TMU to bestow 11 honorary doctorates at spring convocation
The individuals receiving honorary degrees at TMU’s spring convocation have achieved significant career milestones, dedicated their time to giving back and contributed to communities in Canada and abroad.
Twelve extraordinary individuals, known for their exemplary achievements and meaningful contributions, will receive honorary doctorates from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) this spring.
The recipients are: Surjit Babra, Marie Battiste, Deborah Cox, B. Denham Jolly, Moez Kassam, Jan Kestle, Brandt C. Louie, Steve Paikin, Cheryl Perera, Walter and Maria Schroeder and Tony Staffieri.
The degrees will be bestowed at convocation ceremonies on June 17, 18, 19, 20, 24 and 25 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre at 50 Carlton St.
TMU awards honorary degrees to those who have made extraordinary contributions to:
- Academia and/or society in Canada or internationally, particularly in fields of interest to the university;
- The development of Toronto Metropolitan University;
- The betterment of culture, society or the local community.
Learn more about their incredible contributions and accomplishments below.
Surjit S. Babra
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Surjit S. Babra has made significant business contributions to the travel, aviation and hospitality sectors while supporting charitable causes.
Surjit S. Babra is an award-winning entrepreneur and philanthropist whose life motto is “to make the world a better place before I leave it.”
Born in India, Babra moved to Toronto in 1979 to expand his travel business. He has since founded and built successful companies across the travel, aviation and hospitality sectors. Babra is best known as the founding force behind the SkyLink group of companies.
Babra and Walter Arbib started SkyLink Aviation, an international air charter and leasing service. The company became revered for its reliable and timely deployment of aircraft during emergency and aid missions. They provided aircraft and logistical support to organizations such as the United Nations, the Red Cross, the Canadian Armed Forces and USAID. SkyLink Aviation also donated to war-torn regions, providing much-needed medical supplies and relief.
In 2014, Babra and his partners purchased the Heinz Leamington plant in Ontario, reinvesting in Ontario and saving 250 jobs. Now under the name Highbury Canco Corp, the company has two locations with more than 600 employees.
Babra’s philanthropic endeavours include funding children’s causes in Canada and abroad through the SkyLink Children's Charity and making major contributions to TMU’s School of Medicine.
Marie Battiste, OC
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Marie Battiste’s work includes advancing the decolonization of education and the institutionalization of the Indigenous humanities, science and knowledge.
Marie Battiste is an L’nu educator, a member of the Potlotek First Nations in Unama’ki, Nova Scotia and is professor emerita from the University of Saskatchewan.
Born to Mi’kmaw parents and raised in Houlton, Maine, she graduated from University of Maine, Farmington with a teacher certificate in 1971. She continued her education, graduating from Harvard University with a Ford Fellow Foundation scholarship in 1974. Ten years later, she received her doctorate degree from Stanford University, becoming the first First Nations woman to graduate with a doctorate degree in Canada.
She has worked actively in Mi’kmaw First Nations schools as an administrator, teacher, consultant and curriculum developer. Battiste has also authored, co-authored and edited several books on Indigenous knowledge and heritage and First Nations education.
A prolific writer and speaker, Battiste has developed an international profile for advancing the decolonization of education, the development of Indigenous voice and vision, and the institutionalization of the Indigenous humanities, science and knowledge.
In recognition of her work, Battiste has received several honorary degrees from Canadian and American universities. She is an Officer in the Order of Canada, an elected Fellow to the Royal Society of Canada and received the INDspire Award in Education and Distinguished Academic Award from the Canadian Association of University Teachers.
Deborah Cox
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Deborah Cox is a groundbreaking artist who became the first Black woman inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Deborah Cox is a Grammy-nominated recording artist and Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee whose talents span music, Broadway, television, film and fashion.
