2016 Recipients
Honorary Doctor of Letters
Dr. Antonio D'Alfonso
On Thursday, June 9, an honorary Doctor of Letters was conferred on Dr. Antonio D’Alfonso in recognition of his outstanding contributions, as an editor, translator, publisher and creative artist, to Canadian culture. In 1978, D’Alfonso founded Guernica Editions, a literary press publishing in both English and French, at which he edited more than 450 books over 30 years. In 2000, Guernica established the Essential Writers Series, which has since published over 40 collections of essays on major Canadian writers. Through his translations, D’Alfonso has opened the works of Québécois authors to a wider Canadian audience, and he has tirelessly promoted the publication and study of works by Canadian minority and women authors and mentored and supported young writers across Canada. A poet, novelist, essayist, filmmaker and photographer, D’Alfonso has presented his original work across the country and internationally and received, among other recognition, the Trillium Award for his novel Un vendredi du mois d’août and best director and best foreign film awards at the New York International Independent Film Festival for his feature film. A devoted lifelong learner, D’Alfonso received a PhD in Italian film studies from the University of Toronto in 2012 at the age of 59.
Honorary Doctor of Laws
Mr. Gabriel David Tuccaro
On Saturday, June 11, an honorary Doctor of Laws was conferred on Mr. Gabriel David Tuccaro in recognition of his business leadership and his dedication to enriching the lives of indigenous is president and chief executive officer of Tuccaro Inc., a group of oil sands support companies that have as a shared purpose the creation of meaningful employment opportunities for aboriginal people. A member of the Mikisew Cree First Nation in Fort Chipewyan, Tuccaro is an entrepreneur known for his strong personal values, exceptional work ethic, visionary strategic thinking and community involvement, and as a mentor to many aspiring business leaders. He played a leadership role in developing the Northeastern Alberta Aboriginal Business Association, served on the Alberta Chamber of Resources, the National Task Force on Oil Sands Strategies and the National Aboriginal Financing Task Force and chaired the Aboriginal Business Canada Market Expansion Group. In the local community, he served on the board of the Regional Health Authority and co-chaired the Arctic Winter Games Committee. A strong supporter of the skilled trades, he served on the board of Careers: the Next Generation, helping young people complete apprenticeships. As chair of lndspire, he is helping to set strategic direction for the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards and deepen the organization’s support of K-12 education and indigenous teachers across Canada.
Updated August 09, 2024 by Digital & Web Operations, University Relations (web_services@athabascau.ca)