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FaLL 2011 / MOUnt aLLisOn UniversitY’s aLUMni anD FrienDs / nUMBer 98 

uniquely 

canadian 

18 

cleaning up 

the sydney 

tar Ponds 

24 

Leaving a legacy 

Wallace mccain (’52) 

1930-201112 

12

Rediscover 

what’s 

important 

Make a list of the things that are 

important to you. That’s the life 

you can live in New Brunswick. 

Make life happen. 

NBjobs.ca 

Redécouvrez ce qui 

importe vraiment 

Dressez la liste des choses que vous 

jugez importantes. C’est ce que vous 

pouvez vivre au Nouveau-Brunswick. 

Vivre comme il se doit. 

emploisNB.ca

COntents FaLL 2011 

Mount Allison graduate, new Brunswick native, 

and philanthropist Wallace McCain (’52) went on to 

become one of the country’s most successful entrepreneurs 

prior to passing away in 2011. Journalist Alec Bruce takes 

a closer look at the man — and family — behind some of 

Canada’s best-known companies. 

Wallace McCain with wife Margaret 

FeatUres 

18 

uniquely canadian 

Deborah Colvin (’77) creates 

special edition Canada Day 

beer packaging for 

Scotland’s Innis & Gunn 

power play 

Former Hockey Mountie 

Richard Smit (’97) and the 

world’s fastest game 

22 

20 24 

Julia child meets 

the physics lab 

UCLA professor Amy Rowat 

(’98,’99) uses food to illustrate 

complex ideas 

cleaning up the 

sydney tar ponds 

Kevin MacDonald (’75) is leading 

one of the country’s most 

prominent remediation projects 

12 

regULars 

4 Events and Gatherings 

6 Campus Beat 

8 Student Spotlight 

10 Research & Creative Activity 

27 JUMP Update 

28 Bleacher Feature 

30 In Memorium 

31 Class notes 

/ 1

Mount Allison Record Fall 2011 No. 98 — New Series 

The Record is published three times annually. 

Editor: Anthony (Tony) Frost 

Assistant Editor: Laura Dillman Ripley 

Design, Layout: Shane McDonald, Tin Design 

Contributing Writers: 

Alec Bruce 

Ron Byrne 

Laura Dillman Ripley 

Mona Estabrooks (’79) 

Melissa Lombard 

Raine Phythian 

David Rose (’90) 

Sue Seaborn 

Photography: 

Todd Cheney 

Mona Estabrooks (’79) 

Nadine LeBlanc 

Tom Reid 

Sue Seaborn 

Daniel St. Louis 

Address correspondence regarding 

editorial policy and subscriptions to: 

Mount Allison Record 

65 York Street 

Sackville, NB E4L 1E4 

Tel: (506) 364-2678 Fax: (506) 364-2262 

E-mail: mlombard@mta.ca 

Contents Copyright 2011 by Mount Allison University 

and may not be reprinted without permission. 

Opinions expressed in this publication are not 

necessarily those of Mount Allison University. 

Single Copy: $9.00 

Subscription: $25 for three issues 

ISSN 1702-2525 

Mailed under Canada Post Publication Mail 

Sales Agreement no. 40006414 

Mailed by: Precision Direct Marketing 

Printed by: Solisco Printers Ltd. 

If you wish to make a donation to Mount Allison, 

please contact Diane Michaud at (506) 364-2341 

or by e-mail (development@mta.ca) 

Please forward change of address information to 

Joy Wilbur (jwilbur@mta.ca) (506) 364-2608. 

Cover: The late Wallace McCain (’52) 

2 / Fall 2011 / RECORD 

Walking in footsteps 

W 

hen I was young I wanted to be just like my dad who flew fighters during WWII. 

While I never made it past the Recruitment Office desk (I did go), my fascination 

with all things aeronautical has never left me. It was no surprise, then, when 

my six-year-old son recently declared that he intended to go to “Mount A” when he grew up. 

I think we all know people who have followed in the footsteps of those they admire. Indeed, 

I have heard many students say that they chose Mount Allison because a family member or 

friend previously came here. But it wasn’t until that moment that I realized I wasn’t just an 

observer of a random process, but was actively engaged in one that surrounds us all. One in 

which I had power. This awareness was both invigorating, but also sobering. How does that 

oft-quoted Spider-Man line go: “with great power comes great responsibility?” 

The notion that we as parents (and uncles/aunts, friends, etc.) have influence on the paths of 

those who follow is important because like the proverbial pebble that gets tossed in a pond, 

the ripples we make spread far and wide. Our actions trigger further actions that result in not 

only the improvement of a young person’s life, but society as a whole. University graduates 

contribute to communities and, one day, influence the generation that follows them. This was 

borne out by a recent TD Economics Special Report (www.td.com/economics) that showed 

how higher education raised employment prospects and annual income, improved the likelihood 

of volunteerism, and… wait for it… improved the chances of graduates’ children attending 

university too. 

Well, with my newfound awareness I can honestly say that today I’m much more purposeful 

in what I say and do (my wife thanks me), but I have also taken my post-secondary proselytizing 

beyond our home. Recently I spoke with two young people and, in both cases, I took the 

time to explain how a university education was the single best investment they could make 

for their future success. Of course I may have also let it slip that Mount Allison would make a 

terrific option for them. 

Tony Frost 

Editor of the 

Mount Allison 

Record 

tfrost@mta.ca 

editor’s note

This year I had the great fortune to be on campus as new students were arriving, 

many for the very first time. What a pleasure to see their excitement at the possibilities 

that lie ahead! Later that same week I had opportunity to drop a few 

coins in a Shinerama box they held, and I began to ponder all that they had experienced 

over the preceding week. Certainly it had been a week of new relationships, like those we 

talked about in the last issue of the Record, but that Shinerama box was a telltale sign of 

something else: the seeds of service. By volunteering to hold that simple cardboard box, 

each and every one of them will live forever. That’s right, immortality. The Holy Grail. 

This immortality, is not of the physical sort, but rather, it is the belief that any action you 

take in the service of another, no matter how small, releases a part of your being into eternity, 

which can never again be caged by your mortality. This service of humanity is often 

referred to as philanthropy. Mount Allison has a long history of inspiring philanthropy, 

and on the pages ahead you will read of one of the great philanthropists of our age, the 

late Wallace McCain (’52). Through a lifetime of hard work he expanded his personal 

capacity to give a thousand fold. You will find his name on our beautiful student centre. 

Certainly, for those who knew him, the sight of that building will evoke fond memories 

of a good friend. For those who did not know Wallace, the sight of his name on that building 

will inspire them to go out into the world and live a life in service to others, just as he 

did. And that is a far greater legacy than the building itself. 

Mount Allison provides so many opportunities for students to try on volunteerism 

and philanthropy for size: such as journalism with the Argosy or venturing far afield 

with Global Brigades and Habitat for Humanity. We are preparing them for the same 

opportunities to give which exist within our broader communities. The best part? 

It’s never too late to start. Whether it’s time, money, or mentorship, unleash your inner 

philanthropist and enjoy your well-deserved immortality. 

David Rose (’90) 

Alumni President 

AluMni president 

The immortality of Mount Allison 

Mount Allison Alumni 

Board of directors 

President: 

David Rose ’90 

drose22@rogers.com 

613-301-6442 

Vice-President & Secretary: 

Sean M. Connors ’81 

sean.connors@rogers.com 

506-384-5570 

Past President: 

Andrew Clark ’98 

andrew@parklawnlp.ca 

416-465-7078 

Honorary President: 

Dawn (Reid) MacNutt ’57 

macnutt@ns.sympatico.ca 

902-752-3378 

Directors: 

Anna Abbott ’04 

ahabbtt@mta.ca 

647-330-6454 

Shannon (Casey) Black ’00 

shanbenjosh@yahoo.ca 

902-429-4847 

Layton Fisher ’57 

layton.fisher@gmail.com 

506-939-2935 

Janet Harrison ’87 

andrejanet@eastlink.ca 

902-462-7055 

Harriet (Bruun) Leggett ’61 

harrietl@xplornet.com 

506-466-3786 

Harriet (Campbell) Meacher ’60 

hcmeacher@pei.sympatico.ca 

902-566-3677 

Jill (Hemeon) Rafuse ’73 

rafuse@ns.sympatico.ca 

902-492-4523 

Charles Scott ’83 

scottc@accesswave.ca 

902-832-4477 

Michael R. Taylor ’03 

mr.taylor@mac.com 

516-637-9037 

Colin Tippett ’97 

colintippett@hotmail.com 

506-755-0679 

Christina Vroom ’96 

crashyvroom@yahoo.ca 

514-933-2935 

Danny Williamson ’03 

williamson.d@gmail.com 

519-265-2541 

Executive Director: 

Carolle de Ste-Croix ’90 

cdestecroix@mta.ca 

Tel: 506-364-2348 Fax: 506-364-2262 

http://alumni.mta.ca 

Nominations Call — Nominations are open for the Alumni Board. 

The Board works to promote and motivate the participation of alumni 

and friends of Mount Allison with the University, through effective communication, 

events, and special initiatives. 

