Sobey School of Business to launch Impact Speaker Series with Elevating Indigenous Businesses

The Sobey School of Business Impact Speaker Series will launch on Friday, November 19 with its inaugural event, Elevating Indigenous Businesses.

“At Saint Mary’s, we want to build a world without limits. To do that, we need to elevate diverse voices and foster new and diverse ideas.” said Robert Summerby-Murray, President of Saint Mary’s University. “That is exactly what this new speaker series will do.”

The Sobey School of Business Impact Speaker Series seeks to elevate diverse, intercultural perspectives of rising and global leaders, with the aim of inspiring reflection and action among our students, faculty, partners and community. Through these conversations, the school hopes to foster new generations of informed and engaged change makers, who will create positive impact in our communities and our world.

“The purpose of the Elevating Indigenous Businesses event is to actively consider what the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report means in our business school environment and context,” said Harjeet Bhabra, Dean of the Sobey School of Business. “It is part of an essential, ongoing conversation to ensure we are providing opportunities for recognition, reflection and reconciliation.”

Elevating Indigenous Businesses features Indigenous cultural performances, including dancing and drumming, a keynote address from prominent academic and author, Carol Anne Hilton, and a panel discussion among established and emerging Indigenous businesspeople, Michael Maracle-Polak, Jesse Benjamin and Chef Stéphane Levac.

In her remarks, Carol Anne Hilton will discuss the importance of Indigenous worldview and knowledge in developing a more sustainable Canadian economy. “As the world converges on an economic identity crisis of its own making, the inclusion and re-valuing of Indigenous worldview and knowledge in economy and business is paramount,” she said. “I am looking forward to bringing this conversation to students, faculty and the community at Sobey School of Business to discuss how they can contribute to this work in meaningful ways.”

The Elevating Indigenous Businesses Event and Sobey School Impact Speaker Series is made possible by a generous $18 million gift from the Sobey family, Sobey Foundation, and Sobeys Inc. and Empire Group Limited, the largest gift in the history of the university.

Elevating Indigenous Businesses will take place on Friday, November 19 from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm at the SMU Scotiabank Theatre. For more information or to register for this free, in-person event, please visit our website.

A 75-Year Legacy: Community Gathers to Celebrate Viola Desmond and the Viola Desmond Bursary

From left to right: Ms. Jane Adams Ritcey, Senator Wilfred P. Moore, Leah Matheson (2021/22 Bursary recipient), and Dr. Mayann Francis.

The legacy of Viola Desmond and the Saint Mary’s University Viola Desmond Bursary in her honour, was celebrated on the 75th anniversary of her heroic anti-segregation action at a gathering hosted by the Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute (DBDLI) and Saint Mary’s University. The event honoured Viola’s legacy and acknowledged the latest recipients of the Viola Desmond Bursary for their roles as emerging business professionals and community leaders.  

At the event, Senator Wilfred P. Moore, BComm’64 LLD’07, and Ms. Jane Adams Ritcey, the donors of the bursary, announced an additional gift to support the bursary in recognition of the 75th anniversary of Viola’s history-defining action, which will result in the awarding of three bursaries starting with the 2022 - 2023 academic year.  

The Viola Desmond Bursary, established in 2018, is awarded to female African Nova Scotian undergraduate students studying commerce or entrepreneurship at Saint Mary’s University. This event and the announcement of the bursary all occurred on November 8th , the date of Viola’s heroic action in 1946. The award amount marks the year of Viola Desmond’s anti-segregation action, with students receiving $1,946.  

Sylvia Parris-Drummond, CEO of the DBDLI hosted the event. The Hon. Mayann Francis BA’72 DCL’12 and Viola’s sister Wanda Robson offered very moving tributes to Viola’s inspirational legacy of bravery social activism.  

Sounds of Welcome, Community and Reconciliation

Robert Summerby-Murray, President and Vice-Chancellor of Saint Mary’s University, and Kyle Cook, Vice-President Advocacy for the Saint Mary’s University’s Student Association (SMUSA).

An important form of Indigenous cultural expression is becoming a mainstay at Saint Mary’s University. Through a partnership with the Saint Mary’s University’s Student Association (SMUSA), a community drum will become a permanent part of the university’s campus, events, and ceremonies, reinforcing the collective commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.

