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He helped bring the world the Franco-Ontarian flag, and now he’s University of Sudbury’s chancellor

An ambassador for the institution, Donald Obonsawin says he looks forward to ‘a great opportunity to reinvent the University of Sudbury’
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Seen here in this file photo from 2015, from left, Donald Obonsawin, a member of original Franco-Ontarian flag committee, the now late Michel Dupuis, one of the flag's co-creators, and Yves Tassé, also a member of the original committee, raising the Franco-Ontarian flag outside of the University of Sudbury. (File)

Donald Obonsawin is everything that the University of Sudbury was, and hopes to be again - francophone and Indigenous, Obonsawin hails from the Abenaki First Nation of Odanak.  

Paired with his love of arts and culture, particularly Franco-Ontarian culture, you have an excellent ambassador for the university. And so, Obonsawin was named Chancellor of the institution in late October. 

Well known for his dedication to Ontario’s Francophone community, Obonsawin will serve as Chancellor for a three-year term. 

Though it is an honourary role, it is an important role as both an ambassador, as well as the “titular head of the university,” Obonsawin told Sudbury.com. The role comes with the power to grant degrees, but also, to act as a spokesperson for the university, especially important as the institution moves to a future separate from Laurentian University. 

After Laurentian University filed for insolvency in February, it severed the federation agreement and left University of Sudbury without funding or degree-granting status.

President Serge Miville and the University of Sudbury’s board of governors hope to change that, and have already made the University a secular one in order to receive public funding to rebuild the school.  

This is another area that Obonsawin feels he can lend his expertise to the school. “To be out there in the community advancing the success of the University,” said Obonsawin, and additionally, to offer advice to the university.

Obonsawin has over 45 years of experience in not-for-profit, public and private organizations and has served as a senior advisor and administrator for many organizations and institutions. Obonsawin’s time in the provincial and federal public service includes 15 years as Deputy Minister in seven Ontario ministries under three different political parties and he has worked for the federal government as Director General, Health and Welfare Canada, and Assistant Deputy Minister, Indian and Northern Affairs. 

Obonsawin is also a graduate of Laurentian University and holds a Bachelor of Political Science degree from Laurentian University and a Master’s degree in Regional Economic Development from Université Laval. 

He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Laurentian University and an honorary diploma from Collège Boréal, as well as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. 

Obonsawin was also among the founding members of the committee that organized the first-ever raising of the Franco-Ontarian flag at Université de Sudbury on Sept. 25, 1975.

But many think he was a student at the time of the flag raising - however, that is not the case.

“I wasn't a student, I was actually working at Laurentian University, I was the director of development, the secretary of the board at Laurentian University at that time,” said Obonsawin. “But I was still very much attached to a number of the professors at the university, and still a relatively young man.” 

Obonsawin said this added an empathy for the francophone students and when the Association des étudiantes et étudiants francophones was first formed, he said he “hung around there once in a while, seeing if I could mentor anybody, give them some assistance, some support,” said Obonsawin. 

“And it was during that period of time in my life that the flag initiative came up.” Soon after that, a Franco-Ontarian dream was born - the flag raising above the University of Sudbury. 

Obonsawin still looks to offer that support and mentorship because he believes in the power of the University of Sudbury, and the power of language. 

He also believes in the power of culture and artistic endeavours. Just after the flag raising in 1975, Obonsawin became it was soon after the flag raising that he joined La Slague, promoting francophone culture, and said this role helped him learn not only the importance of culture to franco-ontarians, but also, the continuation of the language. It is this culture and language that Obonsawin hopes to encourage through his role as chancellor. “I think for Franco Ontarians, culture is very, very important,” said Obonsawin, and notes that culture is based on language. “It really is the one of the important aspects that defines who we are, the sense of history, the sense of language protection, language celebration is very strong.”

He said that culture can also help people understand where they are going, and where they came from. “Anchored in the culture and anchored in the language; that helps you understand where you're from, your roots, and more importantly, how you position yourself in the world,” said Obonsawin. 

He said he believes the first steps for the university should be to ensure the continuity of the French-language and Indigneous programming, both through the school and the help of Kenjgewin-Teg, the Indigenous school that will soon be offering courses for the University. Obonsawin also notes he’s quite excited about the challenge. “We're looking at the new ways and the new curriculum that francophones in the mid-north need to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” said Obonsawin. “And I think we have a great opportunity here to reinvent the University of Sudbury.”

Obonsawin succeeds retired judge Gérald Michel, who held the position of Chancellor since 2012 and has received the first-ever title of Chancellor Emeritus from the university’s Board of Governors in recognition of his service.


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Jenny Lamothe

About the Author: Jenny Lamothe

Jenny Lamothe is a reporter with Sudbury.com. She covers the diverse communities of Sudbury, especially the vulnerable or marginalized.
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