shares her experience and influence to mentor individuals and organizations to develop effective solutions and sustainable strategies. As a social entrepreneur, she has assisted management of enterprises, whether non-profit, private business or professional sector organizations with fund development, strategic planning, organization management, and policy development, human resources, leadership, social enterprise, business development and public relations.

Recognized for her notable efforts in building PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise, working with diverse populations, especially those most challenged, such as Indigenous people, people with disabilities, seniors and youth at risk with particular emphasis on women, Rosalind was called “one of the most remarkable social entrepreneurs in the world” by the Office of Social Enterprise, MEDEI, Ontario government, and received the International Award for “Women of the Decade in Community Leadership”, from the Women’s Economic Forum 2018 in New Delhi, India.

Rosalind will receive her Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters on Saturday May 29th at the 11 a.m. EST Thunder Bay Main Convocation Ceremony.