The tugamatesg (drum) is an instrument that is alive and facilitates cultural expression. It is the heartbeat that offers comfort and the thundering sound that inspires people. This large drum is referred to as a teaching drum by Elders, a true pedagogical instrument that will be featured during Mawio’mi, convocations, ceremonies and other university events.

“Coming on the heels of Mi’kmaq History Month is the perfect time to commence this initiative,” says Kyle Cook, Vice-President Advocacy for SMUSA. “This is a time for community to come together to embrace and celebrate Indigeneity. The community drum will provide the platform to foster a sense of welcome, community, and reconciliation.”

The community drum initiative is an opportunity for Indigenous cultures to be more visible on campus, increase the accessibility of Indigenous lessons, and provide a greater sense of welcoming for current and future Indigenous students. The drum will support various teachings and land-based learning opportunities by Indigenous professors, SMUSA, and community allies of Saint Mary’s.

“The community drum initiative is an important opportunity to reflect on how we implement our commitment to reconciliation and create a greater engagement with

Indigenous culture at Saint Mary’s,” says Robert Summerby-Murray, President and Vice-Chancellor. “The drum will be a part of important university milestones, ceremonies and convocations, reminding all of us that we walk the path to truth and reconciliation together, throughout the year.”

Ryan Francis Returns for Two-Year Indigenous Research Fellowship at Saint Mary’s

Ryan Francis

A familiar face to the Saint Mary's University community is back to continue working on projects that foster the potential of sport and recreation to bring people together for intercultural understanding.

Ryan Francis, the university’s first Indigenous Visiting Fellow, recently returned for a two-year fellowship with the Faculty of Arts and the Centre for the Study of Sport and Health (CSSH). His first fellowship was  a four-month term from January to April 2020, coinciding with the onset of the global pandemic.

“A lot of our plans and programs involved people gathering and coming together, so it was very challenging to do that,” says Francis. “We highlighted in the previous fellowship that there is a lot of work that can be done. With a longer runway, we’ll be able to implement a lot more of those meaningful opportunities for the university community.” 

Part of the fellowship includes working with Saint Mary’s and organizers of the North American Indigenous Games, postponed in 2020 but now scheduled to take place July 15-23, 2023 in several locations in Kjipuktuk (Halifax) and Millbrook First Nation. NAIG 2023 will include competitions in 16 sports, bringing together 3,000 local volunteers with more than 5,000 athletes, coaches and team staff from 756 Indigenous Nations.

“SMU’s commitment to being a part of the Games, through facility use and accommodations, is really significant,” says Francis. “It will be really neat to think about how we can play a role, and factor in how to support the participants coming to campus, and make this environment feel especially welcoming to them.”

One idea already in development is the creation of “Brave Spaces” – spaces on campus where athletes and attendees can gather to share and learn more about each other’s cultures, since the Indigenous athletes will be attending from across Turtle Island.

During his first fellowship in 2020, Ryan was also a key player in the university’s inaugural Red Tape Game, working with Athletics and Recreation and the men’s Huskies hockey team. The growing movement across Canada and the U.S. aims to promote inclusion in ice hockey. The initiative was started and inspired by Logan Prosper of Whycocomagh First Nation – now an Arts student at Saint Mary’s – and his father Phillip, to create awareness of racism in hockey and encourage players to take responsibility for combatting racism. SMU’s second Red Tape Game is in the planning stages for this winter. Francis and Dr. Cheryl MacDonald, Associate Director of Outreach for the CSSH, hope to build on the idea and expand it to other teams.

“Ryan has been such a wonderful contributor to the Centre,” says Dr. MacDonald, noting he has provided guest lectures in the Health, Wellness and Sport in Society program, and participated in the international Hockey Conference hosted by the Centre.

“The Centre’s mandate is very much to facilitate and disseminate research on sport and health,” she adds. “We’re also committed to community outreach and interdisciplinary approaches. I think what we are creating here is meaningful opportunities to combine research and education with community.”

The fellowship builds on Saint Mary’s ongoing initiatives to engage with Indigenous communities, strengthen intercultural research and curriculum, and respond to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

Francis grew up in Cole Harbour and is a member of Acadia First Nation. He is currently the Manager of Provincial Outreach & Coordination for the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, in its Communities, Sport, and Recreation Division. He has a Master of Physical Education degree from Memorial University, and majored in sport management for his Bachelor of Science degree at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Follow him on Twitter at @RyanFrancis58.     