Address nominations to: 

Carolle de Ste-Croix, Alumni Office 

65 York St., Sackville, NB E4L 1E4 

or alumni@mta.ca 

/ 3

events & gatherings 

00 4 / / Fall Summer 2011 2011 / RECORD 

/ RECORD 

For more photos from the events listed below, please visit Alumni Online: 

http://alumni.mta.ca 

Beijing Alumni Event 

Ottawa Atlantic Universities Pub Night 

Photo courtesy of www.JeffreyMeyerPhotography.ca 

EvEnTS CALEnDAR 

Please visit the Chapter pages on Alumni Online 

(http://alumni.mta.ca) for information about 

upcoming events.

Golf Tournament 

/ 5

cAMpus BeAt 

commencement day at Mount Allison 

(L-R) The Hon. Marilyn Trenholme Counsell, President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Campbell, Chancellor Emeritus Purdy Crawford, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, The 

Hon. Margaret McCain, Chancellor Peter Mansbridge, and Lieutenant Governor Graydon Nicholas 

The Class of 2015 received a unique welcome to Mount Allison 

with Canada’s Governor General, His Excellency the Right 

Honourable David Johnston receiving an honorary degree 

during a special Commencement and Convocation Ceremony this fall. 

Referring to Mount Allison as ‘magic,’ Johnston addressed the 

incoming class, their families, friends, and the University and 

surrounding community, encouraging students to take advantage of 

all the opportunities Mount Allison has to offer and using these to 

learn and make change in their own communities. He said, “There is 

no doubt you can make a difference and transform our society — the 

only question is: how you will go about it?” 

orientation 2011 — Born to Be 

Orientation 2011 was in full swing in the first weeks of 

September. Enjoying perfect weather on move-in day and 

a special Commencement celebration, the Class of 2015 

was welcomed with open arms by a large team of Mount Allison 

students, as well as faculty, staff, and the surrounding community. 

Orientation Chair, fourth-year honours psychology student Aleka 

MacLellan, says, “Orientation is so much more than just a fun week 

of activities and events; it is the start of the next four (or more) years of 

students’ lives. I am so happy with how the week turned out. It was a 

wonderful collaborative effort between our Orientation committee, 

the University community, and the Town of Sackville.” 

First-year student Taylor Losier of Quispamsis, nB echoed this 

sentiment. During her move into Hunton House she shared 

her impressions of Mount Allison thus far. “I’m really excited. 

I woke up really early this morning and the whole drive here 


Johnston was also joined by two of his daughters, Mount Allison 

graduates Debbie (’90) and Jennifer (’97), who presented the senior 

class cane at the ceremony. Johnston drew laughs when he said, “Quite 

apart from my profound gratitude for the outstanding education they 

received at Mount Allison, I am also grateful to you for trying to put 

me on an equal footing with them by granting me this degree!” 

University President and vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Campbell 

opened Commencement, welcoming the incoming class and officially 

launching the Year of Science and Discovery at Mount Allison, 

while Chancellor Peter Mansbridge offered insight on making the 

transition for both students and their families. 

I was thinking, ‘Are we there yet?’ I chose Mount Allison 

because of the English program; many people have told me it’s 

great. I also heard good things about the swim team, which is 

important to me. My sister went here, so I am familiar with the 

campus and I know Mount Allison has a really good meal hall, 

which is always a bonus.”

Year of science and discovery kicks off at Mount Allison 

Mount Allison has declared 2011-12 is the Year of 

Science and Discovery and is celebrating its role in this 

region and beyond. The year-long endeavour will not 

only celebrate the innovative and award-winning teaching and 

research taking place on campus, but also the concept of discovery 

in other fields, including the humanities, and the social sciences. 

The flagship campus events include the President’s Speakers 

Series, which brings world-renowned researchers and academics 

from a number of disciplines to present and engage with the 

University and surrounding community. 

This year’s speakers include: University of Oxford professor, 

neuroscientist, broadcaster, and author Baroness Susan Greenfield; 

University of Alberta professor and international expert on 

climate change effects and public policy Dr. David Schindler 

(pictured on campus); University of Oxford and Mansfield 

College scholar and astrophysicist instrumental in the 

nobel Prize-winning research on the discovery of pulsars Prof. 

Jocelyn Bell Burnell; playwright, mathematician, and educator 

Dr. John Mighton, OC; and world-leading expert on bonobos and 

research scientist in evolutionary anthropology at Duke University 

vanessa Woods. Renowned expert in climate change, weather, and public 

policy, Dr. David Schindler 

commerce professor receives 

2011 AAu Award for excellence in teaching 

Dr. Rosemary Polegato, in Mount Allison’s Ron Joyce 

Centre for Business Studies, celebrated the beginning 

of this school year with an extra bit of good news. Polegato 

is a 2011 recipient of the Association of Atlantic Universities 

(AAU) Distinguished Teaching Award for excellence in teaching. 

Polegato, who teaches courses in marketing, is known for her 

exceptional teaching approach and style. She has developed 

courses that explore arts and culture management, as well as 

the relationship between consumer behaviour and environmental 

consciousness — unique offerings in Atlantic Canada. Her 

lessons have been described as those that “stay with you for life” by 

students, and colleagues describe Polegato as a “leading force” in 

the development of community-based learning and collaboration 

to encourage cultural engagement at the local level. 

The only regional award of its kind, the AAU Distinguished 

Teaching Award recognizes professors from its 17 universities 

across Atlantic Canada. Polegato is the sixth Mount Allison 

professor to receive the award. 

/ 7

Rebecca anne 

Dixon (’12) 

A PAssAge to IndIA 

00 8 / / Fall Summer 2011 2011 / RECORD 

/ RECORD

student sPOtLiGht 

“ 

You can find 

everything here 

[India], the best 

of everything, 

” 

and the worst 

by Raine Phythian 

Despite the goodwill of aid organizations and millions in 

funding, attempts to help people in developing countries 

frequently fail. Part of the problem lies in the fact 

that oft en the people they are trying to help are not consulted. 

International relations student Rebecca Anne Dixon is looking 

at this problem for her honours project and spent this summer in 

Delhi, In researching what platforms exist for public consultation 

in urban development projects. 

Dixon’s interest in urbanization in developing countries was 

sparked by a course taken while on exchange at American 

University in Washington, D.C., which she attended on a 

Killam Fellowship. Back at Mount Allison, Dixon found the 

perfect supervisor in Dr. Leslie Kern, whose own research 

interests — urban geography, urban political economy, and 

environmental justice — are very similar to her own. 

India was a natural choice for Dixon. She loves the place, now 

used to the chaotic traffi c, the noise, and the heat, things that 

can make Indian cities quite overwhelming on a fi rst visit. She 

loves especially the sense of humanity, because, as an Indian 

friend’s father told her, “you can fi nd everything here, the best 

of everything, and the worst.” 

Dixon fi rst travelled to India in high school, volunteering in a 

government public school in Mumbai. Th e project focused on 

children’s rights, something she has cared deeply about for some 

time. At the age of 10 she won a UnESCO award for her work 

to help children in Ukraine aff ected by fl oods. 

More recently, she won a coveted Canada’s Famous Five Award 

for a project to educate children about their rights. 

“India is fascinating from an urban point of view because, 

although we tend to think of the megacities of Delhi, Mumbai, 

and Calcutta, most of India is still rural. It is transitioning 

quickly, so this means that there are lots of opportunities to learn 

from the problems of the other cities and to plan and anticipate 

the problems in smaller, tier-two cities,” says Dixon. 

Dixon found she had to adapt her research plans along the way. 

“Delhi has a complicated governance structure and it can take 

years to get approval from all involved. Th e actual planning is 

done by the central government of India. While preparing for 

my trip, I read about some really amazing consultation policies 

that the government created. But once in India, I began to talk 

to people about these policies, and the general response was ‘yes, 

well it is not quite happening like that.’” 

“Th ere are so many problems, it is easy to get discouraged, 

throw up your hands, and say that it is impossible. What really 

impressed me were the people who said, ‘no, we are going to chip 

away at this piece by piece, keeping the whole vision in mind. 

Th e more people we can get involved and inspired to care about 

their city and their space and recognize that they have a role in 

improving it and maintaining it, the better.’ Th e people who had 

those attitudes were quite inspiring.” 

/ 9

Mount Allison’s unique 

diplomas created by hand 

Dr. Steve Westcott 

by Melissa Lombard 

Having the right elements 

00 10 / Summer Fall 2011 2011 / RECORD 

/ RECORD 

ReseaRch and cReative activity 

Biochemistry and chemistry professor Dr. Steve Westcott (left) at work 

in the lab with students Eric Bowes (’13) and Alyssa Patterson (’13).

y Laura Dillman Ripley 

With Simpsons characters painted 

on the walls and Iron Maiden 

playing in the background, 

biochemistry and chemistry professor Dr. 

Steve Westcott’s lab is not your typical chemistry 

set up. The Canada Research Chair 

(CRC) in Boron Pharmaceutical Chemistry 

has been making headlines for his work, 

which could see huge implications in the 

health and environmental chemical sectors. 

And he is doing this all with Mount Allison 

undergraduate students at his side, through 

his popular research group, The Wild Toads. 

