Chief Terry Paul, honorary degree recipient for Dalhousie University’s Spring Convocation 2022

Dalhousie is presenting eight outstanding individuals with honorary degrees during Spring Convocation ceremonies in May and June. Honorary degrees are awarded to individuals across a wide range of disciplines and achievements. They recognize people who have shown inspirational leadership; outstanding contributions to a field or discipline of study or a non‐academic area of achievement; and/or outstanding achievement at or contributions to Dalhousie. Candidates are reviewed and recommended by the Senate Honorary Degrees Committee and approved by the university Senate. The 2022 honorary degree cohort consists of five people who are already alumni and three more who soon become alumni (as all honorary degree recipients officially join our alumni community if they’re not a member already). They represent Dal’s supporters and friends, and we are grateful in the Office of Advancement for the many ways they enrich our community.

Honouring Chief Terrance (Terry) Paul, Chief of the Membertou First Nation and CEO of the Membertou Development Corporation

For nearly four decades, Chief Terrance Paul has guided the Membertou First Nation in Cape Breton through an incredible economic, social, cultural, and governance transformation. Today, Membertou is one of the most efficient and economically flourishing Indigenous communities in Canada and a role model for community development.

Elected in 1984 and reelected every two years since, Chief Paul is credited with tripling his community’s land base, increasing Membertou’s employment rate to 80 per cent, and building economic and social opportunity for the entire Cape Breton region. In 2021, with Chief Paul at the helm, Membertou made the single largest investment ever by an Indigenous group in Canada with the acquisition of 50 per cent of Clearwater Seafoods.

‘One of Canada’s best managed companies’

In 2019, the Membertou Development Corporation — home to 12 corporate entities including Membertou Trade and Convention Centre and Membertou Sport and Wellness Centre — was named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies. Chief Paul has been appointed to the Order of Canada, is an inductee of both the Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Business Halls of Fame and has received the Frank McKenna Leadership Award and the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business Lifetime Achievement Award. He holds honorary doctorates from Cape Breton University and Mount Allison University.