Campus News

Campus News: Winter 2021

Close-up photo of Stu Crawford holding his old hockey skates.

Photograph by Johnny C. Y. Lam

Stu Crawford (Arts鈥51) has been a presence around the Queen鈥檚 Gaels men鈥檚 hockey team for more than 75 years. On March 2, the day he turns 100, the diehard fan, former Golden Gael, and Second World War veteran will see his presence made permanent. The club is officially naming its dressing room at the Memorial Centre 鈥淭he Stu Crawford Team Room.鈥

鈥淪tu鈥檚 got some serious longevity in his bones,鈥 says Dave Descent, president of the Men鈥檚 Hockey Booster Club. 鈥淗e was a quality player and he really emphasizes the tradition and the respect that our team brings.鈥

Before Mr. Crawford battled on the ice for his university, he was battling in the skies over Nazi Germany as a bomb aimer with the Royal Canadian Air Force. On April 8, 1945, his Lancaster was shot out of the sky.

鈥淲e ran into trouble over Hamburg. There was a 10-mile stretch where the flak was pretty heavy,鈥 recalls Mr. Crawford.

鈥淚 was the bomb aimer. I鈥檓 lying on my stomach and watching all of this. They had maximum firepower trying to shoot us down,鈥 he says.

鈥淏ut you tend to ignore these things because you鈥檙e pretty busy. It鈥檚 almost like a good hockey game. You get so damn involved, you forget about anything else.鈥

  • Archival image of Stu Crawford's hockey team in 1947.

    An archival photo of Stu Crawford, No. 20, with his beloved team in 1947.

  • Stu Crawford sitting on his couch holding his old hockey skates.

    Mr. Crawford, today at his home in Kingston.

After the war, Mr. Crawford returned to Kingston to study philosophy and psychology at Queen鈥檚, where he played with the Golden Gaels from 1947 to 1951.

He learned the game playing on the frozen Cataraqui River, behind his house. His neighbours in Kingston鈥檚 鈥淪wamp Ward鈥 were the Cook brothers 鈥 Bill, Bud, and Bun. Bill had been captain of the New York Rangers and is in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Mr. Crawford is humble about his own skills.

鈥淚 was a Swamp Ward type of hockey player. A shinny player. I wasn鈥檛 great, but I had great company.鈥

He recalled the Golden Gaels playing at the old Montreal Forum.

鈥淭here were 8,000 fans there 鈥 8,000 screaming McGill fans,鈥 he says. 鈥淵ou can imagine what that was like.鈥

Mr. Crawford worked for decades at the Kingston Whig-Standard, retiring in 1987. Until just a few years ago, he still played hockey once a week in Gananoque.

In 1986, Mr. Crawford and some hockey buddies decided there needed to be some honour for Queen鈥檚 annual match with the Royal Military College. And so was born the Carr-Harris Cup, a celebration of hockey鈥檚 oldest rivalry.

Mr. Crawford will be honoured before this year鈥檚 Carr-Harris Cup match at RMC, tentatively scheduled for Feb. 24, when he is to be presented with a replica Golden Gaels sweater like the one he wore during his playing days.

Stu Crawford鈥檚 name still resonates with today鈥檚 players, Mr. Descent says.

Golden Gaels coach Brett Gibson asked if Mr. Crawford could come to the arena on Remembrance Day to speak to the team. He was glad to oblige.

鈥淭he players went down on the knee in a semicircle in 鈥榩ay--attention mode,鈥欌 Mr. Descent says.

鈥淪tu talked about his war experiences and how it relates to hockey. You could just see in the boys鈥 faces, all the respect and the admiration they had for him.

鈥淭hen they all went up and personally introduced themselves. To say Stu was overwhelmed would be an understatement.鈥


Chancellor Murray Sinclair named to Order of Canada

Queen鈥檚 University Chancellor Murray Sinclair (LLD鈥19) has been named a Companion of the Order of Canada.

The 15th chancellor of the university, his appointment was one of 135 announced Dec. 29 by Gov. Gen. Mary Simon. The list includes five other members of the Queen鈥檚 community.

Chancellor Sinclair has had a distinguished career, including being appointed Manitoba鈥檚 first Indigenous judge. The retired senator is perhaps best known as chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, overseeing its groundbreaking final report in 2015.

He has received honorary doctorates from 14 universities, including Queen鈥檚 in 2019, and serves as general counsel to Cochrane Saxberg LLP, Manitoba鈥檚 largest Indigenous law firm.