“Working with students is the best part of 

my job,” says Westcott, who on top of his 

research commitments as a CRC also teaches 

a full course load. “Being able to involve 

them in these research projects is wonderful 

as it enhances their undergraduate education 

by helping to establish a safe, fun, and 

productive lab where they can experience 

chemical research firsthand.” 

And these experiences are paying off. 

During his 15 years at Mount Allison, close 

to 100 students have co-authored a research 

at everyday elements... 

that could one day lead to natural 

anti-cancer treatments and/or 

environmentally-friendly pesticides, 

‘‘Looking 

are both pretty exciting possibilities 

paper with Westcott before graduation and 

many have gone on to master’s and PhD 

programs around the world. 

One of Westcott’s current projects, which 

recently captured national media attention, 

looks at the benefits of capsaicin, the active 

ingredient in hot peppers. This compound 

has been found to be an anti-cancer, antibacterial, 

and anti-fungal agent all in one. 

“We know capsaicin is good stuff. When 

you look at societies that use hot peppers 

frequently, their rates of certain health 

conditions, such as heart disease, are much 

lower than those where they are not as 

prevalent. We want to take a closer look 

at capsaicin, what makes it active, and see 

if we can create the derivative of this that 

could, one day, be made into a drug.” 

Capsaicin is found mainly in hot pepper 

seeds and the coating surrounding them. 

Westcott and his team, including several 

Mount Allison students as well as researchers 

from l’Université Laval and the Atlantic 

Cancer Research Institute, are working to 

separate the different compounds in the 

peppers to get a better idea of their chemical 

composition. 

’’ 

The active ingredient in garlic is sulfur based. 

Westcott has also received funding to 

embark on new research looking at the 

health and environmental benefits of the 

elements boron (found in Borax) and sulfur, 

that many of us are familiar with for its smell. 

“Boron is an anti-cancer and anti-fungal 

agent and sulfur has a lot of bioactivities. 

We are working to make derivatives of 

these elements and see if we can combine 

the two to get something even better.” 

The idea of combining boron and sulfur 

derivatives is a novel one in the chemical 

world. not a lot of research has been completed 

in the area, making Westcott a pioneer 

in the field. Westcott, with the Wild Toads 

team, is enthusiastic about the new project. 

“Looking at everyday elements, like boron 

and sulfur, that could one day lead to natural 

anti-cancer treatments and/or environmentally-friendly 

pesticides, are both pretty 

exciting possibilities.” 

/ 11


/ RECORD 

men, and as is the way with young 

men in every time and place, we 

thought we were immortal 

were the ambitions of young 

’’ 

‘‘Ours

main featuRe 

THE TRUE AnD 

SPLEnDID LIFE OF 

WALLACE 

McCain 

by Alec Bruce 

On a bright, spring morning in 2006, industrialist and philanthropist George Wallace Ferguson McCain and his 

wife, former Lieutenant Governor of new Brunswick Margaret McCain, were walking the grounds of their 

Alma Mater, where they had first met decades earlier. Mount Allison University loomed large in their hearts, and 

they travelled there as often as their busy schedules would permit. But this day was special. 

Thanks to their gift of $5 million, work had recently begun to transform the historic residence, Trueman House, into a stateof-the-art 

student centre. When finished, it would house a health and wellness facility, lounge, café, students’ council offices, 

an international centre, a pub, newspaper and radio operations, and a fitness complex. 

University President Robert Campbell was justifiably proud of the progress, and he was anxious to share it with the McCains. 

“They happened to be in town for an event. So we organized a tour of the building for them,” he recalls. “It took a certain 

amount of time to prepare and get over to the building, assign hard hats and get inside. We literally got in the corner basement 

entrance. We hadn’t even got past the plumbing when Wallace said, ‘This is just fantastic. Robert, you guys are doing a great 

job — OK, Margie, let’s go!’” 

/ 13

Wallace (right) with his brother Harrison at 

the site of the Florenceville factory, 1956 

Opening-day tour: Wallace explains the packing 

area to Minister Gregg (centre), 1957 

Wallace and Harrison McCain, 1972 Wallace and Harrison McCain at the Florenceville plant, 1970 

It was, as those who know him might say, a classic “Wallace 

moment” — enthusiastic, restless, generous, and impatient — 

all the qualities that made him, in life, one of Canada’s truly 

great businessmen and profoundly influential benefactors. 

Indeed, of all the tributes given him during the days following his 

death, at 81, last spring, none addressed his boundless drive better 

than the eulogy delivered by his friend Frank McKenna. 

“The Wallace McCains of the world are the oil wells of our 

future,” said the former premier of new Brunswick and Canadian 

ambassador to the United States. “With the sweat of his brow 

and the courage in his heart, he and his family single-handedly 

transformed a large part of new Brunswick. He proved that there’s 

nothing as indomitable as the human spirit. Failure is not pre- 

ordained. Self-pity is not a strategy. Large cities and wealthy countries 

do not have a monopoly on a strong work ethic or entrepreneurial 

drive. A few more Wallace McCains and we’d be sending 

equalization payments to Alberta.” 

The remark drew smiles and knowing nods, as did another 


anecdote told by McKenna, which reminded everyone of McCain at 

his wise-cracking best: “When a rather abstemious friend of his died, 

Wallace said, ‘He had a rather dull life. He didn’t drink, didn’t smoke, 

didn’t chew.’” 

It is safe to say McCain managed to do all three at various times 

in his long and rich life — sometimes simultaneously. But his 

biggest passion was not the pursuit of fleshy pleasures. It was not 

the rewards of industry that motivated him. It was industry 

itself — the idea of creating something where nothing before 

existed. The notion of building human potential animated his 

days and nights. And, during the last decade of his life, this 

determination found perfect expression in his tangible generosity 

towards Mount Allison, from which he graduated with a BSc in 1952 

and received an honorary doctorate in 1974. This was where, he was 

fond of saying, he became a man. 

“In his later years, he talked about Mount Allison quite a bit,” says 

his friend, business associate, and former Chancellor of Mount 

Allison John Bragg. “He had looked after his own family and

Wallace and Margaret McCain at the Scarborough opening reception, 1969 

having done that, he was determined to give away his own personal 

wealth. In the last decade of his life, he spent probably 50 per cent of 

his time fund raising. He tapped a lot of people. He knew how to do 

it, and nobody could say no. Wallace filled the room.” 

Adds Purdy Crawford, another close friend and former Mount 

Allison Chancellor and Chairman of the Board of Regents — “It’s 

hard to express how warm and great Wallace was. My wife and I, and 

many others, went on trips and cruises with him and Margie. Every 

time he talked about Mount Allison, he warmed up.” 

His legacy certainly reflects this affection. In addition to supporting 

the Wallace McCain Student Centre, he served as the founding 

chair of the University’s national Advisory Council and 

on several fund raising campaigns. He also lent his name 

and money to the McCain Fellowship program. “These are 

pretty innovative,” Campbell explains. “The hardest thing 

a person with a PhD can do is build up a curriculum vitae 

that makes him or her more hireable. These post-doctoral 

fellowships are designed to do just that — provide people with a 

Wallace and Dick McWhirter in Australia, 1968 

Cedric Ritchie of the Bank of Nova Scotia inducts Harrison 

and Wallace into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame, 1993 

two-year opportunity to get some teaching experience, conduct 

research, and connect with their peers.” 

All of which merely confirms that, if hard work was next to 

godliness for McCain, he was also keenly aware of the responsibilities 

that wealth conferred upon him. Though he would never 

describe himself as particularly lucky, he knew he had been fortunate 

— something that frequently amused him in that goodnatured, 

mischievous way of his. 

Once, in the early 2000s, he delivered a speech to a group of 

Toronto business elites. “It is obviously a great pleasure for me to 

be here,” he said. “It is a pleasure to be recognized in this way, along 

with my brother Harrison, by the country’s cream of the crop in 

private enterprise. But most of all to have a rare opportunity to 

address a question in public that I have, over the past 44 years of my 

professional life, often asked myself in private: How the hell did I 

get here?” 

Born into neither wealth nor poverty in Florenceville, nB, Wallace 

/ 15

was raised on a steady diet of his parents’ high expectations. His 

father, Andrew Davis (A.D.) McCain, was a successful potato broker. 

His mother, Laura, was a community organizer and, later in her life, an 

astute stock picker. Both enjoyed formidable reputations for rectitude 

and fortitude. For McCain and his siblings (three brothers and two 

sisters), this meant daily discipline. 

It wasn’t sufficient that they do well in school, attend church regularly, 

and generally set an example for their friends and neighbours; 

they had real work to do. They chopped wood, picked potatoes, 

and slopped feed. The boys were expected to learn the basics of 

their father’s business; and so they ran errands, tallied inventory, 

ferried produce, and laboured at the production lines. The girls were 

expected to master the art and science of running a busy household; 

and so they knitted, sewed, cooked, baked, and learned to run a 

budget. In the McCain household life was about showing up and 

doing what needed to be done. 

