[00:00:00] 
[A large crowd of people sit outdoors in folding chairs, forming an audience. The audience is at the right-side of the screen. Some seat beneath a large white tent. Large steps are visible behind the audience. Flags from countries around the world decorate the large concrete building. Volunteers and guests still move about. It is overcast and windy. There is no audio.]
[00:00:38]
[In the distance, bagpipes can be heard. The audience talks to each other.]
[00:01:17]
[The bagpipes can be clearly heard.]
[00:01:24]
[A bagpiper in green and white kilt, jacket, and hat can be seen approaching from the left-hand of the screen. He leads the Graduand Procession down the stairs. The audience stands. The banner on the screen reads “Reverend Jaime York. Piper.”
Graduates receiving their Bachelor of Business Administration degrees wear dark green gowns with waist-length sleeves and copper and dark green hoods. Graduates receiving their Bachelor of Arts degrees wear dark green gowns with waist-length sleeves and white and dark green hoods. Graduates receiving their Bachelor of Science degrees wear dark green downs with waist-length sleeves and gold and dark green hoods. 
The view shifts several times to show the audience and Graduand Procession.]
[00:02:44]
[The view shows the graduates entering a stage elevated by five steps at the front of the audience. It is brick. The stage is set with three sets of seats in a U formation, with all facing the centre-right of the stage. There is a large lectern at the centre-right of the stage and facing the audience. It reads “Trent University.”
The view shifts several times to show the audience and Graduand Procession.
In the background, Trent’s Bata Library can be seen. It is large and three storeys of concrete with large glass windows and wooden awnings are visible]
[00:04:02] 
[The view changes to show a group of people standing at the top of the back stairs near the flags. They are in academic and traditional Indigenous regalia of many forms.]
[00:04:11] 
[The piper is shown standing and playing while graduates continue to take their seats. They first fill the seats at the left-hand side of the stage, then those at the centre-back of the stage. The banner on the screen reads “Reverend Jaime York. Piper.”
The view shifts between the audience and Graduand Procession.]
[00:07:34] 
[The piper finishes playing. The view returns to the group at the top of the back stairs. This is the Academic Procession.  Nicholas Rimsky-Korsakov’s Procession of Nobles begins to play over the sound system. It is a grand, full-orchestral melody without words. The man at the front of the procession carries Trent’s Condolence Cane, the cane that is a symbolic representation of the governance power of the Haudenosaunee peoples and represents the academic governing power of the University.]
[00:09:16] 
[The Academic Procession is shown taking their seats. They sit at the right-hand side of the stage.] 
[00:10:45] 
[A man from the Academic Procession approaches the lectern. He is in a dark green gown with elaborate gold and dark green embroidery and a round green velvet beefeater-style hat with gold tassel. This is Don Tapscott.]
Don Tapscott:
Good afternoon everyone. Please be seated.
[00:10:48] 
[The view changes to focus on the large lectern at the centre-right of the stage. A sign language interpreter stands to the right of the lectern. The banner on the screen reads “Don Tapscott. Chancellor.”] 
I’m Don Tapscott and I’m the Chancellor of Trent University and a graduate of this great institution. This is a special day for everyone here and I’m delighted to share it with you. I’ve travelled around the world to many universities and I can tell you that there’s no more spectacular venue to convocate than on this wonderful Ron Thom theatre and a river does run through it. Heartfelt congratulations to all of you graduates on reaching this important milestone. I now declare convocation open.
[Applause and cheers in the audience. Don Tapscott sits.]
[00:11:39] 
[A man stands at the lectern. He is in a dark green gown with elaborate silver and dark green embroidery and a round green velvet beefeater-style hat with silver tassel. The banner on the screen reads “Leo Groarke. President & Vice-Chancellor.”]
Leo Groarke:
Good afternoon. My name is Leo Groarke. I have the privilege of being the eighth President of Trent University and it’s my honour and privilege to welcome you to the convocation ceremony today. Welcome to convocation week at Trent. I can’t help but note that it coincides with election week in Ontario. Now I’m not supposed to say anything political up here so I won’t, but what I will do is give a little guarantee from Trent. It’s been sort of a very grumpy election campaign, I think I can say that, but however it turns out on Thursday, no matter how you feel, this week Trent will give you something to celebrate – that’s the graduands!
[Light applause, cheers, and laughter in audience].
Sorry, there was a pause there, it sounded like you were waiting for a political announcement of sorts.
In keeping with Trent tradition, I want to begin by respectfully acknowledging that we are on the traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishinaabe. We offer our gratitude to our First Peoples for their care of and teachings about our Earth and our relations. May we always honour those teachings. 