Cox scaled the R&B and pop charts with six top 20 Billboard R&B singles and 13 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play Chart. Her sophomore album included two No. 1 R&B songs, including the record-breaking “Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here,” which spent 14 weeks at the top–the longest in history at the time.
In addition to her music, Cox has been recognized for her commitment to social justice initiatives. She was honoured with the Black Music Honors’ Entertainer Icon Award for her 25 ground-breaking years in the music industry. Cox also partnered with the youth-led movement Revolutionnaire to launch the “Beautiful U R” initiative to support women experiencing housing insecurity.
In 2022, Cox reached a career milestone and made history as the first Black woman inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. That same year, Cox was given the Key to the City of Toronto and September 23rd was declared Deborah Cox Day. She also received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.
A seasoned entertainer, both on-screen and off, Cox is known for her roles in the 2019 series First Wives Club and HBO MAX series Station Eleven. Cox also co-produced the revival of The Wiz on Broadway and starred as Glinda.
B. Denham Jolly, CM, OD, LL.D
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
B. Denham Jolly is an admired businessman, philanthropist and community leader who promotes equity, social justice and opportunity for youth and disadvantaged communities.
B. Denham Jolly is an esteemed businessman, publisher, broadcaster and human rights
activist who is widely admired as a community leader and promoter of equity, social justice, civil rights and opportunity.
Born in Jamaica, Jolly graduated with a science degree from McGill University before starting a variety of businesses including student housing, nursing homes, medical labs and a community newspaper. He founded Milestone Communications, which launched Canada’s first Black-owned radio station FLOW 93.5. In 1983, he established the Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA).
In addition to his business pursuits, Jolly founded, supports and participates in a number of community groups. They include the Black Action Defense Committee, a boys youth soccer team in Toronto’s Regent Park and a breakfast program at Cornwall College in Jamaica. He also contributes to scholarships for promising young Black Canadians and organized a donation of personal mobility devices to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.
In recognition of his community spirit, the City of Toronto named a Scarborough, Ont., street “Jolly Way” and a park “Jolly Way Park” in his honour. He is also the recipient of the Jamaican government’s Order of Distinction and Order of Canada.
Moez Kassam
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Moez Kassam’s belief in the power of investment in unlocking human potential has driven his entrepreneurial and philanthropic endeavours.
Moez Kassam is co-founder and Chief Investment Officer of Anson Funds, a Toronto-based multi-strategy fund with over $2 billion USD in assets. The firm's success has drawn the attention of leading financial publications like The Financial Times, Reuters, BarclayHedge, Barron's and Bloomberg.
Driven by a belief in the power of strategic investment to unlock human potential, Kassam, alongside his wife, Marissa, co-founded the Moez & Marissa Kassam Equity Fund. This philanthropic fund invests in charitable organizations breaking barriers and building bridges to a more equitable future. The fund focuses on food security, advanced healthcare, affordable housing, education and inclusive sports programs.
Recent investments include those at SickKids, aimed at accelerating advancements in pediatric critical care at SickKids, and TMU’s new School of Medicine, which is dedicated to cultivating the next generation of medical innovators. Kassam’s dedication to local healthcare is also exemplified by significant contributions to Michael Garron Hospital, where the Moez & Marissa Kassam Food Court serves as a key community resource.
Kassam serves on the boards of the Toronto Public Library Foundation and the Canadian Olympic Foundation. Recognized as one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40 in 2018, and recently by Toronto Life magazine as one of Toronto's most influential figures, he is also an active member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), a global network of business leaders.
Jan Kestle
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Throughout her career, Jan Kestle has used statistics and mathematics to improve Canadians’ social and economic well-being.
Jan Kestle has dedicated her career to using statistics and mathematics to help Canadian organizations become more data driven, make better decisions and as a result, make Canadians’ lives better.
Kestle led the Ontario government’s statistical office, was president of Compusearch Micromarketing Data & Systems and founder and president of Environics Analytics, which is Canada’s leading data and analytics solutions provider.