“If you’ve ever worked on a farm, you know that cows have to be 

milked every day,” Margaret once said. “You can’t just wake up 

one day and decide not to milk the cow. It doesn’t work that way. It 

certainly didn’t at A.D. and Laura’s place.” 

Eventually, with his older brother Harrison (who passed 

away in 2004), he built what has become the world’s leading 

purveyor of frozen French fries, employing thousands of people 

in 130 countries, on six continents, and posting annual sales 

in excess of $6 billion. But his most enduring business legacy 

may be the lessons his life teaches current and future generations 

of entrepreneurs along with what has been notoriously 

Wallace and Margaret with students at the 

Wallace McCain Student Centre opening, 2008 

Wallace (left) with Marjorie Crawford (middle) and Mount 

Allison’s VP University Advancement Gloria Jollymore 

Wallace 00 (middle) / Summer with former 2011 Prime / RECORD 

Minister of 

Canada Paul Martin (left) and Kent MLA/former 

Premier of NB Shawn Graham 

described as the defeated East Coast of Canada. And one of those 

lessons was clearly — never let a little ignorance stand in the way of 

learning or ambition. 

“When I think back to the beginning of my adventure with 

McCain Foods in 1956 and 1957, I am struck by how little Harrison 

and I knew about the business we had, almost whimsically, chosen 

to make our lives’ work,” he once said. “I remember Harrison once 

telling a reporter, many years after we had achieved some measure 

of international success, that the only thing we knew about French 

fries was that they tasted good. And that is just about right.” 

“We didn’t start out to make the world safe for McCain frozen 

fries, pizza, orange juice, and dozens of other products we eventually 

produced, any more than we planned to become the major 

food processing industry player... Our objectives were nowhere near 

that calculated. Ours were the ambitions of young men, and as is 

the way with young men in every time and place, we thought we 

were immortal. We were impatient to prove ourselves, to ourselves. 

We wanted to be our own bosses, to call the shots, to live our lives 

deliberately, whatever the cost — bottom line — we wanted to get 

rich. Our corporate vision was more along the lines of ‘this sounds 

like fun, and the fries sure tasted good, so let’s go.’” 

They approached their early research and development with similarly 

back-slapping, spit-balling brio. “I’d identify companies whose operating 

systems and results interested me,” McCain recounted in the 

1990s. “I’d call up the general manager or vice-president and tell him 

I was a Canadian businessman and that I’d appreciate an opportunity 

to see for myself how it was done right. Boy, it worked every time.” 

Margaret, Wallace, and Scott McCain (right) at the opening of the Wallace McCain Student Centre, 2008

If the first, most important lesson he learned in business was to 

trust his own advice and instincts, the second, paradoxically, was 

to know when to bow to the expertise of those they employed. This 

was no walk in the park as Wallace once conceded: “The problem 

with entrepreneurs — as anyone who works for one will verify — is 

that they can get hidebound when questioned about their decisions 

or motivations. It’s a syndrome that forms the basis of entire course 

curricula in countless MBA programs.” 

Having conquered half the world with McCain Foods by the mid- 

1990s, McCain found himself doing it all over again as a principal 

investor in, and chairman of, Maple Leaf Foods (though he insisted 

repeatedly that he never assumed anything more than an advisory 

role to the firm’s president and CEO, his son Michael). Later he 

would say, “It continues to delight me that the McCain name now 

dominates in not one, but two Canadian-based, international food 

conglomerates. As the Chairman of Maple Leaf Foods, I have had 

the singular pleasure of observing the transformation of that company 

since my sons, Michael and Scott, and I became involved with 

it some six years ago.” 

“In the end, I don’t believe that one person’s experiences provide 

much direction for another’s progress through business or life. I do 

believe that what distinguishes true leadership in any endeavour are 

those qualities of mind and spirit that ultimately can’t be taught, 

but only recognized — and once recognized, nurtured by those who 

have been fortunate enough to discover these in themselves.” 

It was as good a statement of his own philanthropic purposes as he 

ever made. Apart from his abiding devotion to Mount Allison, he 

Wallace, Margaret, and Scott McCain at the opening of the Wallace McCain Student Centre, 2008 

demonstrated an unfailing commitment to educating tomorrow’s 

leaders by contributing time and money to a number of universities, 

but also supported arts and culture through the national Ballet 

School (for which he and his wife raised in excess of $50 million). In 

due course, he became a Companion of the Order of Canada and an 

inductee of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame. 

Even so, he never let his success convince him of his infal- 

libility. “I remember one time when I was Mount Allison’s board 

chairman, we were giving an honorary degree to Bishop Desmond 

Tutu,” Crawford says. “The Bishop was a controversial figure in the 

business world at the time, and Wallace wasn’t too happy. But, he 

spent some time with the Bishop at the Marshlands Inn. He came 

away really impressed. And when he learned that the Bishop had to 

get to Washington the next afternoon, he made his airplane available 

to him.” 

One of McCain’s favorite aphorisms came from Sophocles: “One 

must wait until the evening to see how splendid the day has been.” 

For those who depended on his warmth, wit, and generosity, 

Wallace McCain’s own days were splendid, indeed. 

Alec Bruce is a Moncton, NB-based writer on business, politics, and 

current affairs. He won two Golds in the 2010 Atlantic Journalism 

Awards for best magazine article and best commentary. 

Wallace and Margaret McCain at the Student Centre Opening 

Wallace and Margaret McCain 

/ 17 

Wallace relaxing on an Antarctic cruise

Canadian 

Uniquely 

Artist Deborah Colvin (’77) creates special edition 

Canada Day beer packaging for Scotland’s Innis & Gunn 


/ RECORD

featuRe stORy 

by Melissa Lombard 

Earlier this year, Scotland’s Innis & Gunn approached the 

Society of Canadian Artists (SCA) with the proposal 

for members to create an image representing Canada, to 

appear on their special edition Canada Day beer. Since 2009 

Innis & Gunn has produced this special beer for Canadians as 

a thank you for appreciating their brew. Artist Deborah Colvin 

decided to try her hand at designing packaging artwork for the 

first time. Out of 50 entries from the SCA, Colvin’s design was 

unanimously chosen by the brewery for her vision of Canada. 

“I had to think about how Canada looked to me and what it 

might look like to young Canadians. How does one visually 

represent something as vast as one’s nation?” says Colvin. 

Her design consists of three components that she believes best 

represent the country — hockey, maps, and birch bark. She 

says she started thinking about her childhood, growing up in 

the Toronto area, when her cousins would come over to play 

hockey on their backyard rink and 

street hockey in the warmer weather. 

“Hockey is very much part of the 

psyche of Canadians,” she says. 

Drawing and colouring maps of 

Canada she felt was also a very 

Canadian pursuit. 

“I remember doing this as a kid 

and I loved it,” says Colvin. 

The shape of the map also references 

the rugged geography and 

visually serves as a goal for the three 

hockey players. The birch bark she 

says embodies our connection with 

nature and makes reference to the 

indigenous people. 

’’ 

“My hope for this piece is that it speaks to Canadians and informs 

non-Canadians of our spirit,” she says. 

Colvin also had a deep family connection to this project. Her 

late father and grandparents were born in Scotland. She says she 

carried their memory with her through the creative journey. 

does one visually 

represent something as 

vast as one’s nation? 

‘‘How 

“This was really special for me.” 

Colvin began drawing as a child and loved getting lost in book 

illustrations. She spent her summers at Martha’s vineyard as a 

teenager and during her last summer there she took life-drawing 

classes at an oceanfront gallery. She was strongly encouraged by 

artists and teachers to pursue an art education and career. 

She describes her artistic style as 

abstracted human forms in mixed 

media, which are often used as landscape 

or placed in cosmic settings. 

“My work is an inquiry into the 

emotions of being human and our 

connections to the world we live in 

and those around us,” she says. 

Colvin is currently working on a 

series of reliefs made from plaster 

castings of disposable plastic items. 

The concept is “what are we going 

to leave behind for archeologists to 

discover in the future.” 

To view more of Colvin’s art, visit 

www.deborahcolvin.com 

/ 19

poWer 

plAY 

Richard Smit (’97) and the world’s fastest game 


/ RECORD

featuRe stORy 

by Sue Seaborn 

When Richard Smit graduated 

from Mount Allison in 

1997, his passion was hockey. 

The three-time Mounties’ captain/assistant 

captain and four-time Academic All- 

Canadian has an honours degree in biochemistry. 

It was unlikely he knew then 

that his career of choice would see him 

working with the very hockey heroes that 

he idolized while playing minor hockey in 

Bracebridge, On. 

now in his eleventh year working with the 

Toronto-based national Hockey League 

Players’ Association (nHLPA), Smit is 

currently the Director of Finance and 

Hockey Related Revenue (HRR), and 

travels the continent representing some of 

the world’s greatest athletes. 

After graduation the University’s Senior 

Scholar Athlete patrolled the blue line 

in two pro leagues, first in Louisiana and 

then in Germany, and following two 

months of some thought-provoking back 

packing trips, decided to consider alternate 

career options. Back in Toronto he 

secured a job at a small accounting firm. 

