The wife of former prime minister Jean Chrétien will serve a three-year renewable term as the ceremonial head of the Sudbury university.
OTTAWA—Aline Chrétien has been appointed the first chancellor of Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ont.
The wife of former prime minister Jean Chrétien will serve a three-year renewable term as the ceremonial head of Laurentian.
In her new volunteer role, she’ll preside over convocation ceremonies, confer degrees, provide advice to the university president and help promote the institution, one of only two bilingual universities in Ontario.
She says Laurentian’s bilingual and aboriginal education programs are “close to her heart.” She received her first honorary degree in 2003 from the university.
Laurentian president Dominic Giroux says Aline Chrétien will bring knowledge, insight and vision to her new role and says the fact that she’s accepted the post is “a sign of validation” for the 50-year-old university.
Aline Chrétien generally shunned the limelight during her husband’s 40 years in federal politics but her husband always credited her with giving him the soundest advice.
Giroux says Aline Chrétien’s experience and passion make her an outstanding choice as Laurentian’s inaugural Chancellor.
“Mrs. Chrétien brings with her a vast amount of knowledge, insight, and vision,” says Giroux. “For me, personally, to have someone like her who I can turn to for advice and feedback will be so immensely valuable. I feel honoured that she accepted our invitation to join the team. It’s definitely a sign of validation for Laurentian University.”
Chrétien said in a statement that “it will be Jean’s turn to assist me in my duties.”
She added that her son-in-law, André Desmarais, President and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Power Corporation of Canada, was proud to see her appointed to his role, since his grandfather Jean-Noël Desmarais was one of the founding governors of Laurentian University.
She has taken on advocacy work before, as Honorary Chair of the National Advisory Council of the Royal Conservatory of Music. She only began playing the piano after she turned 50.
Aline Chrétien is also fluent in French, English, Italian and Spanish.
The Canadian Press