I’m pleased to welcome graduates, parents and families, spouses, partners, and friends today to today’s ceremony. I know that some of you come from close by, others from across Canada and around the world. If you are here today, you are part of the Trent family.
I did want to extend a special welcome to some special guests that are here with us today. Daryl Bennett, his worship, the Mayor of Peterborough. Mark Graham, the CEO of the Peterborough office of the Canadian Mental Health Association. Patrick Dunne, the manager of business development for Bell Canada. And Peggy Shaughnessy, who’s a Trent PhD student, mental support community leader, and owner of the Whistlestop, and I would say that that’s a spot that is very important to the mental health of our students at Trent.
[Light laughter in audience.]
I would like to preface our proceedings this afternoon by sating something about the convocation ceremony. Of course, in one sense, it’s a very formal ceremony. This marks the end of one component of the education of our students. It means they have successfully completed their degrees and that is something we take very seriously. 
At the same time, I do want to remind you that a convocation is intended to be a celebration. It’s a party. It’s a party we are hosting to celebrate the successes of our students. If you are a parent, you may want to treat it as a party to celebrate that they have finally completed their degree. 
With the celebration aspect of convocation in mind, I want to open this convocation by giving you permission to be loud, to shout, to embarrass your children if you want to. Remember we’re here to have a celebration and I have to do something now – which in a way I got in a lot of trouble at a previous convocation – but I was asked to do this by someone who is being honoured today so I think I cannot not do this. So, Torben Drewes, this is for you.
[Leo Groarke sounds an air horn at the lectern. There is laughter on the stage and in the audience.]
I’m going to hear about that later. 
As you celebrate, we want you to be comfortable and I have a note here to remind you that we have shade hats available.
[Scattered laughter in audience]
I think I’ll just pass over that.
To our visitors, I will say that I hope you will enjoy Trent’s deep sense of community. We pride ourselves in it. I also hope that our graduands will show you some of our beautiful campus here in Peterborough. I hope you will walk across the Faryon Bridge and visit some of the places your graduands have lived and studied. If you are adventurous, I invite you to explore our wildlife trails on the east side of the river. If you are very adventurous, I invite you to sign out a canoe from the Athletics Centre and as President, I’m supposed to tell you after you sign a liability waiver.  
[Scattered laughter in audience]
As a university, I do believe that we have more canoes per student than any university in the world. 
I want to end my own remarks by saying to our graduands that you are joining a prestigious alumni which includes Nobel Prize winners, Academy Award winners, Rhodes Scholars, all sorts of famous authors, scientist, artists, religious and political leaders, and perhaps even more importantly, a cadre of teachers, researchers, medical practitioners, mothers, fathers, and good citizens. I believe that Trent has prepared you well for the exciting and challenging adventures ahead. This is your moment, this is your day, enjoy it as a time to imagine your future and create a consequence and purpose that is uniquely your own.
Please, a round of applause for our graduands.
[Applause in the audience and on stage. 
Leo Groarke sounds the air horn again while laughing.]
Sorry, it’s contagious. 
[00:18:01]
It’s now my pleasure to introduce to you an individual whose remarkable contributions to Canadian society will be recognized with an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Known as a strategic communications industry executive and a builder of high performance teams, George Cope leads Canada’s largest communications company as President and CEO of BCE Inc and Bell Canada.
Before being appointed as President and CEO BCE Inc and Bell Canada in July 2008, Mister Cope has held chief executive roles in various public companies over the past thirty years. He was recently inducted into the 2018 Canadian Business Hall of Fame and was recognized as Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year for 2015. In addition to being respected for his longstanding success in the business world, he has become well-known for spearheading the launch of Bell’s Let’s Talk initiative, the largest ever corporate commitment to Canadian mental health.
In recognition, regarding Bell’s Let’s Talk, Mister Cope received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and was appointed a member of the Order of Canada in 2014. 
I now call upon our Chancellor to confer an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree on Mister Cope. 
[Applause in the audience.
A woman in dark green and white academic robes and a round green beefeater-style hat carries a large framed certificate to the centre of the stage. A man in a navy and silver gown steps to the centre of the stage along with the Chancellor. This is Mister George Cope.
The woman hands the framed certificate to the Chancellor. George Cope then bends so the woman can place an academic hood of navy and silver over his head and onto his shoulders. The crowd laughs at the notable height difference between the two.]
Leo Groarke:
Take a bow.
[The Chancellor shakes Doctor Cope’s hand and the two pose with the framed certificate at the centre of the stage.] 
Congratulations Doctor Cope. It’s now my pleasure to invite you to address convocation.