Pet Photos: A Key to Successful Online Dating for Men According to New Study

Dr. Maryanne Fisher

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and in the case of a new research study from Saint Mary’s University, the right picture may be worth a lifetime of love.  The research shows that women see men who care for pets and children as good potential long-term partners, says evolutionary psychologist Dr. Maryanne Fisher.  

The recent study, published in the journal Evolutionary Psychological Science by Saint Mary’s University's Mackenzie Zinck, Dr. Laura Weir, and Dr. Fisher, shows that men who care for dependents are perceived as high-quality mates, displaying the ability to invest in a long-term mate. This investment may be exhibited through financial and social status, and the ability to care for a mate and any resulting children. 

Online dating profiles were used to test the prediction, and as expected, men seeking long-term mates displayed dependents — primarily dogs and children— more than men seeking short-term mates, but both men and women seeking long-term mates displayed dependents similarly. Men, though, showed more dogs while women showed more children.  

“The inclusion of dependents represents a way for daters to advertise that they can, and are willing to, invest in a living being,” said Dr. Fisher.  “Men’s photos are really telling. Those interested in short-term relationships showed their body, their fancy trucks, the big fish they caught in the summer. Meanwhile, those seeking a relationship posted photos with their dogs and children. Whether or not women show the same difference remains to be seen. There weren’t many women dating online in the summer of 2020 openly advertising that they were seeking short-term relationships only.” 

Dr. Maryanne Fisher, a researcher and professor of Psychology at Saint Mary’s, is an expert on the evolutionary foundations of human interpersonal relationships. Her primary research areas include the evolutionary foundations of human interpersonal relationships and women's mating strategies and indicators of female physical attractiveness. 

Dr. Fisher recently discussed the study in an article she wrote for the Conversation.

The Circular Economy, Sustainability, and Transformation Focus of Third Annual Sobey School Responsible Leadership Day

Unprecedented demand for goods and services, supply chain strain, and actions related to climate change are all important factors that require transformation according to an emerging economic model. This model, called the Circular Economy, is the focus of the third annual Sobey School of Business’s Responsible Leadership event at Saint Mary’s University.

“The circular economy model is an emerging response to our most pressing challenges,” says David Runnalls, the event’s keynote speaker and a Distinguished Fellow with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). “It provides governments, businesses and consumers with an approach to maximize value and eliminate waste by improving, and in some cases transforming, how goods and services are designed, manufactured and used.”

 The Sobey School of Business’s Responsible Leadership event, Circular Economy: The Economy For the Future? takes place this Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, from 8:45 a.m. to 11: 45 a.m. AST. Registration is available to attend in-person or online at www.smu.ca/responsibleleadership. This event aligns with the United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), of which the Sobey School is a 2020-2022 PRME Champion.   

“The circular economy presents an enormous challenge for Canadian business since most of our exports are in resource and energy consumptive sectors,” adds Runnalls. “But it also offers numerous opportunities for enterprises, large and small. We will examine how companies and supportive government policies can take advantage of these opportunities.”  

In addition to the keynote, the event features a panel discussion with business and community members called The Circular Economy: Opportunities and challenges for Atlantic Canada, a sustainable development goals showcase, and student challenge called Rethink, React, Remodel, The Circular Economy Challenge.

 “The Sobey School of Business wants to be a driver of innovation, exemplified by this year’s focus on progressive, forward-thinking models such as the Circular Economy,” says Dr. Margaret McKee, Associate Dean with the Sobey School of Business. “This event brings top Canadian economists and policy analysts together with top researchers, business leaders and students to discuss the challenges of today and work towards a more prosperous and inclusive future.”

Meet the new Sobey National Innovators and Sobey MBA Scholars

The 2021 Sobey National Innovators.
Top row (left to right): Rylee Pearl, Adam Culbert, Isabella MacKay, Alyssa MacDonald, Arthur (Sandy) Hiltz. Bottom row (left to right): Mackenzie Kearnery, Braden Marshall, Finn Kimball, Rahjay Brown, Abigail Duggan

Saint Mary’s University and the Sobey School of Business are proud to announce the newest recipients of the 2021 Sobey National Innovator and Sobey MBA Scholarships.   

