St. FX bestowing two honourary degrees

ANTIGONISH?- St. Francis Xavier University will honour two individuals during Fall Convocation 2009, bestowing the degree Doctor of Laws honoris causa upon Winston Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and Canadian businessman and philanthropist Allan P. Markin of Calgary.
Spencer, a graduate of the Coady International Institute, was first elected as prime minister in 2004 by over 90 per cent of voters and again in 2009.
He was only 19 when he left the Caribbean for the first time to study at the Coady International Institute. He had already been involved within the work force and in trade union activities for five years.
After graduating from the Coady with a diploma in social leadership, he went on to study at Ruskin College at Oxford University and the University of Oslo.
He rose to prominence in the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union where he served for over 25 years. His overarching priorities as prime minister are fiscal responsibility and transparency in government. He has also made education a top priority, and has strengthened Antigua and Barbuda's international reputation and involvements.
Markin is a distinguished and well-known successful businessman in the energy industry in Canada. He has taken a leadership role supporting higher education, health care and organizations such as the Calgary United Way, where he has been a lead donor for over a decade.
From humble beginnings to today, with nearly 40 years experience in the oil and gas industry, he is a self-made success story. In 1989, he became the chairman of Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., and has been credited with building it into one of Canada's largest oil and gas companies. He is a co-owner of the Calgary Flames, and he is founder and honorary fellow of St. Mary's University College. He supports numerous educational and health research institutions.
The ceremonies take place on Dec. 5 at 3 p.m. at the Charles V. Keating Millennium Centre.
St. FX will graduate 178 students in degrees and diplomas and confer 46 diplomas to graduates of the Coady International Institute.