[Leo Groarke sits.]
[00:20:10]
[Doctor George Cope stands at the large lectern. The banner on the screen reads “George Cope. Honorary Degree.”]
George Cope:
Thank you. 
Well good afternoon everyone. 
Mister Chancellor, Mister President, members of the graduating class, faculty, friends, and most importantly obviously the graduating class. Hello everyone!
Thank you for the privilege of addressing you on such an important day, for this group and for your family. 
By the way, you’re typically told to turn off your smartphone, but if it’s a Bell phone, you can keep it on and if you don’t have a Bell phone, you need to leave now.
[Light laughter in the audience and on stage.]
Other than that, I will now keep going.
You know we really have a diverse group of graduates today. From Business and Economics, Computing and Information Systems, Math, Human Resources, Marketing, and – warm to my heart – Entrepreneurship. All disciplines in fact that touch the company that I operate every day in our work life. Now it’s been a few years since I graduated like all of you. In fact, it was 1984. Just to put that in perspective, LeBron James was born that year. Prince Harry, Mark Zuckerberg, Katy Perry, but maybe most important in this audience was the Apple Macintosh computer and all those folks have gone on to achieve great success, but one thing that changed all of our lives and most importantly for me in 1984 was the mobile phone.
So, after I graduated, I chose to actually work in the banking industry which was a great experience and a great education for someone to understand that a bank is actually the last place you go to get a loan to start a business. And you see, I wanted to start a company as I understand some of the graduating class today will have aspirations today to do, or in the future for sure. 
So fast forward to 1985 when wireless in Canada was officially launched. Wireless phones were five pounds. Trust me, the coverage here in Peterborough would have been pretty suspect and the product was thousands of dollars. So, I left this job in banking and I left for this new world of wireless. I became president of a wireless start-up company and assembled a small team but we dreamed really big and I was in my mid-20s. We believed in the potential of wireless and you know, a real message to everyone graduating today – trust me, folks over 30 didn’t believe in the potential of wireless, so if someone puts in front of you the opportunity for something new, take the risk because I’ve never had to look back because of it. 
We named our company Clearnet, we moved into a real fancy office. We actually started this company in a construction trailer in Pickering. It was very cold and it was about eight of us. We acquired twenty-five small wireless companies because no one understood the industry back then and acquired what is known as wireless spectrum today, the real estate of the industry. We started the company in that garage and we sold it to Telus for 6.7 billion dollars in 2000, the largest acquisition ever in Canadian telecom. And that company, some of you probably do carry their product and I still have a soft spot for it, is Telus Mobility which is still using that animal future-friendly branding that we designed twenty-five years ago. And the real important message for today is that teamwork, with a team you can do literally anything and create big results.
Here obviously at the university, you’ve worked with diverse teams and I can tell you if you look around with the folks with you today, they will matter for you the rest of your life. Whether or not it’s classmates, your professors, your friends and your family, you will find you will work with all of them somewhere, or many of them, throughout your career. I still work very closely with many of the folks I went to business school with. In fact, they even have someone who’s an executive of mine with Bell, my partner, who I went to high school with just down the road in Port Perry High School. 
I work with a lot of business grads, but the important message that I want to give to everyone here today is to realize that engineers, scientists, HR, mathematicians, artists, healthcare workers, lawyers, computer geniuses – all those parts build up corporate Canada and to be successful in the business world, you actually need all these skills that are different, not skills that are all the same.
Ten years ago, we began the transformation of Bell, again with a new leadership team. Lots of new ideas. We wanted to reinvigorate this company and it’s an important company to Canada. One out of three-hundred-ninety Canadians today working, work for our company so the success of that company was critical. We thought it had lost its way. It may have been the largest communications company but had a lot to do to be friendly back with customer. And we’ve made great progress over the last ten years.
We needed a growth strategy, but we needed some entrepreneurs. We invested billions in fibre networks – we’re actually putting fibre right here in Peterborough – and we made many acquisitions, such as CTV and other organizations including Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and ownership of the Montreal Canadiens. And when you own the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens, you think you are perfectly hedged as an owner and then along come the Winnipeg Jets.
[Light laughter in the audience.]
Another example of great teamwork coming together was the transformation with the launch of Bell Let’s Talk. We launched that initiative eight years ago – mental health was an issue that lived in the shadows. There was a lingering stigma around mental illness unlike any other concern today, or any other illness. Since the launch of Bell Let’s Talk, we’ve seen real measurable change and awareness and action in mental health and right here at this university.
It’s been a real team effort to make it happen, not just within Bell but with close partners of every sector of the community – healthcare, corporations, competition (the competitors of ours), the government, communities, and individual Canadians, most importantly. Everyone on that extended team was required for us to achieve the progress that we have made.
