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November 24, 2025

Initiating the reappointment process of the President and Vice-Chancellor  

Fred Headon will be ����VR��Ƶ’s next Chair of the Board of Governors 

Dear members of the ����VR��Ƶ community, 

During yesterday’s Board of Governors meeting, members approved the appointment of Fred Headon as ����VR��Ƶ’s next Chair of the Board. His four-year term will begin on July 1, 2026. 

The appointment process was overseen by the Board’s Nominating, Governance and Ethics Committee and guided by the requirements for the role set by the Board. Mr. Headon, who is currently the Chair of the Nominating, Governance and Ethics Committee, recused himself from the Committee’s activities on this subject.  

Dedication to ����VR��Ƶ 
As a bilingual ����VR��Ƶ graduate of the Faculty of Law, Mr. Headon has maintained strong ties to the University and demonstrated an unwavering commitment to its mission since his graduation, having volunteered in a number of roles including as a member of the ����VR��Ƶ Young Alumni Board and the Faculty Advisory Board of the Faculty of Law. Since joining the Board as a member-at-large in 2020, he has served on several Board committees and assumed multiple leadership roles, including as Chair of the Human Resources Committee. 

His contributions also include leadership of the Board’s strategic advisory group overseeing the implementation of the President’s Priorities and the legal advisory group that guided ����VR��Ƶ’s response to significant government policy challenges. In these roles, Mr. Headon has shown a deep understanding of governance and a steadfast dedication to the University’s priorities. 

Experience 
Professionally, Mr. Headon is Air Canada’s Vice-President and General Counsel, Labour,  Employment, and Litigation. Among his previous roles, he was the President of the Canadian Bar Association, where he engaged with public policy at the highest level. While in private practice, Mr. Headon worked in the areas of labour and employment, human rights, privacy, and administrative law. Finally, he has also taught Law in university settings, including at the National University of Rwanda and here, at ����VR��Ƶ. 

Recognized as one of Canada’s 25 most influential lawyers and awarded the distinction of Avocat émérite by the Barreau du Québec, Mr. Headon brings integrity, credibility, and eloquence to every role he undertakes. 
On behalf of the Board, I am delighted to welcome him to this role and invite you to join me in thanking him for his continued service and commitment to the ����VR��Ƶ community.  

Sincerely,  

Maryse Bertrand, Ad.E., MSc (RM) 
Chair of the ����VR��Ƶ Board of Governors  
 

October 16, 2024

Appointment of Deputy Chancellor

Dear members of the ����VR��Ƶ community,

We are delighted to announce that the ����VR��Ƶ Board of Governors has approved the appointment of Governor Emerita Cynthia Price Verreault as the University’s first Deputy Chancellor. Effective immediately, her two-year term runs until December 31, 2026.

Selected by the Board based on a recommendation of the Nominating, Governance and Ethics Committee, the Deputy Chancellor will work alongside the Chancellor, the President and Vice-Chancellor, and the Chair of the Board of Governors. The role will include providing strategic advice and support, leveraging and broadening University relationships, and serving as a representative of the University at events. The Deputy Chancellor will also perform the duties of the Chancellor during convocation ceremonies, as needed.

Ms. Price Verreault was selected both for her longtime dedication to ����VR��Ƶ and for her distinguished community leadership, notably in the healthcare, arts and education sectors.

She is a former President of the ����VR��Ƶ Alumni Association, former ����VR��Ƶ Senator, past member of the International Alma Mater Fund Council, Bicentennial Planning Committee and ����VR��Ƶ’s 3rd Century Planning Advisory, MUHC Patient Advisory Council, and the Educational Initiative on Inter-professional Collaboration.

A Quebec Woman of Distinction and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal recipient, Ms. Price Verreault currently serves as Chair of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. “I am confident that Cynthia will serve ����VR��Ƶ with the highest level of professionalism and integrity in this capacity. I look forward to working with her in our collective effort to support the mission and priorities of the University in the years ahead,” said ����VR��Ƶ’s 21st Chancellor, Pierre Boivin.

