Being a politician comes with many challenges, but it is also a career filled with a sense of purpose and opportunity, the Speaker of the House of Commons told attendees during a recent public talk at Dalhousie.
The Honourable Greg Fergus, Speaker of the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for Hull—Aylmer, Quebec, visited campus on November 15 for a Fireside Chat organized by Dalhousie’s Office for Equity and Inclusion and the Black Opportunity Fund.
In fall 2023, Fergus became the 38th and current Speaker of the House of Commons and the first Black Canadian to be elected to the role. He is also the first Black Speaker of the House in any G7 country.
Community minded
Fergus spoke about his childhood growing up in a suburb of Montreal, in a predominantly white, Jewish neighbourhood. Although he encountered racism, he credits his parents — both immigrants to Canada —for guiding him to a bright future with a strong sense of community.
“My parents gave me the green light by being born in Canada,” said Fergus. “They were setting me up for success.”
The event, held in Dal’s Scotiabank Auditorium, drew students from Dal and other local universities as well as high school and junior high students.
Juanita Peters, executive director of the Africville Museum, moderated the event, with Dalhousie’s Vice-President of People and Culture Grace Jefferies-Aldridge and Chancellor Rustum Southwell providing welcome remarks on behalf of the university.
Representatives from the African Nova Scotia Justice Institute, Black Business Initiative, Tribe Network, Prep Academy, Buddy Daye Learning Institute and the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia were also in attendance.
Road to success
Fergus told listeners one of first jobs while still a student was as a House of Commons page. He encouraged the students in the audience to consider it as a great stepping stone when they graduate high school.
Throughout his time in Parliament, Fergus served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Government, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, President of the Treasury Board, and to the Minister of Health.
He co-founded and then co-chaired the Parliamentary Black Caucus for six years. It started as a small group of elected officials, and with Fergus’s leadership it expanded to include non-elected officials and staffers. The caucus was the driving force behind the selection of Viola Desmond to be on the Canadian $10 note.
Overcoming difficulty
When asked how he overcame difficult and challenging times, such as the death of George Floyd in 2020, Fergus recounted it was one of the lowest points in his life. It was only with the tremendous support of his community that he was able to carry on.
“We need to hold each other up, in good times and bad,” he said. “I vowed to not give up and said we are not going back. We are moving forward as there is a ton of work to do.”
Fergus sees his legacy in the value of mentorship and advice to future leaders and is hopeful to see representation in the House of Commons that is reflective of the country’s demographics. He closed out the event by chatting one-on-one with students.
“I want us to create opportunities so that the next generation won’t understand what we are talking about,” adds Fergus. “I consider that a sign of progress, and it means we are making significant change.”