So, to my fellow graduates, you’ll live your life as part of a team and a few words of advice if I may on how within those teams you may want to be effective. 
One for sure is show up every day if you are leading others. It’ll be a real challenge, trust me, but you owe it to yourselves and you owe it to the teams that are going to rely on you. You really need to trust yourself. No one is going to tell a kid from Port Perry that he can start Clearnet, become CEO of Bell Canada, and create a national charitable program that affects the country. So, trust your education, trust in yourself, and believe in yourself if you want others to believe in you. Solve your problems using the skills you’ve gained here at the university. If you’re going to walk into a meeting anywhere with a problem, no matter what you end up doing, also walk in with some solutions. Don’t just show up with the problem. Nothing is more valuable if you’re on a team than the to help solve those problems. 
The parents will all know what I mean here – maintain your integrity at any cost. You are going to have to like that person who you are looking at in the mirror over your years in your career and there will be some tough calls that you will have to make. Just remember to respect yourself if you want to others to respect you. 
And remember to respect your rivals. You know, competition is a fantastic thing. Tough competition is fair and great, provided you always play by the rules. We actually partnered with our competitor Rogers to keep Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment in Canadian ownership hands. You know, people always wondered how did and why did you make that all happen, but it really is working respectively with a competitor. Most of our competitors of course have all supported Bell Let’s Talk.
So, it’s a true honour to be alongside all of you today and share today. You’ve benefited from an incredible education and as I’ve come to know today, such a beautiful campus and of course a team that you’re sitting with that will be so critical to you going forward. 
As to conclude, I want to let you in on one little private secret. When I played basketball, and I did here in Peterborough, I did in high school, and I played later in university, I dreamed of becoming Doctor J. That was someone was known as Julius Erving, the Philadelphia 76ers. He would be today’s LeBron James. Well, I didn’t get Doctor J, but I’m happy today to take on Doctor G. And to all of you, get out in the world and transform it – Doctor’s orders. Thank you.
[Applause and laughter in audience.
George Cope leaves large lectern.]
[00:29:50]
[Leo Groarke stands at large lectern. 
The view shows Chancellor Don Tapscott move to the center-front of the stage. Graduates begin to move out of their seats to line up outside of the camera’s view.]
Thank you so much for those words, Doctor Cope.
Mister Chancellor, I’m now going to call on Professor Asaf Zohar, the Director of Business Administration program, will present candidates for admission to all degrees, and recognize students who have achieved remarkable success in their studies. 
Professor Zohar will read the candidates names, they will come across the stage and be congratulated by the Chancellor, then myself, and then our Registrar, Tracy Al-Idrissi. And please remember that the Registrar keeps the records of the university so it’s very important to say hello to her. 
[Light laughter in the audience.]
[00:30:39]
[The view changes to show a man in bright red and white academic robes standing at a small lectern at the far-left side of the stage. The banner on the screen reads “Asaf Zohar. Director of Business Administration.”]
Asaf Zohar:
Mister Chancellor, I am pleased to present for the degree of Bachelor of Business Administration, candidates whose names will be read, whom the Senate has duly declared worthy of the honour, that they may receive the degree at your hands.  
[As names are read, the named graduate walks across the stage from left to right, first shaking hands with Chancellor Don Tapscott at the centre of the stage, then the President & Vice-Chancellor Leo Groarke at the centre-right of the stage, then Registrar Tracy Al-Idrissi at the far right of the stage.]
[00:31:01] 
[Applause can be heard after each name is read.]
