New alumni Tamana Hafid and Bertrand Rivière, Class of 2015, celebrate after the convocation ceremony.
By Lucianna Ciccocioppo / Photos by Jeff Kirk
The sun shone for most of the day on June 5, keeping the rain at bay during the convocation ceremony and awards lunch for more than 200 Faculty of Law graduates as they celebrated their hard-earned degrees with family and friends.
Dean Ed Iacobucci presided at his first convocation as dean, where the newly minted alumni joined grads from the Munk School of Global Affairs, and the School of Graduate studies at the ceremony.
Esteemed American economist Dr. Paul Volcker, he of the “Volcker Rule”, which restricts US banks from speculating on investments that do not benefit their customers, received an honorary doctor of laws.
Volcker, a former chairman of the US Federal Reserve under the Carter and Reagan administrations, charmed the audience with his thoughtful, witty and humorous speech, praising Canada’s economic health, multicultural vibrancy and tolerance, and international scope.
“I confess, I look toward Canada with a certain envy these days,” said Volcker. But he joked: “I didn’t come here simply to praise you. I’m not about to give up my American citizenship.”
Volcker said the viability of the Canadian banking system “has not gone unnoticed” particularly the fact that Canadian Mark Carney crossed the pond to be the number one banker in the UK.
“The very idea of a Canadian central banker being invited to take over the Bank of England, the storied mother of all central banks, is eloquent evidence of recognition and respect.”
(Left) Chancellor Emeritus Hal Jackman hoods Dr. Paul Volcker, as Chancellor Michael Wilson confers the honorary doctor of laws from the University of Toronto, and President Meric Gertler looks on.
After the ceremony, the Faculty of Law held its traditional award luncheon. Alumna and past president of the Law Alumni Association Justice Gloria Epstein welcomed grads and guests, and the dean and Judith McCormack, acting dean of students, presented all the awards to recognize gold, silver and bronze medallists, the Gordon Cressy winners, the top mooter, and the school spirit winner. For the honours selected by students, Professors Tony Duggan and Martha Shaffer received the Mewett Teaching Award, Marita Zouravlioff gave the valedictory speech, and Prof. Duggan gave the Hail and Farewell.
