University Canada West presented an Honorary Doctorate to Dr. Roslyn Kunin at its Spring 2024 Convocation at Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Wednesday, May 29.

Dr. Kunin is known as one of Canada’s foremost experts in community economic development and for her respectful and culturally sensitive work with Indigenous and new immigrant communities.

She was educated in Quebec and Ontario, earning a BA in Economics from Concordia University and an MA in Economics from McMaster University, before finishing her studies and becoming the first woman to earn a PhD in Economics at the University of British Columbia in 1970.

Throughout her career, Dr. Kunin has taught at several Canadian universities, worked in the private sector and provided regular commentary in the media.

She worked for 20 years as a Regional Economist for the federal government in British Columbia and Yukon and 10 years as Executive Director of the Laurier Institution.

In her Convocation address, Dr. Kunin spoke about success, keeping focused and the bright side of paying taxes.

“Parents often wished that their children will pay—strange wish—lots and lots of income tax because the only way you can pay lots of taxes is by earning lots and lots of money,” she said.

“Taxes are one way that you share your success with others, with people outside yourself and your family. As the prosperous person that you will become, you should also find other ways to contribute to your community and to the larger society.”

However, she said there is more to life than doing well and contributing to society. Dr. Kunin spoke about attending another Convocation, which had invited the well-known Canadian children’s entertainer Raffi, who sang one of his popular songs.

“It made you want to get up and dance. The graduates there did not get up and dance…”

“They sat there serious, stiff and rigid, like a bunch of Egyptian mummies. No matter how wonderful your life is—and may you all have wonderful lives—you will never have too many occasions to sing and dance. When one comes along, take it.”

As a consulting economist and expert on the development of rural and small towns, and Indigenous communities, Dr. Kunin is credited with increasing the public’s understanding of British Columbia’s economic and political landscape.

In 1998 she edited Prospering Together: The Economic Impact of the Aboriginal Title Settlements in B.C., which explained, in plain language, the importance and economic impact of the treaty-making process. The book was ahead of its time and became instrumental in helping move forward collectively in a progressive manner.

Dr. Kunin has chaired and served on several boards throughout Canada, including on Statistics Canada’s National Statistic Council. As Chair of the WorkSafeBC board, she directed the organization’s finances so that it was able to maintain a balanced budget through the recession in 2009. As Chair of the Haida Enterprise Corporation, she guided the organization in expanding business and employment opportunities in tourism and forestry. Dr. Kunin is Vice Chair of Actsafe Safety Association and was a Director of the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research. She also served as Chair of the Vancouver Stock Exchange, Director of the Business Development Bank of Canada, Director of the Canada West Foundation, Governor of the University of British Columbia, Chair of the Vancouver Crisis Centre and Vice-President of the YWCA.

She has been awarded the Crystal Ball Award by the Association of Professional Economists, the Woman of Distinction Award by the YWCA, a Canada 125 medal for service to Canada and a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and is a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia.

“We are delighted to bestow an Honorary Doctorate on Dr. Roslyn Kunin in recognition of her efforts to increase tolerance and mutual respect in British Columbia and Canada,” said UCW President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Bashir Makhoul. “Through her focus on how the science of economics can be used to improve community well-being and prosperity, her work has unfailingly served the greater good in our society.”

Dr. Kunin received a Doctor of Laws degree during UCW’s Spring 2024 Convocation ceremony at Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Wednesday, May 29.