Toronto, June 15, 2012 – Journalist Chantal Hébert will receive an honorary degree, Doctor of Laws, from York University on Saturday, June 16. She will address graduates at the 2:30pm Convocation at Glendon College.
Chantal Hébert is one of the most respected political journalists in Canada – in both official languages. She is a columnist for the Toronto Star, Le Devoir and L’Actualité and appears weekly on CBC’s The National as a part of the At Issue panel and on Radio-Canada’s C’est bien meilleur le matin (radio) and Les Coulisses du Pouvoir (TV). She published her first book, French Kiss: Stephen Harper’s Blind Date with Quebec, in 2007.
A francophone whose family moved from Hull, Quebec, to Toronto when she was in high school, Hébert has a unique view on the challenges of living in a country with two official languages. Her experiences give her a distinct understanding of national political affairs and the different political cultures of Quebec and Ontario.
A Glendon graduate, she has served on Glendon’s School of Public & International Affairs advisory committee since its creation and was awarded a Bryden Alumni Award for Pinnacle Achievement in 2006. Hébert is also a recipient of APEX’s Public Service Citation and the Hyman Solomon Award for Excellence in Public Policy Journalism.
York University is a leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto – Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 55,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 250,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 10 faculties and 28 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.
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Media Contacts:
Joanne Rider, Media Relations, York University, 416 736 5593, 416-333-3374 (cell) / jrider@yorku.ca
Janice Walls, Media Relations, York University, 416 736 2100 x22101, 416-455-4710 (cell) / wallsj@yorku.ca
York University has a media studio available for double-ender interviews.
