Honorary Doctor of Laws awarded to three distinguished recipients
In the last year, Andrew Petter, KC; Eloise Spitzer; and Satsan (Herbert George) have been awarded Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degrees from UVic in recognition of their dedication to public service. Honorary Degree recipients are chosen to recognize and honour individuals who have achieved great things and celebrate the values of the university. Honorary Degree recipients are chosen to recognize and honour individuals who have achieved great things and celebrate the values of the university.
Satsan (Herbert George)
Satsan (Herbert George) a Wet’suwet’en Nation Hereditary Chief of the Frog Clan has made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of legal and constitutional understandings of Indigenous rights and title in Canada and around the world.
As founder and president of the Centre for First Nations Governance and co-director of the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) partnership project Rebuilding First Nations Governance, Satsan is an internationally renowned expert on Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution 1982 and Indigenous peoples’ inherent right to self-governance.
Eloise Spitzer
Eloise Spitzer’s remarkable ability to connect with people has left an enduring impact through her roles as a mentor, educator and public servant, encouraging deep community engagement and social justice. These qualities are at the heart of her transformative work.
Breaking barriers throughout her career, Spitzer has made history as the first woman to hold the position of Cabinet Secretary, Deputy Minister in the Premier’s office in both Yukon and BC, providing advice to Executive Councils and managing communications during constitutional change. She successfully litigated Canada’s first charter case, was a founding mother of LEAF and the first student at Maliiganik Tukisiiniakvik (Legal Aid) in Nunavut.
Andrew Petter
Throughout his career, Andrew Petter has distinguished himself as a first-class student, teacher, scholar, public leader and university administrator. After pursuing undergraduate studies in political science and law at the University of Victoria and gaining a Master of Law from the University of Cambridge, Andrew practised as Crown counsel in Saskatchewan before teaching law at York University’s Osgoode Hall and UVic.