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The James R. Bullock Visiting Chair

Bullock Chair

The James R. Bullock Visiting Chair in Canadian Studies was established in 1995 in honour of Mr. James R. Bullock. The chair is a revolving one and aims to invite prominent Canadian authors, scientists, scholars, and policy makers in order to enhance the field of Canadian Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and in Israel. The individuals asked to hold the Bullock Chair are selected on the basis of excellence in their respective areas of specialization and their ability to strengthen and deepen the relationship between Canada and Israel.

The Bullock Chair appointment carries with it airfare to Israel, accommodations for a period of 1-3 weeks while visiting at the Hebrew University, and an honorarium of C$2,500. The holder of the Bullock Chair shares her or his knowledge and experience with colleagues in the academic and professional communities. This is achieved through teaching seminars and delivering a major lecture to a general audience on a topic which will have a meaningful public impact.

The institution that selects from among the candidates, is the Canadian Advisory Committee at the Halbert Centre.

 

Bullock Chair Recipients

  • The 1999-2000 Bullock Chair was awarded to Madam Justice Rosalie Abella of the Court of Appeal of Ontario. Justice Abella visited Israel between November 24th and December 4th, 1999. During her stay gave four talks before different groups of Israeli judges (Haifa District Court, Haifa Magistrates Court, Jerusalem Magistrates Court and Jerusalem Labour Court) and shared with them her views on "Recent Developments in Canadian Constitutional Law." On December 1st 1999, Justice Rosalie Abella delivered the James R. Bullock Annual Lecture in Canadian Studies entitled: "Equality: Human Rights for Women."

  • The 2000-2001 Bullock Chair was Awarded to Michael Smith and Margaret Atwood. Unfortunately, Mr. Smith has died before actualization and Margaret Atwood declined the proposal. 