Julius Agenmonmen
Mazen Al Talib
Rashed Sultan Alhajri
Ekenedilichukwu Walter Ani
Courtney Bailey
Omar Bakhit
Vivek Bammy
Logan Randolph Barnes
Christopher Beetham
Kyle Jason Daniel Belbeck
Hadi Hussain Bhownar
Julia Bradley
Robert Broughton
Alison Cannell
Austin Capell
Ericka Carbonneau
Kyle Caswell
Xiaona Cen Feng
Katherine Cheatle
Kathleen Christie
Zachary Robert James Code
Markas Constanzo
Kristen Corneil
Taylor Mae Crarer
Sara Daigle
Kevin Michael Dalton
Madison Daniels
Rachel Davis
Ryan Robert Brent Davis
Sitara Nooredin Dhanani
Caitlin Susan Duffy
Garrett Eddy
Farah Elmessiri
Rana Fahad Ali
Omaremi Faleyimu
Shyanne Foster
Harland Emil Goulbourne
Jaharana Mohamed Shivji Haji
Abid Hasan
Ariana Haslam
Hasan Hawari
Clayton Edward Herron
Logan William Niels Hill
Yixian Hu
Ayomide Opemipo Idowu-Bello
Christina Jibb
Danielle Jolly
Jacqueline Kelly
Landry Kemu
Kristina Kislyuk
Sebastian Boguslaw Korkus
Zachary Elias Alexander Kramer
Cheuk Ying Lau
Eric Paul Legere
Nanjie Li
Ariel David Linton
Andrew David Labrosse
Cassandra Bernadine Levesque
Conor Christopher Long
Brooke Mahas
Jason Michael Malakos
Daniel Fletcher Manson
Eliana Masse
Juliet Mazorodze
Logan Fraser McComb
Jason McCullough
Ethan Harold McDougall
Jessica Sally McDougall
Danielle McGillen
Matthew Andrew Mitchell
Muftau Mohammed
Spencer James Moran
Hassan Nisar
Serena Paige O’Hara
Obinna Okafor
Natasha Osborne
Campbell Jeffrey Paton
Alexandria Patricia Peeples
The next student is receiving the Symons Medal. The medal is named in honour of Professor Tom Symons, Founding President of Trent University and is awarded to the students who achieve high overall academic standing on graduation at the Honors level. Mister Chancellor, I call upon you to present the Symons Medal to Connor Ronald William Pike. 
Michael Prophet
Elissa Dione Ritchie
Holly Margaret Robertson
Inna Lynn Rosamaggie**
Thomas Salt
Travis Richard Saul
Jesse Daniel Schepers
Christopher Alexander Segovia
Richard Smith
Daniel Stewart
Tristan Alexander Stewart
Andrew William Stranaghan
Tim Swift
Stephanie Tanner
Matthew Thompson
Ellanne Thomson
Jordan Tobias
Jake Arthur Turner
Marushka Tyo
Odion Victor Olawunmi Ughele
Benjamin Nicholas Valeri
Eric Van Gerwen
Patrick Peter Villeneuve
Cayleigh Erynn Wales
Mackenzie Wallis
Andreas Weidmark
Michael David Willick
Ramez Younan
Franco Long Tin Yu
Xuanbing Zhao
Please join me in congratulating the recipients of the Bachelor of Business Administration degrees.
[Cheering and applause in audience and on stage. Chancellor turns towards graduates and removes his hat to bow toward them.]
[00:55:27]
Mister Chancellor, I am pleased to present for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the Honours Program candidates whose names will be read, whom the Senate has duly declared worthy of the honour, that they may receive the degree at your hands.
[Applause can be heard after each name is read.]
Ashkat Berdalin
Abisade Adetola Bolarin
Robert Brunsch
Jennifer Kristina Burggraaff
Marthe Ciela Saddler
Olivia Edith Huber
Samantha Eileen Stasha Leigh
Jessie McClelland**
Alfred Ogunleye
Tian Ou Yang**
Aidan John Burbidge Potts
Megan Jane Alta Rushlow
Dilaksana Suntharalingam
Olivia Anne Timm
Tyler Daniel Robert Udall
Pratik Nahari Udawant
Oshone Ugiomoh
Stacy Amanda Uschner
Please join me in congratulating the recipients of Bachelor of Arts degrees in the Honours Program.
[Cheering and applause in audience and on stage. Chancellor turns towards graduates and removes his hat to bow toward them.]
[01:00:03]
Mister Chancellor, I am pleased to present for the degree of Bachelor of Science in the Honours Program candidates whose names will be read, whom the Senate has duly declared worthy of the honour, that they may receive the degree at your hands.
[Applause can be heard after each name is read.]
The next student is receiving the Governor General’s Academic Silver Medal to reward scholastic merit. The medal was established in 1873 and is awarded to the student who achieves the highest academic standing on graduation at the undergraduate level. Mister Chancellor, I call upon you to present the Governor General’s Silver Medal to Vladislav Abramov.
Abigail Adair
Gunther Adendorff
Farah Alduksi
Sean Andrew Baxter
Ariful Hoque Bhuiyan
Joseph Bogaard
Stephen Boon
Waun Broderick
Ying Chen
Theodore Cooke
Lucas Mark Dunkley
Zheng Huang
Stephanie Lise Simone Johnson
Katelyn Elizabeth Kennelly
Emily Rose Korfanty
Matthew John Martin Kornelsen
Brandon Paul Lucey
Liam Lumley-Pontone
Seyedyashar Morabbiheravi
Curtis MacKenzie Murray
Mohammed M. Nooh
Anthony Nwaigwe
Brandon Schaap
Michael Smiley
Gregory Patrick Stephensen
Jaysen Anthony Veloso
Jianwei Yue
Jingze Zhang
Please join me in congratulating the recipients of Bachelor of Science degrees in the Honours Program.