With a propensity to work with numbers 

he then landed a job with the nHLPA as 

an accountant, and eventually received his 

‘‘ 

To be present 

at the gold 

medal hockey 

game was 

something 

’’ 

I’ll 

never forget 

CGA (Certified General Accountant) designation 

in 2005. He became controller 

and was shortly after promoted to Director 

of Finance in 2008. 

Smit feels very fortunate to work in the 

game he loves and represent so many 

hockey greats — players whom he says 

really are just well-grounded people. To 

top it off, some of the perks include attendance 

at nHL games and an opportunity 

to meet some of his idols of old. 

Speaking of his greatest experiences, Smit 

says, “Working at the vancouver Olympics 

and to be present at the gold medal hockey 

game was something I’ll never forget.” 

Smit also says he will never forget Mount 

Allison. “I have great memories of all the 

hockey guys and other athletes in our 

Mountie family. We had fun but we also 

learned to manage our time effectively 

— valuable lessons that I still rely on. We 

balanced our schedules between practices, 

games, academics, and social time. We 

also learned to work alongside others who 

were enrolled in different programs, had 

diverse backgrounds, and offered different 

views. These people and experiences really 

helped shape my current outlook on life 

and work.” 

Some of his most memorable moments as 

a Hockey Mountie were the camaraderie 

with teammates on and off the ice, his 

selections to all-star games, and his invite 

to play with the Atlantic All-Stars against 

the Canadian Junior team. 

Always a quiet leader with a tremendous 

work ethic, Smit has worked his way to 

the top of every opportunity that has 

challenged him. But despite all of his 

accomplishments, Smit is most proud of 

becoming a father. 

He and his wife Trish are now the proud 

parents of 11-month-old Charlie. And for 

Smit, there has been no better feeling. 

/ 21

AMY 

ROWAT 

The science behind food — 

Julia Child meets the physics lab 

22 00 / Fall Summer 2011 2011 / RECORD 

/ RECORD 

’98 

’99

y Laura Dillman Ripley 

The kitchen and the science lab become one in Dr. Amy 

Rowat’s class. The University of California, Los Angeles 

(UCLA) professor is using food to illustrate the complex 

mechanics and physiology of biological materials. And it is 

working well, with an impressive career in world-class research, 

a multitude of publications, and a line up of executive chefs and 

farmers waiting to be guest presenters in her classes. 

“Our research aims to understand what makes cells ‘squishy’ or 

stiff. To do this, we build devices that can measure cell stiffness 

at very high rates, using teeny sensors to probe how the nucleus 

inside of the cell deforms. Using these physical properties, we 

can make and contribute to biomedically-relevant discoveries 

like finding new anti-cancer drugs. This work has huge potential 

to change the way we think about biology and could have a 

profound biomedical impact,” says Rowat. “I brought food into 

the mix, as everything we eat is essentially made up of cells and 

it’s something we all know and love. It’s been a wonderful 

addition to my teaching, and has also changed the way I think 

about my research.” 

Featured in The New York Times and The Chronicle of Higher 

Education for her culinary endeavours in the classroom when she 

was a post-doctoral candidate at Harvard University, Rowat is 

continuing her teaching using food at UCLA. She is launching a 

new course called “Science and Food: The Molecular and Physical 

Origins of What We Eat.” Topics include physiology of taste; 

and why lettuce is crispy: examining the concepts and roles of force 

and pressure in plants and food texture. 

Rowat’s career in science began at Mount Allison but she also 

earned an arts degree in Asian literatures in addition to her 

physics degree, an experience she says has helped her greatly 

in her career and current job at UCLA. “That was a complete 

accident but one that worked so well. While studying science, 

I also discovered my love of literature and religious studies. 

This has helped me greatly throughout my career. As a scientist, 

it’s essential that you can also explain your work in a clear way. 

I appreciate the foundation I received at Mount Allison more 

and more as a professor.” 

Cooking is not just part of a day’s work for Rowat. not surprisingly, 

she is also a wonderful cook. “I love to cook. It’s been a big 

part of my life since a very young age. I remember spending lots 

of time in the kitchen with my mother and grandfather learning 

the basics. I tend to try new dishes and have rotating ‘favourites’ 

depending on where I am. In Denmark, where I completed my 

featuRe stORy 

master’s and PhD, I was able to try various species of fish. Here 

in Los Angeles I am amazed at the different varieties of citrus 

and avocados available. I love to bake, especially pies. Being able 

to tie this into my work life, learning the physics behind what 

makes a flaky pie crust, is a bonus.” 

Amy Rowat’s pizza with ricotta, 

proscuitto, grilled peaches, 

and rucola 

This pizza has a perfect complement 

of flavours — salty, bitter, and sweet. 

It is also rich with scientific concepts, 

from the bread dough’s gluten 

protein network to the 

caramelized peaches. 

Ingredients 

Pizza dough 

(homemade or store-bought) 

Thinly-sliced proscuitto 

Peaches 

Rucola 

Homemade ricotta cheese 

Olive oil 

Freshly-ground pepper 

Grill the peaches: Peel, remove pit, and 

slice into medium-thick slices, about 

¾ cm thick. Place them on a hot 

grill. If you don’t have ready 

access to a grill, place the peaches in 

a cast-iron pan over high heat. Cook 

for about a minute or two while they 

sear, then flip and repeat on the other 

side. The aim is to achieve nicely 

browned (caramelized) peaches. 

Heat your oven to the highest possible 

temperature. Form pizza dough 

onto baking sheet, stretching it to 

achieve a thin crust. Brush the crust 

liberally with olive oil. Place the grilled 

peaches, thin slices of proscuitto, 

and small mounds of ricotta cheese 

evenly around the pizza. Bake for 10- 

15 minutes or until the edges of the 

crust are crispy brown. Remove from 

oven and place fresh rucola on top. 

Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with 

freshly-ground pepper, and enjoy. 

For more of Amy Rowat’s original recipes visit: 

http://mtaalumni.blogspot.com/2011/10/original-recipes-from-kitchen-and-lab.html 

/ 23

featuRe stORy 

KEvIn 

MACDOnALD’75 

Cleaning up the Sydney Tar Ponds 

00 / Summer 2011 / RECORD

an important 

community project 

and one of the most 

challenging — and 

‘‘It’s 

rewarding — I’ve 

’’ 

ever worked on 

by Laura Dillman Ripley 

Kevin MacDonald is a Cape Bretoner through and 

through. Born and raised in new Waterford, he 

returned to the Island following his university studies 

to enjoy a successful career as an engineer. Three years ago he was 

offered the chance to lead one of the most prominent remediation 

and environmental clean up projects in Canada in his own 

backyard, and he jumped at the chance. 

MacDonald is now CEO of the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency (STPA), 

charged with cleaning up the Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens sites. 

Situated in the heart of Sydney, nS, the sites contain one million 

tonnes of contaminated soil and sediment from nearly 100 years of 

steel and coke production. 

“It’s an important community project and one of the most 

challenging — and rewarding — I’ve ever worked on,” says 

MacDonald. “In 2008 I was working for the Cape Breton 

Regional Municipality (CBRM) as the director of engineering 

and public works. The STPA had already been established for a 

number of years at this time, working on the consulting, design, 

and technology phases of this huge project. When I heard they 

were looking for someone to help lead the construction phase of 

the site, I thought it would be a great opportunity.” 

And this great opportunity rang true. The construction and final 

stage of the Sydney Tar Ponds project is now more than halfway 

complete with a scheduled finish date of March 2014, a deadline 

MacDonald is confident his team will meet. 

00 / Summer 2011 / RECORD 

“I work with a wonderful team. There are about 30 people at the 

Agency and their dedication to this project is phenomenal. We 

also work with various levels of government and consultants, 

contractors, and construction firms. The Tar Ponds clean up 

has been a real community effort with local firms, including a 

high level of Aboriginal participation, working on the project in 

various capacities.” 

The South Pond, which accounts for 50 per cent of the Tar Ponds 

site, is now complete and will soon have public access. Using a technology 

proven in other parts of the world, but never used in Canada, 

a pumping station was built on site and dewatered the tar pond 

sludge. The sludge was then mixed with cement in the South Pond. 

The mixture is covered with clay and other materials, which seal the 

cement mixture. Because of this process the once toxic sludge is now 

safely entombed, where ground water and rainfall can’t reach it or 

become contaminated. The South Pond site will become a green 

community space for all residents of the CBRM. 

“It’s amazing to see this kind of technology used right in my home 

province. This technology came to Cape Breton when a local firm 

was able to partner with a company in the US who were experts in 

this solidification/stabilization process. As a result, we now have 

our own experts in this process, the only ones in Canada.” 

Outside the STPA MacDonald keeps busy, with his heart always 

in Cape Breton. His family is still based in new Waterford and 

he enjoys summers at his cottage on the Mira River.

Alumnus helps Nova Scotia student 

find his way to Mount Allison 

When he was in Grade 9, Pleasantville, NS resident 

Alex Whynot cared more about basketball than he 

did schoolwork. He spent his summers landscaping 

for people in his neighbourhood. That year his father had a brain 

tumour removed, altering Whynot’s perspective on his future. He 

then set his sights on a path to medical school. 

“My focus shifted at that point to wanting to help 

people,” he says. 