The Sobey National Innovator and Sobey MBA Scholarships are presented to exceptional students from across Canada in recognition of their accomplishments, and as encouragement and support for their success at Saint Mary’s Sobey School of Business. This scholarship program will support 150 students over a ten-year period, inspiring the best and brightest graduate and undergraduate business students in the country to come to Saint Mary’s University and the Sobey School of Business.  

The following is a list of the 2021 Sobey National Innovators:  

• Rahjay Brown 

• Adam Culbert 

• Abigail Duggan 

• Arthur Hiltz 

• Mackenzie Kearney 

• Finn Kimball 

• Alyssa MacDonald 

• Isabella Mackay 

• Braden Marshall 

• Rylee Pearl 
   

“On behalf of all recipients, I would like to thank the Sobey Family, The Sobey Foundation and Sobeys Inc. for this incredible award. It has truly been a gamechanger and has had an immense impact on my family and I already!” says Isabella Mackay. “There is so much to look forward to with all the amazing opportunities that come along with this award.” 
 

2021 Sobey MBA Scholarship recipients 

(Left to right): Kartikey Handa, Liam O’Brien

The following is a list of the 2021 Sobey MBA Scholars:  

• Kartikey Handa  

• Liam O’Brien 
   

“A huge thank you and a salute to the Sobey family for this gracious contribution towards building a better, more inclusive, and more sustainable future. It’s because of these benevolent gestures and kind contributions that individuals, both capable and smart, are able to expand their horizons and prepare themselves to better serve the society and the nation at large,” says Kartikey Handa.  

In 2019, Saint Mary’s University announced a historic gift of $18 million from the Sobey Family, The Sobey Foundation and Sobeys Inc. which established this transformative scholarship program as well as investments in entrepreneurship, faculty support, research and new space for the Sobey School of Business. 

“We are pleased to welcome the newest recipients as members of the 2021 cohort of Sobey National Innovators and Sobey MBA Scholars and welcome them to the Sobey School of Business and Saint Mary’s University” says the Sobey School of Business Dean, Dr. Harjeet Bhabra. “We look forward to seeing the impact they make while completing their studies at Saint Mary’s University.”  

These students join last year’s inaugural recipients as members of the Sobey Scholars Network, a special cohort that includes all current and past students, alumni, Chair holders, named Professors and Post-Doctoral Fellows who have been the recipients of philanthropic financial support from the Sobey Family, The Sobey Foundation, Sobeys Inc., and Empire Company Limited.  

“Congratulations to the new Sobey National Innovators and the Sobey MBA Scholarship recipients. This has been a year like no other, and your selection as recipients of these prestigious awards recognizes your hard work, talent and resilience”, says Saint Mary’s University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray.   

“We are grateful to the Sobey family, Sobeys Inc. and The Sobey Foundation for your ongoing commitment to student success,” adds President Summerby-Murray. “Together, we are creating a World without limits for our students.”  

To learn more about these scholarships and other areas of impact, please visit the Sobey Scholars Network website. 

Top Canadian Business Leaders Lead New Sobey School Programs

Bradley Farquhar and Joe Power

The next great wave of entrepreneurs is benefiting from the advice and expertise of three top Canadian business leaders joining the Sobey School of Business through the new Sobey Executive-In-Residence and Alumni-In-Residence programs. 

Ian D. Smith

Ian D. Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Clearwater Seafoods Limited Partnership, and Purple Cow Internet Co-founders and Saint Mary’s University alumni, Bradley Farquhar BComm’08 and Joe Power BComm’11 are the inaugural class of executives taking part in the new in-residence programs presented by the Sobey School of Business Community Revitalization & Prosperity Network. The network hosts in-residence programs, such as Executive-In-Residence (EIR) and Alumni-In-Residence (AIF), giving students access to some of Canada's and Nova Scotia’s top business leaders. They are selected based on their passion for entrepreneurship and their ability to provide students with a breadth of advice and information.

