The very first University of the West Indies (UWI) Benefit Gala held in Canada, in
February of last year, raised enough money for the institution’s Regional Endowment
Fund to award 17 scholarships and bursaries to graduate and undergraduate students
attending the four campuses. The Benefit Gala, in the Regency Ballroom at the Four
Seasons Hotel, was under the Patronage of Jamaica-
(For more information and tickets, visit www.uwitorontogala.com or call 416-
The UWI began life as The University College of the West Indies, an independent external college of The University of London, in 1948. It became a full university in its own right in 1962, and now provides tertiary education for students from 15 Caribbean countries.
It has campuses in Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados, and an Open Campus serving Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, The British Virgin Islands, The Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The 17 Regional Endowment Fund scholarships and bursaries were distributed to students
on all campuses: Mona, Jamaica -
The glittering UWI Gala in Toronto is also an occasion for the presentation of three
categories of awards: The Luminary Awards, The Chancellor’s Awards and the Vice-
The Chancellor’s Awards are presented “to companies or organizations which have contributed
significantly to The University of the West Indies, or who have advanced the well-
This year two will be presented by UWI Chancellor Sir George Alleyne, the first to
an organization, Ryerson University -
The Vice Chancellor’s Awards are presented “to Caribbean-
Last year, there were seven such awards. This year, Vice Chancellor Professor E. Nigel Harris will present five.
* Dr. Karl Massiah, an orthopaedic surgeon -
* Kamala-
* Keith Forde, Toronto’s recently retired Barbados-
* Dr. John Stewart, a Jamaican who was a member of the first medical class of graduates of the UWI, did further training in Britain, then worked in East Africa before embarking on a noted medical career in Montreal.
* Judge Irving Andre of the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton, Ontario, is also an historian, biographer, novelist and community activist. He is from Dominica.
Last year, Luminary Awards were presented to Mayann E. Francis, the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, and singer actor Harry Belafonte, though bad weather in New York prevented him from getting to Toronto, and the award was accepted on his behalf by Gala Patron Chang.
The Chancellor’s Awards went to The Scotiabank Group, which is active in 46 countries, many in the Caribbean; the Project For Advancement Of Childhood Education (Canada), known as PACE; and the Royal Bank of Canada, which has a presence in 53 countries worldwide.
Of the seven Vice Chancellor’s Awards three attended the UWI: educator Maud Fuller,
originally from Jamaica; Guyana-
The other four awardees had not attended UWI: Jean Augustine of Grenada, who, after
a career in Federal politics, is Ontario’s Fairness Commissioner; writer and poet
Dionne Brand, a Trinidadian, the City of Toronto’s Poet Laureate; multiple award
winning author Austin Clarke, originally from Barbados; and iconic singer David Rudder
from Trinidad. Dr. Ho Ping Kong and Jean Augustine are the Honorary Co-
Caribbean People with Colin Rickards
UWI Gala set for late March
January 13, 2011
By Colin Rickards
The University of the West Indies Benefit Gala
For the past six decades, The University
of the West Indies (UWI) has been a leader in higher education. A Benefit Gala was
held recently at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto to raise funds and celebrate several
individuals for their scholarly achievements and contributions.
University of the West Indies (UWI) Toronto Gala a success
By Latoya Grindley
The University of the West Indies (UWI) Inaugural Toronto gala on Saturday, February 27, 2010 saw approximately 460 guests turning out to support the benefit event. Needless to say, the very first event of this nature to be held in Canada, was a huge success.
Staged at the Four Seasons Hotel, the black-
Held under the patronage of UWI honorary graduate, Raymond Chang, chair of CI Financial and chancellor of Ryerson University, nine prominent and high achievers were awarded at the function.
Receiving the Luminary Award were Mayann Francis and Dr Harry Belafonte. Among Francis' notable achievements that she is only the second woman to be named lieutenant governor in Nova Scotia in more than 100 years. Entertainer and human rights activist Belafonte has been giving back to the Caribbean and education as a dedicated supporter of the UWI scholarship programme. He is an honorary graduate of the institution.
Other awardees receiving the Vice-
Belafonte, who was regrettably absent, was obviously missed. In an attempt to make
up for his absence, a pre-
Funds raised through the gala will go towards the UWI scholarship programme as well as the Haitian earthquake recovery programme.
latoya.grindley@gleanerjm.com
Donovan Bailey and Michael Lee-
to be honoured in Toronto
The University of the West Indies hosts 2nd Annual Benefit Gala in Toronto
TORONTO, Feb. 2 /CNW/ -
Under the patronage of Dr. G. Raymond Chang, immediate past Chair of CI Financial, Chancellor of Ryerson University and himself, an honorary graduate of UWI, the gala promises to be an evening of celebration, embracing Canada's rich diversity while raising funds for students in the Caribbean. Proceeds from the Toronto gala will benefit students through the UWI Scholarship Fund and the UWI Haitian Initiative.