Ms. Price Verreault has the qualities and experience to represent ����VR��Ƶ and support the Chancellor in his activities with the highest level of integrity. Please join us in congratulating her on her appointment.

Sincerely,

Maryse Bertrand, Chair, Board of Governors
Deep Saini, President and Vice-Chancellor

February 14, 2024

Appointment of 21st ����VR��Ƶ Chancellor

We are delighted to announce that the ����VR��Ƶ Board of Governors has approved the nomination of Pierre Boivin as the University’s 21st Chancellor. He will begin his three-year term on July 1, 2024.

Selected for his longstanding leadership in Quebec’s charitable and business sectors, as well as his exceptional ability to represent ����VR��Ƶ with eloquent passion and grace, Mr. Boivin is currently the Vice-Chair of the Board of Claridge Inc., after having completed a twelve-year mandate as the president and CEO of the private investment firm, headquartered in Montreal. He is also well known to hockey fans as the president of Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club, a post he held from 1999 to 2011. He also chairs the board of Metro Inc. and Solotech, and is a member of the boards of the National Bank of Canada and Groupe CH.

Since 2017, Mr. Boivin has made an outstanding contribution to the development of artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystems in Quebec and Canada. In May 2017, he was appointed by the Government of Quebec as co-chair of the Quebec AI Ecosystem Development Steering Committee. In 2018, he became the founding chair of the Board of Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, a partnership between ����VR��Ƶ and Université de Montréal, whose community features the world’s largest concentration of deep learning academic researchers globally. He oversaw the setup of the organization, as well as the financing and development of the new campus on a site that combines all of the fundamental elements, from basic research to applied research and commercialization, with the objective of fostering collaboration and the acceleration of innovation.

Mr. Boivin has chaired or co-chaired several foundations and fundraising initiatives in support of children and youth – notably as founder of the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation in 2000. He also chaired the board of the Fondation CHU Sainte-Justine from 2006 to 2012 and co-chaired the $255 million “Plus mieux guérir” campaign from 2013 to 2018.

In recognition of his many contributions to society, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2009, named “most socially committed top executive” by Les Affaires in 2015, and appointed a knight of the Ordre national du Québec in 2017.

Mr. Boivin will succeed Chancellor John McCall MacBain, whose term will end on June 30, 2024. In welcoming Mr. Boivin, we also take this opportunity to express our profound gratitude to Chancellor McCall MacBain for his three years of exemplary service. Throughout his term, he has been an extraordinary ����VR��Ƶ ambassador, representing and serving the University with great dedication on our campuses and around the world.

Sincerely,
Maryse Bertrand, Chair, Board of Governors
Deep Saini, President and Vice-Chancellor

February 27, 2023

Additional note about the Highlights of February 17, 2023 concerning the Board of Governors meeting of February 8, 2023

Dear members of the ����VR��Ƶ Community,

I write to inform you that, at its meeting of February 8, 2023, a few Governors asked the Board to pass a motion on the question of divestment from the fossil fuel industry. I note that the Board considered the question of divestment during a two-year review period, from 2018-2020. The result of this consideration led to the implementation of a plan to decarbonize the endowment fund through a prudent yet ambitious strategy that includes divestment from highly carbon intensive companies, including those within the fossil fuel industry.

The plan also provides for a review of the University’s practices in the area of socially responsible investment (SRI) on a five-year basis in order to determine the need for any adjustments or further SRI actions in relation to the University’s endowment fund. This review is currently set for the spring of 2025.

Noting the importance of the University’s sustainability priorities and the extensive time commitment of the last review, the Board authorized me to undertake consultations with the administration, the Committee to Advise on Matters of Social Responsibility (CAMSR) and the Investment Committee on the question of reopening the University’s position on divestment by accelerating a review of its SRI practices.

I am in the process of conducting these consultations and will report on their outcome at the next Board meeting on April 20, 2023. At that time, I also expect to present, for the Board's consideration, a recommendation on the question of accelerating the timing of the SRI review.