“The Sobey School of Business is proud to welcome Ian, Bradley, and Joe as our inaugural business leaders taking part in the new Sobey Executive-In-Residence and Alumni-In-Residence programs,” says Mohammad Rahaman, Associate Dean, Strategic Partnerships & Community Engagement at the Sobey School of Business. “They bring with them knowledge and expertise from which our students will greatly benefit. I appreciate their commitment to joining with us as we prepare the next generation of great Canadian entrepreneurs for success."

Ian D. Smith is the Chief Executive Officer of Clearwater Seafoods. Smith joined Clearwater in May 2010 and has over 33 years of international experience in the food and consumer products industry. Prior to joining Clearwater, Smith held senior leadership positions at the Campbell Soup Company within Canada, the United States and China. Prior to his time at Campbell’s, Smith held various marketing, sales and international business development positions with Allergan, Colgate-Palmolive and the Gillette Company.

Smith currently participates as a director on a number of boards and advisory councils focused on international trade and public policy, including the Business Council of Canada and the Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council of the Asia Pacific Foundation. He is a graduate of McGill University (BA Economics, MBA), a former Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve and currently serves as Honorary Colonel of 36 Canadian Engineer Regiment located in the Province of Nova Scotia.

Bradley Farquhar graduated from Saint Mary’s University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, with a double major in finance and marketing. Farquhar is a native of Nova Scotia, aspiring astronaut, and co-founder of Purple Cow Internet. Future business goals include the building of space habitats that orbit the Earth to serve paying customers offering a once in a lifetime view of our blue marble. Passions include endurance challenges with notable accomplishments of swimming the English Channel, summiting Denali, running 250 miles across the Sahara Desert, and most recently racing 14 dogs a thousand miles across Alaska in the Iditarod race.

Joe Power grew up in Nova Scotia and graduated from Saint Mary’s University with a Bachelor of Commerce in 2011. In 2013, Power moved to the United States of America to chase his entrepreneurial goals in the green energy space. Since then, he has collected significant accolades such as receiving the INC 5000 fastest growing US business award three years in a row and the top Energy Reduction Company award for California five years running. Power loves playing hockey, IronMan triathlons, travel and time with family and friends. In 2019, Power decided to do something different. Power partnered with SMU grad, friend, and successful entrepreneur Brad Farquhar to co-found Purple Cow Internet. The goal was simple, drive change and cost for internet access in Nova Scotia. 

The term for the EIR and AIR programs is one year, and the executives begin their time with the Sobey School the start of November 2021. 

Wicked problems of food insecurity

Dr. Mathew Novak, Geography and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Arts

How can Geographic Information Systems (GIS) help support people experiencing food insecurity across Nova Scotia? Made possible by gifts from the Windsor Foundation, the Hewitt Foundation and alumnus Dr. Daniel McCarthy, the lab is a hub where faculty and students collaborate on solving issues using geospatial software.

Partnering with the province’s largest food assistance organization, the Wicked Problems Lab at Saint Mary’s University is bringing a world of expertise to facilitate data-driven food distribution.

“Food insecurity is a crisis in our province,” says Nick Jennery, executive director of Feed Nova Scotia. “While we advocate for much-needed change to address systemic issues, we need to ensure people have food today and that they can access that food in a dignified way. An important piece in making food support more accessible is understanding where gaps exist in our current food distribution program.” In September 2020, Feed Nova Scotia began working with the lab to better understand food accessibility. Led by Dr. Mathew Novak, an expert in retail geography and GIS, the lab mapped out current food bank locations and paired them with regional census data to predict where demand for services is high.

The result? The data clearly identified locations that could benefit from greater food distribution. “Our research allowed us to make recommendations for more effective distribution of resources,” says Dr. Novak.

“For instance, we found areas of suburban Halifax with high potential demand but limited access to food banks and other food support programs. GIS allows us to combine a variety of data sources and perform sophisticated analysis to reveal spatial patterns that may have otherwise remained hidden.” Feed Nova Scotia distributes more than 2 million kilograms of food to 140 food banks and meal programs each year.

“We’re excited to see where this project will take us, knowing that good data is a critical factor that contributes to better decision making,” says Jennery.

Recently, Dr. Novak made presentations to Feed Nova Scotia’s leadership and community connections teams, outlining the first findings of the analysis. Moving forward, more analysis will be performed on the organization’s needs and distribution locations. This continuation opens the door to endless possibility, with opportunities to partner with other not-for-profit organizations to better match needs and resources.