"This benefit gala is about supporting students, celebrating the good works of those within our community; and hopefully inspiring others by recognizing the valuable relationship between Canada and the Caribbean," says Chang. "This year's honourees demonstrate our common thread of education, giving back; and service to community, which has added to the rich fabric of Canada."
The first man in history to achieve the rare triple title of World Champion, Olympic
Champion and World Record Holder, Donovan Bailey is also the first Canadian to break
the 10-
"Our University's proudest achievement is our graduates who are leading all sectors
of Caribbean life and, in the case of those who have migrated, contributed amply
to communities in North America, Europe and other places to which they have gone",
says Professor E. Nigel Harris, vice-
The gala will take place on March 26, 2011 at the Four Seasons Hotel, with interview and photo opportunities available for select honourees. Find additional gala details at www.uwitorontogala.com, and for more timely updates, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About The University of the West Indies Benefit Gala, Toronto
Building off the success of its inaugural Benefit Gala last year, and with such a strong Caribbean community in Canada, UWI is striving to develop a successful event that will continue to strengthen the relationship between Canada and the Caribbean for years to come.
The 2010 Benefit Gala was sold out with 460 attendees. Approximately $230,000 was raised, resulting in 17 scholarships being awarded to students in need. Those honoured at the inaugural event included: Dr. the Honourable Harry Belafonte, The Honourable Mayann E. Francis, The Honourable Jean Augustine, Professor Dionne Brand, Mr. Austin Clarke, Ms. Maud Fuller, Dr. Herbert Ho Ping Kong, Dr. Robert Moore, Mr. David Rudder, Project Advancement Childhood Education (P.A.C.E), Royal Bank of Canada and Scotiabank.
About The University of the West Indies Scholarship Fund and Haitian Initiative
The UWI Regional Endowment Fund (UWIREF) scholarships and bursaries are offered to outstanding students in the Caribbean region who have difficulty financing their university education. The scholarships and bursaries are based on academic excellence and financial need.
The University of the West Indies has accepted numerous Haitian students to complete
their degrees at the Mona Campus in Jamaica and St. Augustine Campus in Trinidad
and Tobago.
About The University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies (UWI) was established in 1948 as a college of the
University of London. It achieved full university status in 1962 and today, is the
only pan-
For further information:
Media RSVP and Contact:Leah Gaucher, BlueSky Communications, lgaucher@blueskycommunications.com, 416.929.2052
Judge and advocate
Justice Irving Andre
Irving Andre was born on the Caribbean island of Curacao and raised on another, Dominica
(not to be mistaken for the Dominican Republic), whose population is about 72,500
— that is a few thousand less than the city of Nanaimo, B.C. Being born in a middle-
So has he achieved anything significant? Not just one achievement, but many!
Yes, he is one of the first and few justices to hold a doctorate degree in law, a gold medalist in English, recipient of the African Canadian Achievement Award and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award, and is also the one of the very few black judges in the country. (though he is rather sad than proud about the latter)!
Justice Andre first left Dominica to gain an undergraduate degree in geography at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica upon receiving a U.S. aid scholarship. He then moved to the United States to pursue a doctorate in history at the prestigious Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, once again on a scholarship.
“While there, I resumed a relationship with a young lady from Dominica, who would migrate to Canada,” he recalls with a smile. So despite his passion for education, he discontinued his doctoral studies after two years and moved to Canada in 1984, following his new wife.
Though he was happy following his love to Canada, the young man was faced with hardships in settling in and feeding their growing family. He delivered newspapers and flyers over the weekends while working as a claims adjuster at the Workers’ Compensation Board. “After a year, I decided I should at least make an effort to resume studies. It was logical for me to study law once I had acclimatized myself to the Canadian experience.”
Andre remembers why it was a natural course to pursue law: “Even as an undergraduate student in Jamaica, I was always very interested in studying law.” In fact, back home, he couldn’t get government financial aid to study law so he had turned to his second love, history. “I always had a strong interest in becoming either a history professor or a lawyer, so it wasn’t a difficult decision.”
He continues, “Somewhat ironically, it was easier to study law here than in the West Indies because of the question of funding … Law offered the promise of being able to work independently of others and being able to make a difference.” He then practised criminal law for nearly 10 years, before he was called to the bench in 2002.
