McGill awards honorary doctorate to Marcel Groleau

By Myriam Laplante El Haïli, originally published in La terre de chez nous

On June 5, Marcel Groleau, former president of the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA), was awarded McGill University's highest honor, an honorary doctorate. The distinction underlines the important legacy Mr. Groleau leaves to Quebec's agricultural sector.

His emotion was palpable as he addressed the graduating class of 2024 from the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences on the Macdonald campus. "I'm a little moved. [...] This distinction I'm receiving today is at the top of the list of wonderful surprises that life has given me. I'm very honoured," he said.

"As far back as I can remember, I've always been an early riser to see the light of day, except on school days, much to my mother's despair. Self-taught, I used other paths, took different routes, but above all seized opportunities. So this honorary doctorate has a very special meaning for me. Right now, I can just imagine my mother turning over in her grave."

Marcel Groleau

Whether at the helm of the UPA, the Producteurs de lait du Québec (PLQ) or the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Marcel Groleau has always set himself the goal of bringing groups closer together and improving communication between consumers and agricultural producers. He has worked to advance the cause of the environment and animal welfare, and to make room for organic producers within the UPA.

Positive by nature, he has always favored collective gains. "In the positions I've held, I've practiced positive leadership, realistic in the face of challenges and open to different points of view. Understanding to better convince, defining oneself by complementarity rather than opposition - this is how I have exercised the presidency of the Union des producteurs agricoles et des Producteurs de lait du Québec," he mentioned in his speech.

During his tenure as president of the PLQ, Marcel Groleau collaborated with McGill University to administer the Programme d'analyse des troupeaux laitiers du Québec, developed by researchers at the Macdonald campus in 1966. The latter became Valacta, a center of expertise in dairy production, and today Lactanet, an analysis laboratory and data processing center recognized not only in Canada, but in North America.