Learn more about supporting Saint Mary’s students who are struggling with food insecurity.

Peer reviewed paper examines long-range pollution transport to NS and Halifax

After a summer of Canadians feeling the impact of climate change from repeated air quality warnings due to smoke from forest fires, researchers at Saint Mary’s University have some good news to share. According to a recent peer-reviewed paper, surface-level ozone levels have decreased over the past two decades in Nova Scotia, an important finding for a province dealing with long-range pollution transport due to its positioning relative to the earth’s wind currents. These pollutants can harm humans, animals, and farm crops—affecting air quality in a similar way to the more visible impact of smoke from forest fires.

Morgan Mitchell (BSc ’19, MSc ’21), a research associate in the Department of Environmental Science, recently published the peer-reviewed paper in the journal Atmospheric Environment. The paper, titled “Surface ozone in the North American pollution outflow region of Nova Scotia: Long-term analysis of surface concentrations, precursor emissions and long-range transport influence,” is the first analysis of long-term (2000-2018) hourly ozone monitoring data at three locations in Nova Scotia: urban Halifax, suburban Halifax at Lake Major and a regional background site at Aylesford Mountain. Hourly ozone concentrations were analyzed by year, season, and time of day at each station over the entire study period.

The study showed that Nova Scotia experiences elevated surface ozone pollution episodes regularly, and while overall pollution has decreased, more research is needed to find out why the decrease has flattened out in the past five years.

In addition to examining ozone pollution, the study also covers transboundary pollution episodes, looking at the frequency of their occurrence and quantifying them. Nova Scotia regularly feels the impact of transboundary pollution episodes when air pollution from other areas such as the Eastern United States comes to the province via wind currents. Using a new, innovative method relying on spatial correlation of ozone between Halifax and otherwise clean ‘background’ stations (Kejimkujik and Aylesford), the findings in the paper show that the proportion of transboundary pollution has increased by 15% over the study period, with transported pollution accounting for 45-63% of elevated ozone days in Halifax.

Morgan says by driving less, considering the source of items we purchase, and acting locally, individuals can make a positive impact on pollution levels.

About the researchers

After completing her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science in 2019, Morgan earned a Master of Science in Applied Science in 2021. She now works full-time as an air quality specialist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Working with supervisor Dr. Aldona Wiacek, a professor in the departments of Environmental Science as well as Astronomy and Physics, Morgan contributed to research focusing on human

impacts on the atmospheric environment. Dr. Wiacek’s long-term work focuses on measuring and tracking trace gases and aerosols (suspended solids and liquids) in the atmosphere as related to air pollution and climate change. Using both field work and the newly-established SMU Atmospheric Observatory (SAO) on the roof of the Student Centre, Dr. Wiacek and her team take long term measurements of trace gases and aerosols, which are necessary to inform policy related to air pollution formation and green house gas emissions controls.

Looking for more?

Morgan recently spoke to reporter Paul Withers at CBC about the research and paper.

Saint Mary’s University Continues Maclean’s Rankings Momentum

For the second year in a row, Saint Mary's University ranks fourth among undergraduate universities in Canada.

According to Maclean's magazine, the university is ranked fourth among primarily undergraduate universities for 2022. Saint Mary's University is also the top-ranked primarily undergraduate university in Nova Scotia. Saint Mary's has continued to climb in the rankings over the past decade.

Among the highlights in this nationwide category, Saint Mary’s ranked:

• 2nd in student awards (national awards won by students)

• 3rd in medical/science grants for faculty

• 3rd in social sciences and humanities grants for faculty

• 3rd in library acquisitions and expenditures

• 5th in faculty awards

• 6th in student scholarships and bursaries

In addition to ranking fourth among undergraduate universities, the rankings recognize Saint Mary's University and the Sobey School of Business's national prominence. Saint Mary's once again ranks among Canada's top 50 universities.  The Sobey School of Business continues its prominent position among Canada's top 20 business programs. The university's business program has the highest reputation for business research in the Atlantic region, and the Sobey School of Business remains the top-ranked business school in Atlantic Canada.