His appointment to the order recognizes his commitment to the representation of Indigenous legal issues and his dedication to reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians.

The Order of Canada is one of the country鈥檚 highest civilian honours. Other Queen鈥檚 community members named to the 2021 list of recipients:

  • Dr. Connie J. Eaves (Arts鈥64, MSc鈥66), officer: For her work advancing our understanding of cancer development, and leadership nationally and internationally in stem-cell biology.
  • The鈥疕onourable Justice Hugh L. Fraser (Arts鈥73, Artsci鈥74), officer: For his contributions to Canadian sport as an internationally recognized expert in sports law and as a former Olympian.
  • Graham Farquharson (MBA鈥69), member: For his work in developing and managing Canada鈥檚 first mine north of the Arctic Circle and his innovative leadership and philanthropic support of community organizations.
  • Patricia M. Feheley (Artsci鈥74), member: For her long-standing contributions to the Canadian art scene and her promotion of Inuit art and culture.
  • George M. Thomson (Arts鈥62, LLB鈥65), member: For his innovative approach to leadership as a judicial educator and mentor and for his significant contributions to family law in Canada.

Queen鈥檚 commitment to sustainability earns award

Queen鈥檚 has won an award for its efforts to reduce the university鈥檚 greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable Kingston has bestowed Queen鈥檚 with the 2021 Greatest Overall Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction Award, recognizing its decrease in emissions by 6,023 tonnes.

The milestone is one of several in environmental stewardship that Queen鈥檚 reached in 2021. Others included the university鈥檚 impressive first in Canada and fifth in the world ranking in the Times Higher Education 2021 Impact Rankings for advancing the United Nations鈥 Sustainable Development Goals.

Queen鈥檚 also announced in October it had achieved a 35-per-cent reduction in emissions between 2008 and 2020, showing the university was on track to reach net zero emissions by 2040 through the Climate Action Plan.

鈥淚t鈥檚 extremely gratifying to the university to have achieved that goal and to be recognized for this,鈥 said Principal Patrick Deane in a video accepting the award. 鈥淚t fits very well into our overall commitment to sustainability.鈥

Sustainable Kingston is a non-profit that supports the Kingston community in achieving its vision of becoming Canada鈥檚 most sustainable city. Each year it recognizes local institutions or organizations that are working against environmental degradation to create a more sustainable future.


Queer Alumni Chapter launches

Several alumni have joined forces to create a queer alumni chapter at Queen鈥檚.

Stacy Kelly (Artsci鈥93), a former staffer who helped launch the Queen鈥檚 University Association for Queer Employees in 2005, saw the great work being done by the Queen鈥檚 Black Alumni Chapter and Queen鈥檚 Indigenous Alumni Chapter and wondered why there wasn鈥檛 an equivalent group for the LGBTQ community, much like there is at many major U.S. universities.

It seems other alumni were asking the same question, so they joined forces and worked with the Alumni Relations department to start the Queen鈥檚 Queer Alumni Chapter.

Calls for more equity and diversity prompted by the Black Lives Matter movement and Canadian residential school headlines fuelled the motivation for some chapter organizers to help the LGBTQ community.

The chapter aims to focus on socializing and networking, as well as advocacy work to help LGBTQ members of the Queen鈥檚 community feel welcome and safe. It also wants to take an active role in fundraising and establish a bursary for LGBTQ students.


$1M gift supports Indigenous STEM students

Queen鈥檚 will be able to provide ongoing support for its new STEM: Indigenous Academics (STEM:InA) program, thanks to a $1-million endowment established by alumnus Norman Loveland (BSc鈥65 (Civil)) and his wife, Gay.

The Lovelands are long-time champions of Queen鈥檚 engineering programs and chose to support this program 鈥 an academic support and community-building program for Indigenous students enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)-based undergraduate degree programs 鈥 through the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.

STEM:InA aims to create a strong and successful community of Indigenous STEM students at Queen鈥檚 through services, programming, and events. It also works to alleviate the isolation felt by many by building a distinct Indigenous STEM community.

鈥淭his endowment from the Lovelands will truly help us create a strong and successful community of Indigenous STEM students here at Queen鈥檚,鈥 says Vice-Principal (Advancement) Karen Bertrand. 鈥淭his initiative provides Indigenous students with the social and academic foundation they need to thrive and make a positive impact on the world, and this endowment makes that possible.鈥


The new Stonecroft Artist-in-Residence

Sri Lanka-born artist Rajni Perera has been announced as Agnes鈥檚 2022 Stonecroft Artist-in-Residence. Working in painting, sculpture, textile, and mixed media, Ms. Perera explores diasporic mythology, gender politics, and the immigrant identity through the lens of science fiction imagery. Her work has been exhibited in Toronto and Montreal, as well as internationally, and she has been shortlisted for the 2021 Sobey Art Award 鈥 one of the world鈥檚 most prestigious contemporary art prizes. For her Stonecroft residency, Ms. Perera is working on an important commission for Agnes in collaboration with students in the Queen鈥檚 BFA program.