One of the neighbours he worked for was Mount 

Allison alumnus Don Hopkins (’60). As Whynot 

moved through high school, Hopkins began talking 

to him about Mount Allison. 

“We would have lunch and he would tell me that 

Mount Allison is where I needed to be and that 

even though Mount Allison is a smaller school, 

the opportunities would be amazing.” 

Hopkins took Whynot to visit Mount Allison, 

where he was introduced to many members of the 

Mount Allison community. 

00 / Summer 2011 / RECORD 

Don Hopkins (’60) 

Alex Whynot (’14) 

“It was such a personal entry point. I left feeling really happy. I didn’t 

even pursue any of the other universities I had been considering.” 

Now in his second year of the biochemistry honours program, 

Whynot is involved in undergraduate research, is a residence 

assistant at Campbell Hall, a Leadership Mentor, a Relay for Life 

captain for Campbell Hall, a Shinerama volunteer, 

and a member of the Students’ Administrative 

Council (SAC). 

He is also President of Health Care Outreach 

– a club he helped create. The program is a 

support package developed through Leadership 

Mount Allison that will be delivered to brain 

tumour patients in order to mentally support 

them and their families. The group is working 

directly with a neurosurgeon in Halifax to make 

the patient care initiative happen. It is expected 

to be administered to 250 patients at the QEII 

Hospital this year. 

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else and I give 

Don full credit for helping me find my way to 

Mount Allison.” 

Know someone considering university? Make a referral at www.mta.ca/referral

Mount Allison is serious about its commitment to 

providing an international university experience. 

Whether it’s in the form of academic exchange 

or study abroad programs, internships with corporate or nongovernmental 

organizations, course-based travel, independent 

study, or volunteer roles in Canada or abroad — these 

experiences provide a context for students to better understand 

themselves and their place in the world. 

Mount Allison currently has exchange programs and study 

abroad opportunities for students in 15 countries around the 

world. These international experiences are transformative 

and life changing. Students form friendships, learn foreign 

language skills, and gain cultural immersion opportunities 

that encourage them to become globally-minded citizens. 

“Spending a year on exchange in Japan was definitely the 

most challenging, but also the most exciting and rewarding 

experience of my life. Living in a country where I had a limited 

grasp of the language and culture was certainly difficult, 

but there was no shortage of people willing to help me out,” 

says recent biology graduate Rachael Buell (’11). 

Most importantly, students who study abroad say it changed 

the way they think and they returned with an expansive view 

of the world and the desire to make a difference. 

Fran and Edmund Clark believe in the power of international 

JumP uPdate 

Supporting student mobility 

student mobility. Earlier this year they created the Fran and 

Edmund Clark Mobility Fund, valued at $200,000, to assist 

deserving students who lack the necessary financial means to 

participate in an international experience. 

In a campus-wide survey on internationalization, more than 

30 per cent of students expressed a keen interest in studying 

abroad. Fewer than 10 per cent actually applied for a study 

abroad or exchange program, and fewer than two per cent 

ended up going. With a one-year exchange program costing 

as much as $20,000 and an eight-week study abroad program 

approximately $6,000, those students who wanted to go, but 

did not, said cost was the deterring factor. 

Over the past three years approximately 200 students have 

participated in one of these opportunities. Mount Allison 

has ambitious plans to strengthen the program and more 

than double that number in the coming years. 

“This generous gift by Fran and Edmund Clark will assist 

us toward our goal of ensuring that any student wishing 

to study overseas, either through an exchange or other 

international opportunity, will not be barred from 

participating simply because of their financial situation. 

We wish to thank the Clarks for recognizing the importance 

of internationalization to our students’ education,” 

says Mount Allison vice-President, International and Student 

Affairs, Ron Byrne. 

JUMP CAMPAIGN GOAL: $86,000,000 JUMP CAMPAIGN TOTAL: $85,100,000 

As of October 1, 2011 

/ 27


/ RECORD 

2011-12

BLeacheR featuRe 

by Sue Seaborn 

Team sports often depend on positive chemistry 

between teammates. And while this is one factor that 

determines group success, another is that every team 

needs a leader — an individual who is exciting to watch — 

someone who takes the tying shot at the buzzer, or can carry 

teammates on their backs across the finish line. 

Three such people have emerged over recent years and are 

definitely Mounties to watch this sports season. 

Senior volleyball Mountie Caila Henderson, from Brookfield, 

nS, made an impact from the moment she stepped on 

campus. She has honed her leadership skills working as a 

member of the Orientation and the Athletic Affairs 

Committees, and the Mounties in Motion program. 

Athletically she has been a conference all-star twice, and in 

her first season was chosen as the ACAA league and University’s 

Rookie of the Year. As well she ran every season with 

the University’s three-time ACAA conference championship 

cross-country team. On the volleyball court she was even 

more dominating as Henderson led her team to the CCAA 

national championships in both her first and third years. 

Mitch Peters from Sackville, nB, competes in both AUS 

swimming and ACAA cross-country. Entering his fourth 

year, Peters is one of the region’s top swimmers. In his first 

three seasons he broke six University records, made national 

qualifying times, and won four gold and one silver medal. 

Caila Henderson Mitch Peters 

Annually he prepares for his swim season by competing 

with the University’s cross-country team where he has been 

a three-time all-star. A sprint specialist and a two-time 

Canada Games swimmer for new Brunswick, Peters is 

already a two-time AUS all-star and a two-time University 

Athlete of the Year. 

Third-year head hockey coach Zach Ball is another Mountie 

to watch as he immerses himself in the profession to become 

a true student of the game. The AUS Coach of the Year last 

season, Ball was named head bench boss of the nB Under-15 

women’s team, and was also named assistant coach with the 

Team Atlantic Under-18 squad. Also technical director for 

Sackville Minor Hockey, and a member of the Atlantic Elite 

Hockey Development Board, he spends considerable time 

with young, developing players. 

With each successful year his program receives more 

attention from outstanding recruits. Success breeds success 

as they say, and the Hockey Mounties have garnered their 

fair share of talent in the past two years. Last season two of 

Ball’s recruits both made the AUS All-Star Rookie team. 

An Academic All-Canadian, Lindsay James was a welcome 

addition from Halifax, nS, scoring 12 goals, while Kristen 

Cooze of Kippens, nL played an important role with the 

Mounties and Canada’s national ball hockey squad at the 

world championships. Says Ball of his talented rookies, “We 

had great success last year, but we can’t rest on our laurels. 

We have to look ahead and acquire a few more good rookies 

who will complement the fine play of our veterans.” 

/ 29

in memORiam 

Kenneth R. Brands 1937 

Ronald M. Black 1938 

Pamela A. Black 1942 

Roy Leard 1942 

Robert M. LeLacheur 1942 

Charlotte Paula Wade 1942 

Ethel Alberta (Richards) Cooper 1943 

Margaret (Estabrooks) Patterson 1943 

Joseph H. Donahue 1944 

Arthur J. Motyer, Former Faculty 1945 

Gordon E. Tower 1945 

Donald A. Fraser 1946 

Anne MacNair 1947 

Cecil D. Dunbar 1948 

George L. Irwin 1948 

Andrew Myles 1948 

Joseph M. Marshall 1949 

Maurice P. Fisher 1950 

Wallace S. Read 1950 

Charles Black 1951 

Donald R. Crandall 1951 

Robert E. Jay 1956 

Byron Matthews 1956 

John Christodoulou 1960, LLD 2009 

Joanne (VanZwol) Brais 1961 

Mary (Hierlihy) Erichsen 1962 

Glenn N. Adams 1966 

Lois I. Campbell 1969 

Darryl Bruce Former Faculty 

Mary-Ann Lorette Former Staff 

Anne (Gadwich, Amos) Pobihushka 

Friend 

Marion T. Wells Friend 

E. Ann (Irving) Whipple Friend 

Lynda (Graves) Oulton (’71) 

Submitted by her husband 

Mike Oulton (’73) 

Lynda worked as a community 

nutritionist on PEI and was 

recognized continually for her 


contributions to various organizations 

and her strong family values. 

Lynda is survived by her husband 

Mike (’73) and three daughters, 

Mindy (Oulton) McCarville (’99), 

Kerry (Oulton) Hollett (’02), and 

Brittany. Lynda had an amazing life, 

and her passing has left her family, 

professional colleagues, and community 

deeply saddened. 

Edwin James “Ted” Dickie (’43) 

Submitted by his sons Paul and 

Mark Dickie (’75) and daughter 

Jan Watkins (’78) 

Ted Dickie passed away at home 

on Aug. 27 ’10 after a lengthy battle 

with cancer and Parkinson’s disease. 

A Life Class Officer of the Class of 

’43, he was among the last survivors 

of the Trueman House fire in 1941. 

Mount Allison played an important 

part in his growing up, not just the 

formal teaching he received, but 

in the life skills he learned and the 

friendships he made. These would 

serve him well through his entire life, 

and many of the lessons he learned 

there were passed on to his children. 