[Cheering and applause in audience and on stage. Chancellor turns towards graduates and removes his hat to bow toward them.]
[01:07:34]
Mister Chancellor, I am pleased to present for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the General Program candidates whose names will be read, whom the Senate has duly declared worthy of the honour, that they may receive the degree at your hands.
[Applause can be heard after each name is read.]
Micheala sashe-kaye Palmer
Chance Squires
Yuquin Xue
Please join me in congratulating the recipients of Bachelor of Arts degrees in the General Program.
[Cheering and applause in audience and on stage. Chancellor turns towards graduates and removes his hat to bow toward them.]
[01:08:51]
Mister Chancellor, I am pleased to present for the degree of Bachelor of Science in the General Program candidates whose names will be read, whom the Senate has duly declared worthy of the honour, that they may receive the degree at your hands.
[Applause can be heard after each name is read.]
Meghan Veronica Norton
Zach Pollard
Francis Quinby
Please join me in congratulating the recipients of Bachelor of Science degrees in the General Program.
[Cheering and applause in audience and on stage. Chancellor turns towards graduates and removes his hat to bow toward them.]
[01:09:58]
Mister Chancellor, I am pleased to present for the certificates in Human Resource Management and Marketing & Entrepreneurship, the candidates whose names will be read, whom the Senate has declared worthy of the honour, that they may receive the certificate at your hands.
[Applause can be heard after each name is read.] 
Cassidy Cecelia Lorrain Hopkins
Maureen Langabeer
Kimia Pedram
Please join me in congratulating the recipients of the certificates in Human Resource Management and Marketing & Entrepreneurship.
[Cheering and applause in audience and on stage. Chancellor turns towards graduates and removes his hat to bow toward them.]
[01:11:09]
Mister Chancellor, I ask you to confer degrees and certificates in absentia on candidates whose names are before you and who are unable to be with us today.
[Chancellor holds the brim of his hat and nods.]
[01:11:22]
The Vice-President will now recognize individuals receiving special awards and honours.
[The view shifts to the large lectern. A woman in deep red and white academic gowns with a deep red mortarboard hat moves to stand at the large lectern. This is Jackie Muldoon, Provost and Vice-President Academic.]
Jackie Muldoon:
The Eminent Service Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the life of the University, above and beyond excellence in carrying out their employment or volunteer responsibilities. It is presented on behalf of the Board of Governors, acting on the recommendation of the Senate.   
[The Registrar moves to the centre of the stage carrying a large framed certificate. She is joined by the Chancellor and a man in a dark green academic gown. This is Bryan Davies. The Registrar hands the certificate to the Chancellor and steps away. The Chancellor and Mister Davies stand at centre stage.]
Mister Chancellor, Mister Bryan Davies was a member of the Trent Board of Governors for eight years. During that time, he served as Chair of the Audit committee, led the Presidential review and search committees, was Vice Chair and Chair of the Executive Committee, then Chair of the Board. 
During this time, and since his formal departure from the Board, Bryan has given an extraordinary amount of his time, talent and skills to benefit the University. Bryan has provided valuable advice and made important connections on pension and government relations matters in particular. During his tenure as Chair, Bryan was a generous contributor to the Student Centre capital project as well as a variety of fundraising campaigns. 
In recognition of his years of service to Trent University, Bryan was presented with the Ontario Volunteer Service Award in 2017 for his hard work and dedication to the university community. Bryan was awarded Honorary Alumni status in 2016 in appreciation of his contributions to the success of the alumni association. Bryan continues to remain interested and active in the work of the University, for which we are very grateful.     
Mister Chancellor, I am pleased to present for the Eminent Service Award, Mister Bryan Davies.
[The Chancellor and Mister Davies shake hands and pose for a photo at centre stage. The audience applauds. The banner on the screen reads “Bryan Davies. Eminent Service Award.” 
Bryan Davies returns to his seat. The Chancellor remains standing at centre stage.]
[01:13:36]
Jackie Muldoon:
Mister Chancellor, ‘emeritus’ is an honorary title given to professors upon their retirement from the University.  Mister Chancellor, I ask you to confer the title of Professor Emeritus upon Professor Torben Drewes of the Economics Department.
[A man in a bright red and blue academic gown with gold detailing joins the Chancellor at centre stage. He is presented with a large framed certificate.
An air horn sounds from the stage, to applause and laughter.]