Honouring the Bader family

As it announced three new gifts from its most significant donors 鈥 the Bader family and Bader Philanthropies, Inc. 鈥 Queen鈥檚 also recognized them by proclaiming Nov. 15 Bader Day.

The honour commemorated the 80th anniversary of the arrival of the late Dr. Alfred Bader (BSc鈥45, BA鈥46, MSc鈥47, LLD鈥86) on campus, inaugurating an ongoing relationship between the university and the Bader family that has been marked by a series of transformational gifts.

鈥淭he philanthropic impact of the Bader family and Bader Philanthropies, Inc. at Queen鈥檚 is unparalleled,鈥 says Vice-Principal (Advancement) Karen Bertrand. 鈥淭hese most recent gifts will put our students on the forefront of training and research in the fields of art history and art conservation while supporting our mission to advance Indigenous initiatives at the university.鈥

Continuing a philanthropic tradition that began in 1948, the latest series of gifts from Dr. Bader鈥檚 wife, Isabel (LLD鈥07), and Bader Philanthropies, Inc. aid Queen鈥檚 mission to advance research and knowledge and, as such,  include:

12 paintings to Agnes Etherington Art Centre. The paintings, all from the Dutch 17th century, include still lifes, Biblical scenes, and scenes from daily life.

Nine Leica S9i microscopes to help students in the Queen鈥檚 Art Conservation program examine and treat cultural artifacts.

Funding for the Outdoor Gathering Space, modelled after an Ojibway round house, and endowing a new full--time, permanent curator of Indigenous arts and culture at Agnes.

Queen鈥檚 has announced a partnership with world-renowned Canadian photographer, and Queen鈥檚 Honorary Doctorate recipient (2007) Edward Burtynsky to help realize his new public art piece, Standing Whale. The partnership will engage the expertise of students in multiple programs across the Faculties of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Faculty of Arts and Science. Special projects in these programs will be designed to tackle structural and conceptual challenges with the aim of bringing this artwork to life in a public setting.

鈥淢y hope is that this public art sculpture, Standing Whale, will become a true Canadian statement: one that symbolizes our commitment to protecting the environment, our cultural institutions, and heritage,鈥 says Burtynsky. Standing Whale is a true-to-size, 75-foot artistic re-imagining inspired by the story of a pod of North Atlantic blue whales that perished in an unprecedented ice event off the coast of Newfoundland in 2014. The North Atlantic blue whale, like so many other species worldwide, is at risk of becoming a casualty of the climate crisis and Standing Whale acts as an homage to and lament for this loss.

The family and Bader Philanthropies, Inc. have been among Queen鈥檚 most significant donors, gifting the 15th-century English castle Herstmonceux, home to the Bader International Study Centre; providing $31 million in support of the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts; a lead gift of US$40 million in support of Agnes Reimagined; more than 500 paintings and works on paper to the Agnes Etherington Art Centre; and funding a variety of student awards.

Bader Day saw a visit to campus by members of the family and the conferring Nov. 17 of an honorary degree on Daniel Bader.


A new partnership brings artistic vision to life

Queen鈥檚 has announced a partnership with world-renowned Canadian photographer, and Queen鈥檚 Honorary Doctorate recipient (2007) Edward Burtynsky to help realize his new public art piece, Standing Whale. The partnership will engage the expertise of students in multiple programs across the Faculties of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Faculty of Arts and Science. Special projects in these programs will be designed to tackle structural and conceptual challenges with the aim of bringing this artwork to life in a public setting.

鈥淢y hope is that this public art sculpture, Standing Whale, will become a true Canadian statement: one that symbolizes our commitment to protecting the environment, our cultural institutions, and heritage,鈥 says Burtynsky. Standing Whale is a true-to-size, 75-foot artistic re-imagining inspired by the story of a pod of North Atlantic blue whales that perished in an unprecedented ice event off the coast of Newfoundland in 2014. The North Atlantic blue whale, like so many other species worldwide, is at risk of becoming a casualty of the climate crisis and Standing Whale acts as an homage to and lament for this loss.

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