Sidney Snow (’97) 

Submitted by his daughter 

Barb Matthews 

Rev. Sidney Snow passed away 

on Feb. 5 ’11 at the age of 93. In 

the mid 40s he attended Mount 

Allison before completing the 

theological program at Pine Hill Divinity 

College. He served in pastoral 

communities in NL, NS, and NB 

before retiring in Shelburne, NS. 

He also extended his service in 

roles such as mayor, chair of the 

school board, chair of the Co-op 

Housing Authority, padre with 

CFB Shelburne and the Royal 

Canadian Legion Branch 63. He 

enjoyed travelling and reading but 

it was a life-long dream to complete 

his degree at Mount Allison. 

This came true in ’97 when he 

graduated with his BA. 

Ronald N. Estabrooks (’47) 

Submitted by his son 

Kevin Estabrooks (’83) 

On Feb. 17 ’11, Ronald N. Estabrooks 

passed away. At Mount A, Dad 

played sports and nurtured his 

love for education. His life focused 

on family, sports, community and 

education; and he was committed 

to helping others. He was an 

active alumnus and two of his four 

children “swam” in the swan pond, 

my sister Brenda (Estabrooks) 

Wentzell (’73) and me. Memories 

of Dad and Mount A include sitting 

beside him in the bleachers as 

a youngster as “fight songs” went 

over my head, to his smile on our 

graduation days. 

The following list is compiled from information sent to University Advancement from May. 19 ’11 to August 30 ’11. Please feel welcome to submit memories of departed 

Allisonians you have known and loved, and we will be happy to print short versions in the Record and longer versions online (http://alumni.mta.ca).

cLass nOtes 

1930s 

Three Mount Allison alumni were recently 

inducted into the Sackville Arts Wall of Fame, 

which was launched in 2009 after Sackville 

was awarded a national designation as one 

of the country’s Cultural Capitals of Canada. A 

ceremony outside of Town Hall saw the three 

inductees’ plaques unveiled. Shown left to 

right are: (seated) Pauline Harborne (’37), 

Krista (K.V.) Johansen (’90), and Cynthia 

Adams (’79), who accepted the award on 

behalf of her husband, the late Glenn Adams 

(’66). Standing behind are Peter Higham 

(Mount Allison Music librarian), Karen Bamford 

(associate professor, English), and John 

Murchie (co-ordinator of Struts Gallery & 

Faucet Media Arts Centre), all of whom presented 

special tributes about each of the inductees. 

Verna Gass submitted the following informa- 

tion on her father, the late Cecil R. Webber 

(’35), after reading the article Made with Love 

on the history of Mount Allison’s handmade 

diplomas. “During his years as a student and 

for many years afterwards, Cecil’s calligraphy 

graced the graduation certificates of the 

academy and university. Also, during and following 

his ordination to the Ministry of the 

United Church of Canada, his ‘labour of love’ 

was continued on the graduation certificates 

of Pine Hill Divinity Hall.” 

1960s 

Penny (Chambers) Annand (’60) writes, 

“The Home Economics Class of ’60 has done 

it again! The latest class reunion took place 

in Ontario over two days with all in attendance 

thanks to computer technology. Penny, 

Ottawa, Marg (Burrill) Franklin, Meaford, 

Kathy (Murray) Johnston, Morrisburg, 

Elinor (Hamilton) Leach, Ottawa, and 

Lorna Seaman, Bowen Island, BC gathered 

in Elinor’s home on June 13. The next day we 

gathered again in Morrisburg, where we included 

Jo (Fulton) Fraser, Gibsons, BC by using 

Skype. Great food (home eccers do it well), story 

sharing, laughs and a few tears (we always think 

of our late seventh grad, Pat McClinton).” 

1970s 

Four Allisonians were honoured with the Order 

of Canada for 2011. They are: The Honourable 

Herménégilde Chiasson (’72, LLD ’04, 

Officer); Annette Verschuren (’78, Officer); 

Larry Nelson (friend, Member); and 

Samantha Nutt (LLD ’10, Member). 

Calder Creelman (’72) is retired and living 

at Shortt’s Lake near Brookfield/Truro, NS. He 

writes, “We have lots of lies to catch up on! My 

wife Donna and I have two kids, Laura in 

Sweet little 

Sackville 

on the marsh. 

Music, interesting 

people, conversation, 

little shops with nice stuff, 

good food, and a feeling 

everything’s going 

to be okay. 

Bring us your boredom, 

we’ll trash it for free. 

NEW BRUNSWICK 

The Cultural Crossroads of the Maritimes 

1-800-249-2020 

www.sackville.com 

/ 31

Toronto, Jonathan near Truro, and two grand- 

children, Stella and Carter in Toronto. Would 

love to hear from past classmates — 

caldercreelman@mail.com” 

On Aug. 26 ’11, Diana Locke (’73) retired 

after 35 years of federal service. Diana began 

her federal career in the U.S. Army. Then, 

after a brief break teaching biology and 

chemistry in Washington, D.C., she worked 

for the Smithsonian Institute at the National 

Zoo, Naval Intelligence, and finally, for the 

Environmental Protection Agency, where 

she spent 27 years. Diana was already quite 

busy with gardening, church choir, golf, skiing, 

yoga, the gym, and attending symphony 

concerts, and now hopes to devote more time 

to these activities. In January, she will begin 

a three-month long training class to become 

a certified Master Gardener. Diana’s husband, 

Robert Toense (University of Maryland alum) 

retired in July. 

As Commanding Officer of Nova Scotia’s RCMP, 

Steve Graham (’75) oversees 48 detachments, 

as well as HQ offices in Halifax Regional 

Municipality, and 1,271 employees. Graham 

is the first person to serve as Commanding 

Officer in all three Maritime Provinces, and 

is also the acting Deputy Commissioner for 

Atlantic Canada. He was recently featured in 

Saltscapes magazine. 

Surendra Deo aka ‘Chas’ (’78) writes, “Just 

to let you know that I feel very old at 54 and 

remember Mount A and Trueman with great 

affection. Since leaving I became a medical 

practitioner, but now mostly involved in 

professional regulation and education as 

associate director for University of London 

and advisor to the General Medical Council in 

the UK.” 


1980s 

Dan Steeves (’81) was inducted into the 

Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA) in the 

media area of printmaking. The process is one 

where he was nominated and elected by his 

peers to receive his official designation. 

On May 27 ’11 at the Canadian Academic 

Accounting Association AGM Alan Webb (’85) 

was presented with the L.S. Rosen Outstanding 

Educator Award. In his thank you speech Alan 

acknowledged the profound impact Mount A 

Commerce Professor Emeritus Dan Patridge 

had on both his undergraduate education 

and on his pursuit of an academic accounting 

career. Alan earned his CA designation in ’87 

and his PhD from the University of Alberta in 

’01. He has been on faculty at the School of 

Accounting and Finance at the University of 

Waterloo since ’00. 

Four grads of 1985 recently got together at 

their 30-year high school reunion at Three 

Oaks Senior High in Summerside, PEI. From left 

to right are: Linda Taylor, Dianna Phillips 

Doucet, Natalie Campbell Simmons, and 

Wayne Simmons. 

In Jul. ’11 Chris Hawkes (’86) completed his 

third Ironman Triathlon in Austria (swim 3.8K, 

bike 180K, run 42.2K). It was a real family affair 

with wife Linda Taylor (’85) and daughters 

Jessica and Melissa, pictured with Chris. He 

says, “Austria was beautiful! Jessica can’t wait

to do her first Ironman (in a few years, once 

Dad recovers), maybe when she’s attending 

Mount A!” 

Charles Rand (’86), founder of a number of 

start-up companies and a leader in both forprofit 

and nonprofit organizations — including 

a micro-financing program in Indonesia 

and several consultancies, has been named 

executive director of the Entrepreneurial 

Opportunity Center at the University of 

Baltimore’s Merrick School of Business. 

1990s 

Krista (KV) Johansen (’90) published a new 

book, Blackdog (Pyr/Prometheus) in Sept. ’11. 

You can read more at www.kvj.ca 

After passing the PHR (Professional in Human 

Resources) exam last year, in Jan ’11, Sara 

Carson (’90) started a new job as a Business 

Systems Consultant at Wells Fargo in Charlotte, 

NC. She supports HR PeopleSoft users 

through reporting, system set ups, troubleshooting, 

and resolving payroll issues. 

Dr. Patrick Lo (’92) took part in the 30th 

Chinese Martial Arts Self-Attainment Award 

Display in Hong Kong on May 22 ’11. It was his 

first time to participate in such an open martial 

arts competition, and he won two Excellence 

Awards for his “Praying Mantis Boxing” 

and “Taiyi Single Saber” routines. His Kungfu 

brother, Mr. J. Tam (right) won the championship 

for his long double-handed straight sword 

routine, “Praying Mantis Damor Sword.” Standing 

in the middle is their Sifu (martial arts coach 

in Chinese), Master Wei Fengci, chair-person 

of the Hong Kong Taichi Plum Blossom Praying 

Mantis Boxing Association. 

April (Austin) MacKinnon (’98) writes, 

“We have added a new baby boy to our family, 

Andrew was born in Halifax in Mar. ’11, a little 

brother for Anna (6) and Cameron (4). I have 

also since sold Nurtured (natural products for 

parenting business based in Halifax) and we 

have relocated to Sackville where I am now 

focusing on my family and on my second 

business, Anointment Natural Skin Care (www. 

anointment.ca), which is being sold in Sackville 

along with many locations across Canada.” 