[01:14:11]
Mister Chancellor, Professor David Newhouse will now introduce the Honour Song.
Jackie Muldoon leaves the large lectern.
[01:14:29]
[A man in a black gown with a gold and purple trimmed hood and black mortarboard hat stands at the lectern. The banner on the screen reads “David Newhouse. Chair of Indigenous Studies.”]
David Newhouse:
Before all words can be spoken, we bring greetings to all of Creation. We give thanks for the rising of the sun and the light and warmth that it brings to this day.
We give thanks for another day of life.
Mister Chancellor, Mister President, honoured guests, graduates. In the custom of the first peoples of this land, we offer the sound of the drum and our voices to honor our mother, the Earth. We send our profound and deepest thanks to all of Creation and we greet the world with humility and embrace the richness, diversity, and wonder of life.
In the Anishinaabe teachings, the sound of the drum represents the original sound of Creation. The heartbeat of Creation reverberates still and infuses our being. We sound the drum to connect us with all of Creation, to honour and celebrate life, and to remember to live with humility among all living beings. 
We offer these words of praise to those who are graduating this day. We offer these words of thanksgiving to those who have made these accomplishments possible. We offer these words of respect to those who have come before us and who brought dignity to our lives.
We offer these words to remind us to live for the Seven Grandfather Teachings to live with respect, kindness, honesty, sharing, courage, and strength. 
We offer these words to honour the achievements and wise counsel of George Cope. We offer these words to honor the contributions of Bryan Davies. 
And we offer these words to accompany you on your travels. May you travel well and may your lives be filled with grace and dignity.
Mister Chancellor, Mister President, honoured guests, graduates, I have the pleasure of presenting Unity. and the Honour Song. 
[Four women move to the front-centre of the stage. They carry traditional Anishinaabe hand-drums decorated with ribbons and played with single-head mallets. They face the audience.]
And ladies and gentlemen, may I ask you to stand if you are able for the Honour Song. 
[The audience, graduates, and Academic Procession stand. Many remove their hats. The banner on the screen reads “Unity. Honour Song.” 
The Honour Song is Anishinaabe vocals with harmonic melodies over rhythmic drumming. The women sway in time with the music. The song ends with whoops and applause.]
David Newhouse:
Thank you, Unity. You may be seated.
Mister Chancellor, I would like to invite Jessica Rogers of the Trent University Alumni Association to welcome the graduating class.
[David Newhouse leaves the large lectern.]
[01:20:37]
[A woman in Trent’s dark green gown with a white and dark green hood approaches the large lectern. The banner on the screen reads “Jessica Rogers. Alumni Welcome.”]
Jessica Rogers:
Mister Chancellor, Mister President, honored guests and most importantly today’s graduates, Good afternoon!
Graduates, “You’re off to great places, today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so …get on your way! – famous words of Dr. Seuss. 
The Trent University Alumni Association is delighted to have you officially join our community today. We are a part of your lifelong connection to Trent so we’d love for you to stay in touch. Today is your big day, and celebrations are in order, but check your email once it’s all over to update your contact information and remain informed.  We want to keep you in the loop about awards, benefits, and services we’d love for you to be a part of.  
Martin Luther King Jr. once said “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, you just have to take the first step.”  Let me tell you, that first step is not going to be easy, but it’s definitely going to be worth it! I encourage you today to stay positive, work hard, have fun, and make it happen. It’s now the time to show the world what Trent Grads are made of apply the all lessons you’ve learned here in your journey. 
Today, the entire alumni family celebrates you. Nunc cognosco ex parte – now I know in part, Trent’s motto. Trent is not only a part of your past but is now also a part of your future. 
On behalf of the Trent University Alumni Association, it is my honor and my privilege to say welcome, and congratulations! You did it!
[Applause and cheering from audience and graduates.
Jessica Rogers leaves the large lectern.]
 [01:22:50]
[Leo Groarke moves to stand at the large lectern.]
Leo Groarke:
Thank you, Miss Rogers. As we near the end of the conclusion of the ceremony, I just wanted to mention a few practical details. But first, I would note that our graduands, and this is for the graduands, you are here today partly because of all the hard work you have done in your courses and at the university, but also because you had a support network behind you. They provided emotional support, maybe they provided financial support, and they’re sitting in the audience and I think it would be appropriate for you to give them a standing ovation to thank them for all they have done.
[Graduates stand at the stage and face the audience, cheering and clapping.]
Feel the love. 
Thank you, please be seated.
[The graduates sit.]
Congratulations to our new alumni, including Doctor Cope, and Doctor Cope, we expect to see you back at the campus often.
