Stanley Knowles Visiting Professorship in Canadian Studies

Knowles' programme activities take place in both Fall and Winter terms of the academic year.  Normally, during each Fall term a specially devised 'Knowles Course' will be given by a person names as Stanley Knowles Visiting Professor in Canadian Studies.  A major public Lecture, "The Knowles Lecture," is a main feature of the Fall Visiting Professorship programme.  Other Knowles Lectures may be given from time to time in the Fall term. 

The Winter term of each academic year features the prestigious Kerr-Saltsman Lecture in Canadian Studies as part of the Knowles Visiting Professorship programme.  It is intended that the Kerr-Saltsman Lecture be given in March of each year by an individual named as Stanley Knowles Visiting Professor in Canadian Studies for that purpose. 

"If we apply new ideas of human worth and new values that are consistent with human dignity to the resources and capacities we now possess, there are no limits to the develpment we can achieve in our own country not to the part we can play in assisting those peoples and nations bursting onto the world scene to share in the kind of life we believe to be man's destiny." 

Stanley H. Knowles
 

Stanley Knowles A Biographical Sketch:

Stanley Knowles was one of the great figures of parliamentary life in modern times. It has been said that he was dean of the House of Parliament, the conscience of Parliament, and the beloved social activist friend of every Canadian, whether they knew him or not. He earned a reputation as a champion of freedom of the individual, of compassion, peace, justice, fair play and democracy.

The special policy issues that he particularly advanced had to do with the structure of democracy and the rights and rules of parliament, including the abolition of the Senate. He was constantly looking beyond the necessary
improvements in the institutional structures towards the goal of social justice, which he saw was to be obtained through education, agitation and social legislation.

His efforts contributed to the rights of women and the families of war veterans. He fought for better pensions for workers and civil servants and for lower unemployment and improved housing. Universal old age security in
Canada was mainly due to his work.

First elected to Parliament in 1942 for the Riding of Winnipeg North Centre, Mr. Knowles was made a member of the Privy Council in 1979 by Prime Minister Joe Clark, in recognition of his 38 years in the House. In 1984 he was made an Honourary life-member of the House of Commons by Prime Minister P.E. Trudeau, and an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1985.
 

In a letter dated April 25, 1997, Mr. Knowles pointed out that his favourite quote is found on the tombstone of his old friend T. C. Douglas: "Courage my friends, 'Tis not too late to make A Better World."

The Stanley Knowles Visiting Professorship, part of the Canadian Studies Program, is named to honour Stanley Knowles for his unflagging efforts to create a better society in Canada and to extend human rights internationally. The Visiting Professorship will bring to campus leaders from government, labour, academia and national community groups which are playing an increasingly important role in our multicultural society. They will make their expertise available to the UW community through seminars, classes, resources for research and public lectures.
The distinguished Honourary Patrons of the Knowles Professorship include prominent leaders in government, business, labour, church and the community: George Anderson, Marion Best, Bill Blaikie, Bob Blair, Allan
Blakeney, Shirley Carr, Mark Daniels, Julie Davis, Wayne Easter, J. Trevor Eyton, George Fleischmann, Buzz Hargrove, Harry Hynd, Robert Kerr, Ronald Lang (Campaign Chair), Flora Macdonald, Harrison McCain, Dick Martin, Ovide Mercredi, Jack Munro, J.E. Newall, Landon Pearson, Judy Rebick, Jeffery Sack, Mitchell Sharpe, Andrew Telegdi, Fred Upshaw.

Bibliography on Stanley Knowles:

Canadian Who's Who, 1990, Volume XXV, Kieran Simpson, Editor. (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1990).

Charlotte Montgomery, "Heartfelt Outburst Marks Rare Honor Given to Knowles," The Globe and Mail, (March 14, 1984).

Chris Guly, "A Day in the Life of Stanley Knowles," Canadian Parliamentary Review, XIII:1(1990).

Gerry Harrop, Advocate of Compassion: Stanley Knowles in the Political Process,  (Hantsport, Nova Scotia: Lancelot Press Limited, 1984).

S.H. Knowles, "The CCF-Belief in Man,"The United Church Observer, (May 1, 1957).

Stanley Knowles, The New Party, (Toronto: McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1961). Also published as The noveau parti, (Montreal: Editions du Jour, 1961).

Susan Mann Trofimenkoff, Stanley Knowles: The Man from Winnipeg North Centre, (Saskatoon: Saskatchewan: Western Producer Prairie Books, 1982).
 

Robert Kerr and Max Saltsman:

ROBERT JOHN KERR is a unique blend of excellence in both business and politics. A native of Galt, Ontario, (now Cambridge) he was co-founder of IMAX Corporation in 1967, and was the Mayor of Cambridge 1975-76. Since selling IMAX in 1994, he has been creating an Edwardian steam launch, following his unwavering adherence to the Kenneth Grahame dictum that "there is nothing worth doing so much as simply messing about in boats."

Mr. Kerr's close and invigorating friendship with MAX SALTSMAN lasted from their first meeting in the 1950's until Mr. Saltsman's death in 1985. Mr. Saltsman was born in Toronto and served in the RCAF from 1939-1945. In 1964, he won the Federal by-election for Waterloo South and retained the seat until he retired in 1979. During his years in Federal office, he lectured, upon occasion, at the University of Waterloo in Economics and
Political Science and in the Department of Management Science in the Faculty of Engineering.

These two names, Kerr and Saltsman, set a high standard of practical and ideological commitment to Canada.

 Lectures by Stanley Knowles Visiting Professors in Canadian Studies

Mr. Stephen Lewis. THE RISE AND FALL OF SOCIAL JUSTICE. (The 1998 Kerr-Saltsman Lecture):  http://arts.uwaterloo.ca/ECON/needhdata/Lewisprog.html

Dr. Olive Patricia Dickason. RECOGNIZED AT LAST? - Some Reflections on the Royal Commission on Aboriginal People. (The Stanley Knowles Lecture, October  22, 1998): http://arts.uwaterloo.ca/ECON/needhdata/dickason.html

Dr. Tony Clarke. CHALLENGING THE CORPORATE SECURITY STATE: A SEARCH FOR  DEMOCRATIC ALTERNATIVES. (The Stanley Knowles Lecture, University of Waterloo. November 5, 1998):  http://arts.uwaterloo.ca/ECON/needhdata/clarke.html

Mr. Mordecai Richler, Stanley Knowles Visiting Professor in Canadian Studies at the University of Waterloo. CANADIAN CONUNDRUMS.   (The 1999 Kerr-Saltsman Lecture): http://arts.uwaterloo.ca/ECON/needhdata/richler.html

Dr. Melville Watkins.  WAR AND PEACE IN THE GLOBAL VILLAGE:  A CANADIAN PERSPECTIVE.   (The Stanley Knowles Lecture, October 28, 1999):
http://arts/uwaterloo.ca/ECON/needhdata/watkins.htm