Seven distinguished Canadians are receiving honorary doctorates from Ryerson during spring convocation, June 5-14.

Recipients are chosen based on the outstanding contributions in their fields. Listed below, in order of ceremony, are Ryerson’s seven honorary doctorates:

• The Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair was appointed associate chief judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba in March 1988 and to the Court of Queen’s Bench of Manitoba in January 2001. He was Manitoba’s first Aboriginal judge. He will receive an honorary doctorate at the Faculty of Community Services ceremony June 6 at 9:30 a.m.
  
• Kenneth Dryden is a hockey legend and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. He served as Ontario’s first youth commissioner from 1984 to 1986 and in 2004 he was elected as a member of parliament, serving as minister of social development during Paul Martin’s tenure as prime minister. He will receive an honorary doctorate at the Faculty of Community Services ceremony June 7 at 2:30 p.m.
  
• Journalism ’90 alumna Sue Gardner started her career at the CBC working as a producer, reporter and documentarian before becoming senior director of CBC.ca. In 2007, Gardner became executive director of the Wikimedia Foundation, the world’s fifth most popular website. She will receive an honorary degree at the Faculty of Communication & Design ceremony June 10 at 9:30 a.m.
  
• Filmmaker Deepa Mehta is a transnational artist known for telling universally meaningful stories. Her films have been screened at every major film festival in the world, have been distributed globally and earned numerous awards. She will receive an honorary degree at the Faculty of Communication & Design ceremony June 10 at 2:30 p.m.
  
• Judith Levkoe, retired YMCA executive, Chang School and early childhood studies alumna ‘61, is a lifelong learner whose career has focused on leading change in the community. Starting out as a community worker in the Jane-Finch neighbourhood, Levkoe’s 28-year career reinvented the service model, improved child care in the GTA and increased demand for family support. She will receive an honorary doctorate at The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education ceremony June 11 at 6 p.m.
  
• Chief justice Warren Winkler has acted as a judicial mediator for many large labour disputes, including those involving the Detroit Windsor Tunnel, Ontario Hydro and power workers, and the restructuring of Air Canada. He will receive an honorary doctorate at the Ted Rogers School of Management ceremony June 13 at 2:30 p.m.
  
• Diane Francis is a journalist, broadcaster, entrepreneur, professor and bestselling author. Francis became the first woman to head a daily newspaper in Canada and is now editor-at-large and a columnist at the National Post and its sister newspapers. She will receive an honorary doctorate at the Ted Rogers School of Management ceremony June 14 at 9:30 a.m.

For more information about Ryerson’s 2013 spring convocation, please visit www.ryerson.ca/convocation.