Phil Davis (’99) writes, “I’m married with 

two boys (Benson 3 and Malcolm 1). I’ve been 

FOR 

SEVEN 

DECADES 

we have had a special relationship 

with the people of Mount Allison 

University. We have welcomed 

prospective students and parents; 

celebrated graduations; hosted 

reunions; and accommodated 

alumni, visiting lecturers, honorees, 

and board members. We are a 

pre-Confederation Victorian home 

with 18 rooms and a fine dining 

room. We are a proud supporter of 

Mount Allison. 

“Why get a room, 

when you can get a home?” 

MARSHLANDS INN 

55 Bridge, Sackville, NB E4L 3N8 

1-800-561-1266 

See us at 

www.marshlands.nb.ca 

E-mail: 

marshlds@nbnet.nb.ca 

/ 33

teaching at CNHS for nine years and counting; 

loving every minute of it. Just completed my 

Master’s in Ed. (admin). I’ve been coaching 

track & field, running a video club and ISCF 

group. Also, I put out my third album this summer. 

Look for it on iTunes (hopefully). I want 

to say a big “Hello!” to my class and especially 

to the Garnet & Gold musical members! Good 

times y’all! Lovin’ life!” 

Alan MacNaughton (’99) and Darla 

(Beers) MacNaughton (’99) are pleased to 

announce the birth of their second daughter, 

Emily Mae, on May 18 ’11. Their oldest daughter, 

Rebecca Lynn (two years old), is having 

fun being a great big sister! 

2000s 

Josh McWilliam (’02) and Lisa (Langhorne) 

McWilliam (’04) welcomed their first child, 

Madison Olivia Grace McWilliam, on July 23 ’11. 

Becky (McEachern) Lett (’02) writes, “It 

was a beautiful spring day full of Prairie 

sunshine when I married the love of my 

life, Eric Lett. We enjoyed a small intimate 

ceremony in Winnipeg at the wonderful Place 

Louis Riel hotel and celebrated that evening 

with friends and family. Only thing missing 

were Allisonians but I know the girls from the 

French House and the other Satellites were 

there with me in spirit. Would love to hear 

from anyone who remembers me.” 

Uli Schermaul and Kathrin Christine 

(Hoehn) Schermaul, both exchange students 

from Germany to Mount Allison in 2001, 

were married on campus on Aug 12 ’11. 

The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) has 

awarded Camille Labchuk (’05) one of seven 


international Advancement of Animal Law Scholarships 

for her outstanding work in the growing 

field of animal law. Camille is entering her third 

year at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, 

where she is co-president of the school’s Student 

Animal Legal Defense Fund chapter. 

Kate Beaton (’05) has released a new col- 

lection of historical and political cartoons 

entitled Hark! A Vagrant. Beaton’s comics 

have appeared in Harper’s Magazine, the 

National Post, and the New Yorker, and her web 

site sees over 1.2 million hits monthly (www. 

harkavagrant.com) Hark! A Vagrant is published 

by Drawn and Quarterly. 

Katie MacLeod (’07) was awarded her master’s 

of Architecture from Dalhousie University 

on May 25 ’11. 

Carmen Moreira (’08) graduated from the 

London Contemporary Dance School this year 

and has been hired as co-ordinator of growth, 

development, and operations for the company 

Dance Tours International (DTI) in both 

Canada and the UK. DTI works in co-ordination 

with Royal Ballet. 

Chris Chu (’08) graduated from the University 

of Maine School of Law with a Juris Doctor 

degree and is currently studying for the bar 

while working at a law firm. 

Meghan Casey (’09) and Nicole Leon (’10) 

are currently education students at Crandall 

University in Moncton, NB. As part of their 

teaching internships, the pair traveled to Australia 

for two months to see what teaching is 

like on the other side of the world (very different, 

if you were wondering!). 

After meeting in Edwards House in ’05, Martha 

Holmen (’09) and Andrew MacDonald (’08) 

were married on June 18 ’11 in Winnipeg. In 

attendance were best man Tim O’Grady (’06), 

Allison (Jensen) O’Grady (’05), Jasmin 

Charters (’09), and Heather Milne (’09). 

Andrew and Martha currently live in Toronto. 

Martha Paterson (’06) competed at the 

Canadian Ultimate Frisbee National Championships 

and won — her team will become Team 

Canada for the World Championships in Japan 

next July. She writes, “Even though my time as 

a Mountie soccer player has long since passed, 

the program shaped my athletic future greatly. 

Although, Ultimate Frisbee is not quite soccer, I 

continue to draw inspiration from my time in a 

Mountie jersey and will do so next July in Japan 

when I get to wear a Team Canada jersey.” 

2010s 

Keeley Haftner’s (’11) artwork, “Praxis 

(fifth edition)” has been selected as the New 

Brunswick winner of BMO Financial Group’s 

1st Art! 2011 Invitational Student Art Competition. 

The piece was part of the 1st Art! 2011 

Exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary 

Canadian Art in Toronto this fall. 

To a sold-out venue in Shelburne, NS, it wasn’t 

too difficult to hear the benefits of studying 

music with Mount Allison. An alumnus, current 

student, and pianist who took his exam through

Mount Allison took to the stage at Trinity United 

Church in a “Four Hands Piano Festival” featuring 

piano duets, trios, and quartets. Pictured (l-r): John 

Brannen (’12), Ian Anderson, Bill Smith (’71), 

and Dakota Scott Digout, who earned highest 

mark in Nova Scotia for Grade Nine piano at Mount 

Allison’s Local Centre Examinations. 

Current Students 

Christina Free (’12) won second place in 

the Institute for Liberal Studies 2011 Essay 

contest for her paper entitled Economic Freedom 

and Morality. 

Staff/Faculty 

Helen Pridmore, faculty member in the 

department of Music, has been invited to 

perform as guest soloist with the Aventa 

Ensemble in Victoria, BC. This prestigious new 

music ensemble has earned a world-wide 

reputation for its innovative programming, 

Printing 

• brochures • posters • stationery • newsletters • magazines • 

Serving all of Atlantic Canada 

Toll free: 877.884.8084 

workshops, and tours. Pridmore will also be 

performing in Sudbury, Waterloo, and St. 

Catharines, ON this fall. 

Mount Allison’s Nurse/Educator Cindy Crossman 

was recently awarded a Division Award 

of Merit from the Canadian Cancer Society. 

Crossman was recognized for her work with 

the annual Mount Allison/Sackville Relay for 

Life fund raiser, in particular for her Smart 

Shop program, which is now being used for all 

such events in the province. 

• Pictou, NS • Dartmouth, NS • St. Stephen, NB • Moncton, NB • Saint John, NB • 

/ 35

An experience 

like no other 

Mount Allison has always prided 

itself on being a peoplecentered 

university. It’s the 

essence of who we are and who we’ve 

always been. Where individuals matter. 

The entire community goes the extra mile 

to meet students’ needs. And students are 

encouraged to get involved on campus and 

beyond. Young people come here from all 

over the world because of it and they stay 

connected with Mount Allison for life. 

I have worked in universities across the 

country and internationally and I have 

never seen a more committed and passionate 

group of alumni across all generations. 

It’s nothing short of spectacular. Men and 

women from classes as far back as the late 

30s and early 40s make the trip to Sackville 

for Reunion year after year; they host 

receptions and sendoffs for hometown students; 

donate generously; attend alumni 


events; and support our students in any 

way they can. It’s that kind of personal 

connection and commitment that speaks 

to the Mount Allison experience. 

Most importantly, our alumni speak passionately 

about Mount Allison and their 

experience here and pass that spirit on to 

the talented and creative potential Allisonians 

in their lives. We hear this every day in 

the stories of our students. Generations of 

families pass through these doors. Some are 

deeply connected to the University through 

a proud family history — families such as 

the Pickards, Bells, Truemans, and Woods. 

There are also countless students who discovered 

Mount Allison through guidance 

counsellors, friends, mentors, teachers, and 

members of their community. 

Mount Allison thrives on word of mouth. 

Our legacy is evident in our national 

reputation as Canada’s top undergraduate 

university. But our true reputation is in the 

hands and hearts of our alumni. nobody 

knows and appreciates Mount Allison more. 

At Mount Allison students do matter — 

the experience is uniquely personal and 

each person’s individuality is cultivated 

and celebrated. It’s that essence that resonates 

so well with our alumni and those 

that they refer here. 

Although I don’t have a degree from 

Mount Allison, I have been welcomed to 

the community by alumni and students 

alike and that is why I now consider myself 

a proud Allisonian. 

Ron Byrne 

Vice-President, 

International and Student Affairs

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F-MM8437-10 MMI.EN•mta(8.125x9.375).indd 1 11-04-11 10:33 AM 

Province : New Brunswick 

Publication : Mount Allison University 

Format : 8.125x9.375 

Couleur : couleur 

Épreuve # : 2 

Date de tombée : 07/01/2011 

Graphiste : Yannick Decosse

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