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The Honourable Bob Rae has built a storied political career as a leader in many different areas of government in Canada. He has served as premier of Ontario, member of both provincial and federal parliaments, interim leader for the Liberal Party of Canada, and, most recently, as ambassador and permanent representative of Canada to the United Nations. Now he will be drawing upon his decades of experience in his new role as a Matthews Faculty Fellow in Global Public Policy at the Queen’s School of Policy Studies (SPS).

Rae was announced as a new Matthews Fellow following a talk at SPS last week, in which he discussed a wide range of issues facing the world today, including threats to democracy and changing relations between Canada and the United States. It was his first public lecture since finishing up his work at the United Nations just a few days before travelling to Queen’s.

“Throughout his entire career, he’s been sought after by governments in Ottawa and in Queen’s Park for his intelligence, judgment, wisdom, sensitivity, and advice,” said SPS Acting Director Eugene Lang when introducing Rae before his lecture.

Rae’s talk was titled “1984 Was a Warning Not a Guidepost: The World We’re In” and was structured around themes from the works of renowned English author George Orwell. After discussing some of the troubles facing Canada and the world today, Rae drew on lessons he has learned from his career to encourage the audience to remain hopeful.

“The trouble with deep pessimism and cynicism, which is its close cousin, is that it actually prevents you from seeing the possible. It actually stops you from taking the human footsteps that will lead you to a better place,” said Rae during his talk. “That is why I believe it is better to be an optimist than a pessimist. And it doesn’t mean that in being optimistic you are just hoping that everything will turn out well. No, you are creating the space in your own life that allows you to see the potential for the good, and the potential for action, and for the steps that you have to take in order to make the good happen.”

Rae also addressed the students in the room directly a few times during his talk, advising them to be patient as they build their careers and to learn from their failures.

Following the talk, SPS student Ayesha Atif thanked Rae for his lecture on behalf of the SPS student body.

Rae with SPS student Ayesha Atif, who thanked him following his talk.

“For many of us preparing to enter public service, you have been a defining example of what it means to serve with integrity and courage,” said Atif. “Hearing you speak here with us today reminded us that public policy is never just about institutions or about systems. It’s about responsibility. It’s about people. And it’s about the choices we make when the stakes are high. Your insights have not only informed us but genuinely inspired the next generation of young Canadians who hope to serve their communities with the same dedication you’ve had throughout your career.”

The Matthews Faculty Fellowship in Global Public Policy

After Rae’s talk concluded, the audience gave him a standing ovation and Interim Dean of Queen’s Faculty of Arts and Science Bob Lemieux took to the stage to announce Rae’s appointment to the Matthews Faculty Fellowship in Global Public Policy. The Matthews Fellowship was established by Donald Matthews (B.Sc.’50) in 2006 to support the appointment of world-class, leading-edge scholars and practitioners to teach, lead research, and share their experience with students and faculty at Queen’s University. It honours the life-time commitment of Donald Matthews, a Canadian business leader, to public service. Previous Matthews Fellows include Donald Drummond, Daniel Brant, and Hugh Segal.

The endowment also supports the Donald Matthews Lecture Series, which Rae’s lecture was the most recent installment of.

Learn more on the SPS website.