  • The 2002-2003 Bullock Chair was awarded to Mr. Bob Rae, former Premier of Ontario. Mr. Rae visited Israel in December 4-10, 2003. During his visit, Mr. Rae had the opportunity to meet with members of the Hebrew University faculty and to consult on topics of mutual interest. Mr. Rae's visit also included a two-day tour to northern Israel and meetings with Ambassador Sinclair and with Mr. Nathan Sharansky,
  • Minister for Jerusalem Affairs and Relations with the Diaspora. On April 10, 2003, Mr. Rae's delivered the James R. Bullock Annual Lecture in Canadian Studies entitled: "What Does the Canadian Federal Experience Tell Us about Politics?"  
  • The 2006 Bullock Chair was awarded to Prof. Janice Stein.
  • The 2007 Bullock Chair was awarded to Prof. Frank Iacobucci.
  • The 2009-2010 Bullock Chair was awarded to Prof. John Anderson Fraser, an award-winning Canadian journalist, author, and Master or chief administrative officer of Massey College, a self-governing interdisciplinary graduate college affiliated with the University of Toronto. He is a committed Anglican and has served as both a Sunday school teacher and as rector's warden at his church, St. Clement's-Eglinton in Toronto. Prof. Fraser visited Israel during May 9-22, 2009. On May 18, 2009, Prof. Fraser delivered the James R. Bullock Annual Lecture in Canadian Studies entitled: "When in Doubt, Attack Israel: Political Correctness on the Campus".
  • The 2011-2012 Bullock Chair was awarded to Mr. Jospeh Facal, Associate Professor, Department of  Management, HEC Montreal, Author, Journalist and Politician. Dr. Facal visited Israel during April 14-29, 2012. Dr. Facal has long been interested, he says, "in the relationship between social cohesion, national identity and individual rights, which of course include freedom of religion.” Both Canadian multiculturalism (in particular issues around French-speaking Québec) and Israeli society raise interesting questions in these regards, he notes. On April 23, 2012, Dr. Facal delivered the James R. Bullock Annual Lecture in Canadian Studies entitled: "Multiculturalism and National Identities: A Predictable Failure?"
  • The 2014 Bullock Chair was awarded to Dr. Alain Beaudet, MD, PhD, the president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). He headed the Montreal Neurological Institute's functional neuroanatomical laboratory, where he pursued basic research into the action mechanisms and role of neuropeptides in the central nervous system, the control of intracellular receptor trafficking and its involvement in neuron signalling and new pain therapies. In 2011, he became a Knight of the National Order of Quebec, the highest honour awarded by the government of Quebec. Dr. Beaudet visited Israel during March 23-29, 2014. On March 26, 2014, Dr. Beaudet delivered the James R. Bullock Annual Lecture in Canadian Studies entitled "Health research for the 21st century: opportunities and challenges".
  • The 2015 Bullock Chair was awarded to Prof. Stephen Toope, currently the Director of the University of Toronto Munk School of Global Affairs.A noted scholar of international law, Prof Toope represented North America and Western Europe from 2002–2007 on the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. He continues to research many aspects of international law, including his present interest on issues of continuity and change and the origins of international obligation in international society. From 2002 to 2006, Professor Toope was President of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, an independent, private and non-partisan organization whose mandate is to promote outstanding research and interaction between researchers in the social sciences and humanities and the wider society. From 2006 to 2014 Prof. Toope was the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia (UBC). Prof. Toope visited Israel in May 2015, and gave a public lecture titled "Israel and the United Nations System".
  • The 2016 Bullock Chair was awarded to Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, P.C., O.C., O.M. Canadian politician, statesman and academic. Dr. Axworthy served as Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1996 to 2000. He also served as president and vice chancellor of the University of Winnipeg from 2004 to 2014. He visited Israel during May 2016.
  • The 2017 Bullock Chair was awarded to the Honourable Frank Iacobucci,Puisne Justice on the Supreme Court of Canada from 1991 to 2004. The Honourable Iacobucci practiced corporate law in New York City and then served as a professor at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Law from 1967 until 1982 as well as Dean of the law faculty from 1979 until 1982. He also served as Vice-President and Provost of the university from 1983 to 1985. He entered the public service as Deputy Minister of Justice in the federal government from 1985 to 1988 when he was appointed Chief Justice of the Federal Court. In 1991, Justice Iacobucci was appointed as Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada by Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and served in this capacity until retiring in 2004.
  • During his 9-day-visit in February 2017, the Honourable Iacobucci held numerous meetings with faculty members at the Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University. He also gave a public lecture titled "The Relationship between Canada and Indigenous People: Past, Present and Future".
  • The 2018 Bullock Chair was awarded to the Honourable Marie Deschamps. The Honourable Marie Deschamps received a Licentiate in Laws from the Université de Montréal in 1974 and an LL. M. from McGill University in 1983. The Université de Montréal and the Université de Sherbrooke each awarded her an honorary doctorate, respectively in 2008 and 2014; she received from the Law School of McGill University the F. R. Scott award for distinguished service in 2013. She received the distinction Lawyer Emeritus from the Quebec Bar in 2014. She was appointed Companion of the Order of Canada in 2013. She was called to the Quebec Bar in 1975 and practiced as a litigator at Martineau Walker and Sylvestre et Matte in family, civil and commercial law, then at Rouleau, Rumanek and Sirois in criminal law and finally at Byers Casgrain in civil and commercial law. She was appointed judge to the Quebec Superior Court in 1990, to the Court of Appeal in 1992 and to the Supreme Court in 2002. She retired from the judiciary in August 2012. She has been an Adjunct Professor at the law schools of University of Sherbrooke since 2006 and of McGill University since 2012. She continues to serve as Member of a number of boards of Directors, including the boards of Directors of Educaloi and Pro Bono Canada. She rejoined the Quebec Bar in 2013. She is regularly invited to give lectures and conferences to various audiences, mostly on constitutional and commercial law and on governance and ethics.