Michaëlle Jean, Jean Béliveau and Judith W. Mappin to receive honorary degrees from McGill

Governor General, hockey legend and literary champion to be honoured at fall convocation

McGill University is pleased to be recognizing three exceptional individuals with honorary degrees at fall convocation. Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, Montreal Canadiens hockey legend Jean Béliveau and Canadian literary champion Judith W. Mappin will receive their honorary degrees on Friday, November 10, in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts.

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada
Doctor of Letters
Friday, November 10, 9:30 a.m.
Michaëlle Jean was appointed Governor General of Canada in September 2005. Before her appointment, Jean led a high-profile career as a journalist and television host of current affairs programs. Jean earned numerous honours for her journalistic achievements, including the Human Rights League of Canada's 1989 Media Award, a Gemini Award and the inaugural Amnesty International Canada Journalism Award. The same sense of social commitment that led her to journalism has also informed her diplomatic role as a champion of human rights and internationalism, especially in her native Haiti.

Jean Béliveau
Doctor of Laws
Friday, November 10, 3:30 p.m.
Considered one of the greatest hockey players ever, Jean Béliveau remains the all-time leading scorer for the Montreal Canadiens and the all-time leading scorer in Stanley Cup history. In 1971, he became the fourth player in NHL history to have scored 500 goals. Béliveau retired that same year, winning his 10th Stanley Cup with the Canadiens. Since then, Béliveau has been a tireless philanthropist, establishing the Jean Béliveau Fund, which provides much-needed assistance to underprivileged children in Quebec and the rest of Canada. In 1993, he transferred the foundation to the Society for Disabled Children. In 1998, he was named a Companion of the Order of Canada.

Judith W. Mappin
Doctor of Letters
Friday, November 10, 3:30 p.m.
Judith W. Mappin, Canadian bookseller and philanthropist, earned her BSc at McGill in 1950. In 1974 she established the Double Hook Book Shop on Greene Avenue in Montreal with two partners and became a well-known champion of Canadian authors. Mappin served a term as director of the Canadian Booksellers Association and was a founding member and director for nine years of the Quebec Society for the Promotion of English Language Literature (QSPELL). For two years, Mappin served on the jury selection committee of the Quebec Writers Federation.