I thank my fellow Board members for entrusting me with this task and I look forward to the discussion at the next meeting.

Maryse Bertrand, Ad.E., MSc (RM)
Chair, Board of Governors
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November 14, 2022

Board of Governors appoints Professor H. Deep Saini as ����VR��Ƶ’s 18^th Principal and Vice-Chancellor

Dear members of the ����VR��Ƶ Community,

I am delighted to announce that the ����VR��Ƶ Board of Governors has unanimously approved the appointment of Professor H. Deep Saini as the 18th Principal and Vice-Chancellor of ����VR��Ƶ. Currently President and Vice-Chancellor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Prof. Saini will begin his five-year, renewable term at ����VR��Ƶ on April 1, 2023. He will also hold the appointment of Full Professor in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

The Board approved the appointment following an extensive, international search conducted by an Advisory Committee. Prof. Saini brings to ����VR��Ƶ an exceptional breadth and depth of leadership experience, from Dalhousie, several other research-intensive universities in Canada and abroad. He exemplifies the rare mix of strong academic leadership with a wide-ranging and international perspective. A collaborative and innovative thinker who sees challenges as opportunities and who has the ability to set a long-term vision for the University, Prof. Saini is the perfect choice for ����VR��Ƶ as it embarks on its third century.

Prof. Saini is a remarkable individual and has a story that is an inspiration for many. He grew up in India, where he completed his Master of Science (Honours) in Botany from Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana. He then moved to Australia, where he earned his PhD in Plant Physiology from the University of Adelaide. After a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Alberta, Prof. Saini joined Université de Montréal, where he spent close to two decades, notably as director general of the Institut de recherche en biologie végétale. He subsequently joined the University of Waterloo as Dean of the Faculty of Environment and went on to serve as Vice-President and Principal of the University of Toronto’s Mississauga campus, where he accomplished transformative initiatives through internationalization efforts, significant campus infrastructure expansion, and increased faculty recruitment.

In 2016, Prof. Saini returned to Australia, this time as Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Canberra. During his tenure, the University of Canberra rose from the Top 500 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings to the Top 200. Assisted by a new strategic plan that focused on mission-oriented research, the University made important advances in professional education and experiential learning, as well as in equity, diversity, and inclusion. Upon his return to Canada, Prof. Saini took up the reins at Dalhousie University, where he saw opportunities to leverage the institution’s strengths and profile, while playing an increasingly vital role in its local community and in Atlantic Canada. A trusted and respected leader with the ideal mix of humility and self-confidence, Prof. Saini has a keen understanding of Quebec culture. He is fluent in four languages, including English and French. He held national and international governance and advisory roles, including on the Executive Committee of the U15 and the Board of Directors of Universities Canada, where he currently serves as Vice-Chair and will begin his term as Chair in 2023.

Prof. Saini’s distinguished career has earned him several awards and recognitions, including honours from the Canadian Society of Plant Physiologists, Nanjing University, the Royal Society of New South Wales, the Punjab Academy of Sciences and the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce. He is also the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum and Diamond Jubilee Medals, in recognition of his service to education and Canada.

I look forward to introducing Prof. Saini to the ����VR��Ƶ community through a special, online presentation that will be available for viewing in the near future on the ����VR��Ƶ website home page.

On behalf of the Board of Governors, I extend a heartfelt thanks to the Chancellor and all other members of the Advisory Committee for their many months of hard work and dedication. Their efforts have resulted in an outstanding appointment for ����VR��Ƶ. I am also grateful to all members of the University community, both internally and externally, who participated in this process and provided valuable input. Finally, I sincerely thank Professor Christopher P. Manfredi for continuing in his role as Interim Principal and Vice-Chancellor, until Principal-Designate Saini begins his term in April, and for his commitment and leadership ensuring the sound administration of ����VR��Ƶ during this academic year.

Maryse Bertrand Ad.E., MSc (RM)
Chair of the Board of Governors
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