He has definitely been making a difference, both in the black community and outside,
ever since. He has been actively involved in several organizations including Sisserou
Cultural Club and the United Achievers Club of Brampton, the John Howard Society
and the Kiwanis Club of Brampton, the United Achievers Non Profit Housing Corporation
and the RESQ Youth Club. He has also authored or co-
Currently, Andre is updating the thesis that he worked on for his PhD, The Significance of Race in the Sentencing of Drug Couriers, in which he presents the case of many black single mothers who have been enticed into becoming drug couriers to drug destinations in the Caribbean. “There is a significant debate as to how these couriers should be sentenced. Should they receive punitive sentences? Or should their impoverished or disadvantaged backgrounds play a more significant role in their sentencing? Hopefully, I can bring some insight into the issue and make a contribution to make it easy for courts to deal with this problem.” (The University of British Columbia Press is scheduled to publish the revised version as a book sometime later this year.)
To help empower the community, he also speaks to youth through various community organizations and settlement agencies about the importance of education in uplifting communities. According to him, now is the time to “seize the reigns” of your future and to make something of yourself.
“It’s a theme that I echo in many speeches and presentations I make — the whole notion of why as immigrant people we can’t wait. We can’t wait, for example, for a glacial pace of change, but we have to be the agents of change. [I say] that we have come here and we have to seize the moments and opportunities that exist and that we should make every effort to take advantage of the educational opportunities.”
In his own case, Andre not only seized such an opportunity, but also came out in flying colours. “As an articling student, I was assigned to prosecute cases of violation of the occupational health and safety act. I did a lot of travelling, but, more importantly, I did a lot of litigation, did a lot of court work and I found it very exciting. I was very much enthused by going to court and arguing on behalf of the Crown.”
He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School of York University in 1988 specializing in labour law, while winning an award in immigration law studies. One of his papers analyzing the Commonwealth Caribbean and Mexican Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program was also published in the Osgoode Hall Law Journal.
When he was called to the bar two years later, he continued to work in the Ministry of Labour, as an assistant Crown attorney. During his tenure, he found a disproportionate number of immigrants employed in window cleaning and construction industries, and that they were disinclined to report workplace injury out of fear. “There was always an unspoken rule that you weigh in the risk of losing your job if you report the accident,” he says, adding that he noticed that though it was not their fault, the workers injured on the job were reluctant to testify or give information because of fear.
“I would like to think it has changed because I know that the penalty has increased. But are we at a stage where all workers feel free to come forward? I don’t think necessarily … because there are certain realities that immigrants face in terms of job tenure. And you know the old maxim, which relates unfortunately to many immigrants, that invariably they are the last to be hired but the first to be fired, so my impression is that to a significant degree it’s still the case in the workplace.”
While he believes that there has been a significant increase in awareness among the
immigrant communities about their rights and responsibilities, Andre observes that
there is an “intense relationship” between immigrant status, poverty and perceptions
about crime. “One of the hot-
According to him, the issue has to be dealt with as a community. “I think that is where the message of education has to come through. Because it’s through education you learn that salvation lies, in the extent to which you exploit the natural talents you have. So as a community this is something we have to address.
“I try to convey to the young people one of the things they should make their business
to know, is to find out more about the backgrounds of their parents. That’s something
I harp on a lot. Specially those of us who spend our formative years in so called
‘third-
At his home, Andre talks to his two daughters about the hardships he faced back home
growing up, so that they may value the comparatively privileged life they have here
in Canada and make the best of their lives. “The first one is at University of Western
Ontario studying health sciences. She wants to work as a medical professional with
Nurses Without Borders or Doctors Without Borders, and the second one wants to pursue
law,” says the proud father.
http://www.canadianimmigrant.ca/immigrantstories/career/article/8064
Judge Irving Andre is one of the first and few justices to hold a doctorate degree in law, a gold medalist in English, recipient of the African Canadian Achievement Award and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award.
Gloria Elayadathusseril
Irving Andre is an Ontario judge who has made history despite very humble beginnings.
www.citytv.com
Black History Month:
Judge Irving Andre
Annual Benefit Gala in Toronto, Saturday March 26, 2011, at the Four Seasons Hotel,
Toronto, honouring Donovan Bailey and Michael Lee-
Outstanding individuals to be honoured include: The Honourable Justice Dr. Irving
Andre, Keith L. Forde, Kamala-
Under the patronage of Dr. G. Raymond Chang, immediate past Chair of CI Financial, Chancellor of Ryerson University and himself, an honorary graduate of UWI, the gala promises to be an evening of celebration, embracing Canada's rich diversity while raising funds for students in the Caribbean. Proceeds from the Toronto gala will benefit students through the UWI Scholarship Fund and the UWI Haitian Initiative.
University of the West Indies
2nd Annual Benefit Gala Toronto