Please join us, everyone, for a reception in the Alumni Atrium of the Student Centre. That’s the building just behind the Bata Library. I think the preferred way to go get there is on the walk by the water. It’s warm there. When the procession leaves the stage, I would ask you to let the procession be finished and then to proceed to the Student Centre. I now want to ask the Chancellor to make some remarks and to close convocation.
[Leo Groarke leaves the large lectern.]
[01:24:44]
[Don Tapscott stands at the large lectern.]
Don Tapscott:
Thank you, Mister President. 
Well thanks to all of you for being here today. Right after this session, we’ve set up a skating rink on the parking lot out here.  that’s been set up in the parking lot. They’ll be making snowmen and other fun activities, so we hop you enjoy that. 
[Laughter from audience.]
And Jessica, thanks for clarifying the meaning of ‘nunc cognosco ex parte’ – I always thought it meant now I know everything. 
[Scattered laughter in the audience].
But seriously, closing remarks like this are designed to inspire the graduating class and give some helpful ideas for the future, so let me dispense with that task quickly.
Graduates, today is the first day of the rest of your life. Good things come to those who wait, and what doesn’t kill you can only make you stronger. Buy a good suit, and more importantly a good shirt and good shoes – hello, it’s all about the accessories! Brush your teeth, floss – I can’t overestimate the importance of flossing. Increase the proportion of vegetables in your diet. And finally, I want you to write this one down, please never show up at a job interview with your parents in tow.
[Scattered laughter in audience].
That about sums it up. Are there any questions? Are we done here?
Seriously, I’m not going to pass along any career advice because you will all have successful careers. That’s what the research shows. You are all going to get jobs and they are going to be related to your expertise. And it’s not just related to your skills, but the thing about Trent is that it’s not just what you learned, it’s your capability. Your ability to think, your ability to think critically, to solve problems, to put things in context, to collaborate, to research, and most importantly your passion for learning lifelong as you will need to reinvent your knowledge base multiple times as you go throughout life. 
So, as you leave these hallowed halls, by all means as Spock said ‘Live Long and Prosper.’ Build a prosperous life, for yourself and your families but let me conclude that we need more than that of you. Humanity does.
The world you’re entering is full of opportunity and there are also many challenges. Your generation is being called upon to ensure that the smaller world that your children inherit is a better one, prosperous, just, and sustainable and you all know from being in business that huge changes are coming and radical new business models, big changes in technology and the economy and society and each of you will need to step up and participate in what will probably be one of the greatest transformations ever.  
Now I’m not suggesting that each of you go work for an NGO or become candidate for leader of the world or something like that, but rather that each of you will have a role to play in these changes, whether you’re an entrepreneur, a consultant, a business executive, an educator, a researcher, a public-sector manager, politician, social innovator, or parent. 
My hope is that each of you will teach your children well and that you will each live a principled life of consequence. And please consider our honorary degree recipient today, Doctor George Cope – Doctor G – yes, he’s the CEO of an important company but his life has already been very consequential in other ways. Namely that he’s changed our thinking about mental illness through Let’s Talk. And we are all beginning to understand that this is not a failing of human character but it’s a failing of brain biochemistry. And getting rid of this stigma is a historic contribution to Canada and to the world.
Now of course, this week you all have an additional opportunity of historic proportions to exercise your precious right to vote and it is a precious right. I’ve just come back from parts of the world where I’ve met many young people would die to have that precious right and your generation is now the largest voting group and if you will it, you will choose the next Ontario government. So, changing the world is your opportunity and it starts with a vote Thursday.
One more thought. When I graduated from Trent, I lost contact with the university for a couple decades and overtime I began to think maybe I’ll get involved. Not out of a sense of obligation but more just because this wonderful little university on the Otonabee is something protecting and advancing for future generations. So, I hope that you won’t make the mistake that I did and you will get involved. I’ll tell you that re-engaging with Trent has brought me a great sense of satisfaction as well. 
So again, congratulations to all of you. Good luck. Dream big. Be bold. Innovate. Be Consequential. Change the world. 
Convocation is now dismissed. 
[Applause and cheering from all.]
[01:30:50]
[O Canada plays. It is an orchestral version without words, played over the sound system. Audience members, graduates, and members of the Academic Procession stand as able. Most remove their hats. Some sing along to the melody. A sign language interpreter signs the words from the right-hand side of the stage. The views shift multiple times to show both audience and stage.]
[01:32:05]
[O Canada ends. The Academic Procession leaves the stage, following the same order and path used to enter the stage. The Academic Procession is followed by the Graduand Procession. The banner on the screen reads “Thanks for watching. Congratulations to All!”]