Mount Saint Vincent University extends a hearty congratulations to Corinne (Connie) Sparks, O.C., and The Honourable Mayann Francis, O.C., O.N.S. who have been appointed Officers of the Order of Canada. Both hold honorary degrees from MSVU.
The Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest honours. It celebrates those who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to Canadian society and improved the lives of others.
Corinne (Connie) Sparks, O.C.
Connie received an honorary degree from MSVU in 2022. She is also a previous graduate of MSVU, having received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1974.
She was appointed to the Nova Scotia Family Court in 1987, becoming the first African Nova Scotian to be appointed to the Bench and the first African Canadian female to serve on the judiciary in Canada. Throughout her long and distinguished career, Connie has demonstrated an enduring commitment to human rights and social and racial justice, and judicial education.
The Governor General’s Office described Connie as “a trailblazing Canadian jurist and mentor to Black lawyers, [who] transformed the country’s legal landscape. The first Black judge in Nova Scotia and the first Black woman to serve as a judge in Canada, she notably issued a landmark decision on racial and judicial bias that was upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada.”
Recently, Connie was also appointed to the federal government’s Advisory Council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion.
The Honourable Mayann Francis, O.C., O.N.S.
Mayann received an honorary degree from MSVU in 2008.
She was the first African Nova Scotian and second woman to serve as Lieutenant Governor for Nova Scotia – a position she held from 2006-2012. She is a respected public servant committed to equity and social inclusion. She served as the first Distinguished Public Service Fellow in the Faculty of Management, School of Public Administration at Dalhousie University and as CEO of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission. She was also Ombudsman for Nova Scotia, the first woman appointed to this position. Mayann has served on numerous non-profit boards and committees including with the Black Business and Professional Association, United Way, The Canadian National Institute for the Blind, and Imagine Canada.
The Governor General’s Office described Mayann as a “historic trailblazer.” In addition to serving as Nova Scotia’s 31st Lieutenant Governor and in a number of public service roles, she is the author of several books, including her 2019 memoir.