Kestle’s driving passion is her belief that Canada’s social and economic well-being requires significant analytical innovation and the responsible use of data. In her career, she quickly discovered that the secret sauce is the “the science of where”–embedding time and place in advanced analytics.
Since the early 90’s, Kestle has had an enduring relationship with TMU. For decades, she has supported the Applied Geography Program as an advisor and has hired over 100 TMU spatial analysts. She partnered with TMU in the development of the Masters of Spatial Analysis program, the establishment of the Centre for the Study of Commercial Activity and the DMZ. More recently, she served on the TRSM dean’s advisory council.
Jan has a BSc in applied mathematics from the University of Western Ontario. She is the recipient of the Canadian Marketing Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award and is a member of the Canadian Statistics Advisory Council.
Brandt C. Louie, CM, OBC, LL.D., FCPA, FCA
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
In addition to being a visionary business leader and philanthropist, Brandt C. Louie aided in the creation of a national strategy on anti-Asian racism.
Brandt Louie is one of Canada’s most respected entrepreneurs and philanthropists. Under his stewardship, London Drugs has become one of Canada’s most trusted retail brands and a leading contributor to environmental and social causes.
Louie practiced as a chartered accountant before joining the family business in 1972. He is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of H.Y. Louie Group of companies that include London Drugs, Fresh Street Markets, London Air Services and Sonora Resort, Georgia Main Food Group, and Meiga Supermarkets.
A visionary business leader and philanthropist, Louie is involved with numerous organizations. These include: the Vancouver Board of Trade, the Historical Foundation of Canada, the Canadian Judicial Council and the Dean’s Council, John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Since 2020, Louie has aided in the creation of a national strategy on anti-Asian racism. He represented many Canadian-Chinese families impacted by the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act in the Ottawa Senate Chamber. He also serves on the board of the National Coalition of Canadians Against Anti-Asian Racism and the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation.
Louie has received honorary degrees from the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, where he served as Chancellor for six years. Louie also received the Order of British Columbia, the Order of Canada, the Platinum Jubilee Medal of Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles lll Coronation Medal, among others.
Steve Paikin, OC, O. Ont
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Steven Paikin is well known for his career as a journalist, hosting current affairs programming on TVO and moderating election debates.
Steven Paikin is a journalist, author and documentary producer.
Born in Hamilton, Ont., Paikin graduated from the University of Toronto and later received his master's degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University.
His career as a political journalist included periods at CBC, CHFI and the Hamilton Spectator before he joined TVO in 1992. At TVO, he co-created political and foreign affairs programming, including TVO's flagship current affairs program, The Agenda with Steve Paikin. Throughout his career he was frequently selected to moderate federal and provincial election debates.
Paikin has produced several feature-length documentaries, including 1993's Return to the Warsaw Ghetto. The documentary won the Silver Screen Award at the U.S. International Film and Video Festival, and received awards at the Yorkton Film Festival in Saskatchewan and the Shanghai Film Festival.
In addition to his journalistic endeavours, Paikin was appointed chancellor of Laurentian University and holds honorary degrees from numerous Canadian post-secondary institutions. In December 2013, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and invested into the Order of Ontario.
Cheryl Perera, O. Ont
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Cheryl Perera was just a teenager when she began her work to prevent and end the sexual exploitation of children.
Cheryl Perera is an international children’s rights advocate, social entrepreneur, acclaimed public speaker and the founder and president of OneChild–the first organization in the world empowering children and youth to combat the sexual exploitation of children (SEC).
Perera learned about SEC in high school and was filled with anger and passion to eradicate it. By 17, she completed a solo, three-and-a-half month mission to Sri Lanka where she visited the streets, slums and brothels to meet with child victims, NGO and social workers, law enforcement and government officials to document their stories and learn how to help. Perera partnered with the National Child Protection Authority and acted as the decoy in an undercover sting operation where more than 40 child sex perpetrators were apprehended.
