Bob Dawson, leader in the fight against racism, to receive an honorary doctorate

Saint Mary’s University will recognize Bob Dawson BA’71 with an honorary doctorate in Civil Law at the 2023 Spring Convocation, celebrating his leadership in fighting racism both on and off the ice. While attending Saint Mary’s University in 1967, Dawson became the first Black athlete to play in the former Atlantic Intercollegiate Hockey League where he was often the target of verbal and physical abuse.

In 1970, he became a member of the first all-Black line in Canadian university hockey, which included Darrell Maxwell and Percy Paris. His commitment to fighting racism did not end when he left university but continues to the present day.

Bob Dawson and teammates recognized as the first all-Black line at SMU Homecoming in 2017

After completing his Masters in Social Work in 1973 at Dalhousie University, Dawson joined the Public Service of Canada in Halifax and later moved to Ottawa in 1980 where he worked for 37-years in human resources management and received several awards for contributions to employment equity and diversity. 

“We are very pleased to honour Bob Dawson,” says Saint Mary’s University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “He has carried his commitment to fight racism beyond the hockey arena and into the wider Canadian society. He shows us what it means to be a leader and live by values that will inspire others, especially future generations.”

As a member of the Ottawa-Carleton Area Police Community Council, Dawson helped develop a community action strategy to prevent, manage and resolve critical incidents involving the police and communities of colour. While with the National Capital Alliance on Race Relations, he established and implemented the “Police-Minority Youth Program”, a community-based initiative to improve relations between the police and youth and was recognized with a Civilian Citation in 1992 and Community Service Award in 1993 from the Police Services Boards for the cities of Gloucester and Ottawa. 

Over the years, Dawson has worked with numerous community organizations and universities to organize events and conferences to address racism in hockey. One of his proudest moments came when his request to Canada Post for a stamp to commemorate the “125th anniversary of the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes (CHLM)” was approved and issued on January 24, 2020. He is currently working with the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa to create an archival collection on the CHLM. Since February 2021, Dawson has been working with students and staff at the R.I.S.E. Academy on hockey-related initiatives, which included an anti-racism campaign entitled “Blow The Whistle on Racism”.

Dawson played for the SMU Huskies from 1967-1971

An accomplished sportswriter and historian, Dawson writes extensively on Blacks in various sports, especially hockey. On January 25, 2015, he received from Black History Ottawa the John G. Dennison Award for excellence in the study, preservation, and promotion of Canadian Black history and culture. In 2022, The Hockey News recognized him as one of the Social Change Advocates Making An Impact for his work in the areas of anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion.

On February 22, 2022, the NHL’s Ottawa Senators presented Dawson with a Senators’ jersey in appreciation for his contributions to growing the game of hockey in Ottawa. At the Carnegie Initiative Summit in January 2023 in Toronto, he was presented with the Carnegie Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award for his commitment to challenging the status quo to make hockey more inclusive.

In recent years, Dawson has returned to his alma mater to reunite with teammates and to host conferences devoted to ending racism and promoting equity and inclusion for Black athletes.

“Bob has been a lifelong ambassador of Saint Mary’s University as an athlete, a scholar, and a professional and he has dedicated his life to Black inclusion in Nova Scotia and beyond,” says Dr. Cheryl MacDonald, Associate Director of Outreach and Instructor, Centre for the Study of Sport & Health. “His intellectual and practical contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion in hockey specifically have informed my own work as a sport scholar. I consider it a privilege to have been asked to deliver the citation for his honorary degree at the graduation ceremony in May.”

Saint Mary’s University Signs Charter on Black Inclusion and Fighting Anti-Black Racism

Members of the President's Standing Committee on the Prevention of Racism (L-R): Dr. Ehab Elsharkawi, Franklyn Southwell, Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, Dr. Tatjana Takseva, Brady Paul, Dr. Rohini Bannerjee, Natalia Storr, Deborah Brothers-Scott, Raymond Sewell

Action towards equity and diversity

Saint Mary's University has signed onto the Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion In Canadian Higher Education: Principles, Actions, and Accountabilities.  