New book captures unique Canadian approaches to Fair Trade advocacy

Hope for a better world is the inspiration behind the discussion of the global trade system and the fair trade movement in a new book that launched at Saint Mary’s University. Fittingly for a book titled The Fair Trade Handbook: Building a Better World, Together, the Maritime book launch took place on October 1, otherwise known as International Coffee Day.

The first of its kind in Canada, the new handbook is co-edited by Dr. Gavin Fridell of Saint Mary’s, with fair trade advocates Zack Gross and Sean McHugh. The collection of essays brings together 28 fair traders, trade justice activists and scholars who offer insights on the Canadian movement’s common goals of advancing trade justice and South-North solidarity.

Conveying hope and positivity, the book’s title was negotiated carefully, says Dr. Fridell, Canada Research Chair in International Development Studies.

“Between the three of us, we came up with a title that represents the optimism that we think people in the fair trade movement want to convey,” he says. “You want to scathingly criticize the limits of the existing global trade system, but you also want to do it in a way that is hopefully going to open some doors for things to go in a different direction.”

Taking place during SMU Homecoming 2021, the book launch on campus also toasted the 25th anniversary of Nova Scotia’s own Just Us! Coffee cooperative in Grand Pré, which contributed content in the book. Canada’s first fair trade and organic coffee roaster, Just Us! has grown from humble beginnings to become a national leader and role model in the quest for global fair trade.

Joey Pitoello, the company’s general manager, joined Fridell and Dr. Kate Ervine of Saint Mary’s in a panel discussion at the launch, along with Nelson Camilo Melo Maya, who is a coffee farmer in Colombia and chair of the Small Producers Symbol (SPP) Global, who connected virtually.

“One of the neatest chapters in the book is one with Joey and Nelson in dialogue, talking about what we need to do to decolonize trade for farmers in the South,” says Fridell.

The short, accessible chapters are divided into three sections: Fair Trade in an Unfair World, Fair Trade in Action, and Pursuing Global Justice. Fridell and Ervine co-wrote a chapter titled, “Demanding Justice: Can Trade Policy be Fair?” (Find an adaptation of this chapter in the latest Monitor Magazine.)

Coffee is a common theme throughout, as a product that is foundational to fair trade along with bananas, tea and cocoa. Co-op Coffee shares perspectives on its innovative climate change policies, and the book opens with “A Lively Bean that Brightens Lives,” a graphic story tracing the origins of coffee in Ethiopia to the creation of the country’s coffee cooperative.  

“I love that chapter! I can’t wait to bring it to my class,” says Fridell, who will be teaching IDST 2401: Fair Trade and Free Trade this winter. In the course, students examine labour, racial, environmental, gender and human rights with a focus on trade justice and social power. Just Us! is a key community partner in Fridell’s classes, with student field trips to the coffee roastery and Pitoello appearing on campus as a guest speaker.

Co-editor McHugh is the founder and executive director of the Canadian Fair Trade Network (CFTN). Fridell sits on its advisory board. Gross is a member of Fairtrade Canada’s Board of Directors, and initially raised the idea of doing a book, during a conversation at one of CFTN’s annual meetings. He partly wanted to showcase the Canadian approach to fair trade, “in the sense that its leaders here tend to be more focused on cooperatives and small business models,” says Fridell.

“I hope we’ve created a book with chapters where you feel really down about the world, and then other chapters where you feel uplifted,” he adds. “Fair traders wear both hats. They wear one hat recognizing how far we are from coffee farmers being properly compensated for all the work and knowledge they put into their coffee. On the other hand, these are also very optimistic people who believe they have to step up and get things done.”

Chapters of the book will also be available online in Spanish. It’s getting positive early reviews, including one from Vandana Shiva, a well-known scholar, ecofeminist and anti-globalization author. She says the book “reminds us that unfair trade falsely called ‘free trade’ has its roots in colonialism. Trade driven by limitless corporate greed is at the roots of the multiple crises we face – diseases, climate change, extinction, injustice and inequality.” The authors show that “fair trade is a movement for decolonization. It is based on solidarity, not exploitation. It puts people and planet before profits. It is creating a liveable and just world for all,” she adds.

Watch a video of the Maritime launch event for The Fair Trade Handbook, held Oct. 1 at Saint Mary’s (skip ahead to 16 minute mark). Fernwood Publishing also hosted a virtual book launch on September 29, available for viewing on YouTube.