Throughout her career, she has joined law enforcement on surveillance missions to identify child sex perpetrators, pioneered the Canadian private sector’s engagement in ending SEC in travel and tourism, launched the first prevention education program on child sex trafficking in Canadian schools, and provided shelter and long-term care to hundreds of child victims in Asia.
Perera has received more than 35 national and international awards. These include the World of Children Founder’s Award, Order of Ontario appointee, World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and 2025 Nobel Peace Prize nominee. She holds degrees from the University of Geneva and University of Toronto and completed executive education programs at Harvard University and the University of Oxford.
Walter and Maria Schroeder
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Philanthropists Walter and Maria Schroeder use their foundation to give back to communities in Winnipeg and Ontario.
Walter and Maria Schroeder both overcame hardships as children to pursue their educations, launch a globally successful business, and support numerous scholarships, community programs and health care initiatives through their philanthropic work.
Maria was born into a Mennonite family in the Soviet Union, during a period marked by severe persecution of the Mennonite people. Maria, her mother and her sisters beat the odds to reach West Germany where they lived in a refugee camp before settling in Winnipeg a year later.
Maria excelled in school and an act of kindness and philanthropy from her school principal ensured Maria could continue her education despite her family’s financial hardships. She then attended university, where she met her husband Walter.
Born to immigrant parents, Walter grew up in Winnipeg near the poorest neighbourhood in Canada. Walter received his Bachelor of Commerce with Honours from the University of Manitoba and his MBA from McMaster University. He was also licensed as a certified public accountant (CPA) as well as a certified financial analyst (CFA).
Together Walter and Maria built Dominion Bond Rating Service (DBRS), an independent credit rating agency. The company grew into the fourth-largest bond rating agency in the world. In 2014, the Schroeders sold DBRS and used money from the sale for their philanthropic endeavours.
They created the Walter & Maria Schroeder Foundation in 2015 to support marginalized communities across Winnipeg by removing barriers to education for youth in the city’s core.
Their foundation funds free and subsidized breakfast and lunch programs, staff outreach workers who connect with high school students and their families, and bursaries, merit awards and post-secondary scholarships.
The Schroeders have also made significant contributions to the health care sector. Their $1.5 million investment at TMU is helping to expand the number of skilled nurses entering the workforce. They have also made similar investments at McMaster University.
Other contributions include: the Schroeder Institute for Brain Innovation and Recovery with the Toronto Rehab Institute, the Schroeder Arthritis Institute at UHN, the Schroeder Allergy and Immunology Research Institute at McMaster University, and the Schroeder BRAIN&HEART Centre at St. Michael’s Hospital. The Foundation is also developing a private ambulatory surgical centre to provide specialized outpatient procedures with minimal recovery times.
Tony Staffieri
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
President and CEO of Rogers Communications Tony Staffieri has played a leading role in improving customer experience and delivering value.
Tony Staffieri is the President and CEO of Rogers Communications, Canada’s leading technology and media company proudly committed to providing the very best in wireless, residential, sports and media to Canadians and Canadian businesses.
A highly regarded and seasoned leader, Staffieri previously held the Chief Financial Officer position at Rogers for nine years where he played a lead role in delivering strong results and long-term shareholder value, solid operational execution, improvements to customer experience and best-in-class team engagement. Prior to Rogers, Tony held senior leadership positions with PwC, Celestica International and Bell Canada Enterprises.
Throughout his career, giving back has always been important to Staffieri, and education has been a prime recipient of his philanthropy. He is a donor to TMU, most recently giving $1 million split between the Staffieri Family Scholarships in Law and the Staffieri Family Scholarships in Medicine. It should also be noted that the $1 million provided by the Staffieri family was matched by Rogers Communications, bringing the total gift to TMU to $2 million.
Staffieri is a board director of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) and has just ended his term as chair of the Toronto Metropolitan University Board of Governors.