Deborah Brothers-Scott, Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, and Dr. Rohini Bannerjee

Created with input and collaboration from students, faculty, staff, relevant organizations and Black political and civic leaders, the charter reflects the post-secondary sector's shared recognition of the realities of anti-Black racism. It provides a concrete path forward to address these and create a more inclusive future. The charter follows four overarching principles: black flourishing, inclusive excellence, mutuality, and accountability.  

"The President's Standing Committee on the Prevention of Racism took a unique, deliberate and thoughtful approach to our signing and support of the Scarborough Charter," says Deborah Brothers-Scott, Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellness at Saint Mary's University and Chair of the committee. "We consulted with various areas of the university, such as the Saint Mary's University Students' Association, Student Affairs and Services, People and Culture and faculty. The charter was presented to the university's senate and has been endorsed by the board of governors."  
 
Saint Mary's has already begun to implement some of the following actions, with all expected to be complete within the next year. The university:  

• has appointed Dr. Rohini Bannerjee as the Associate Vice-President, Diversity Excellence, with responsibility and accountability for diversity excellence, to work with the Associate Vice-President of People and Culture and the Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellness, to add focus on academic elements

• will establish a Black Caucus consisting of Black faculty and staff

• will utilize disaggregated data to make data informed decisions on Black representation and inclusion

• will develop and implement a diversity excellence cohort hiring strategy to increase and retain Black and Indigenous faculty and staff

The President’s Standing Committee on the Prevention of Racism played an instrumental role in reviewing the charter in association with the Anti-Racism Action Plan. The committee includes:  

• Deborah Brothers-Scott, Chair (Director, Diversity Inclusion and Wellness)

• Dr. Robert Summerby Murray (President and Vice-Chancellor)

• Tom Brophy (Senior Director of Student Affairs & Services)

• Raymond Sewell (Faculty of Arts)

• Dr. Naja Attig (Sobey School of Business)

• Dr. Ehab Elsharkawi (Faculty of Science)

• Dr. Tatjana Takseva (Faculty of Arts and Chairperson, Saint Mary’s University Academic Senate)

• Dr. Rohini Bannerjee (AVP Diversity Excellence)

• Franklyn Southwell (President, SMUSA)

• Kyle Cook (Vice President - Academic & Advocacy, SMUSA)

• Brady Paul (Indigenous Student Advisor)

• Natalia Storr (Student/Alumni representative)

Download the Charter

The consultative approach that the university's committee took was applauded by Dr. Adelle Blackett, Canada Research Chair at McGill University’s Faculty of Law, who was the principal drafter of the charter. 

"As a member of the Inter-Institutional Advisory Committee members for the national dialogues, I am proud that Saint Mary's University has signed onto the Scarborough Charter," says Saint Mary's President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. "As an institution, we are committed to systemic change, change we will see through this charter."  

Work on the Charter began in October 2020, when universities, colleges and other partners came together in conversation on how to meaningfully address anti-Black racism and Black inclusion. From there, the Inter-Institutional Advisory Committee (IIAC) for the National Dialogues and Action began drafting the charter, drawing from the input received from members of the community and sector. Further consultations on the drafted charter took place from March to June 2021, in which partners from Canadian universities and colleges took part in shaping the principles, actions and accountability measures contained within. 

Signatories of the Scarborough Charter are following through on the promises made by universities and colleges in the summer of 2020 and by partner institutions at the October 2020 National Dialogues and Action for Inclusive Higher Education and Communities. Signatories are committing to meaningful, concrete action to address anti-Black racism and to promote Black inclusion.

Related

• Media release: Saint Mary’s joins universities nationwide to take action on anti-Black racism 

• Dr. Rohini Bannerjee appointed as Associate Vice-President, Diversity Excellence at Saint Mary’s University 

• About the Scarborough Charter  

• Download a copy of the Charter