Building Canada's Educational Future with Dr. Lloyd Axworthy

In this episode of the EdUp Canada podcast, host Michael Sangster interviews Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, a distinguished political leader with over 20 years of experience in the House of Commons. Dr. Axworthy discusses his contributions to Canadian and global policy, his efforts to revitalize the University of Winnipeg, and the challenges facing Canada's education system. They explore the importance of advanced education, the role of international students, and the current state of Canada-US relations. Dr. Axworthy emphasizes the need for good governance and public service, drawing from his long and storied career in politics. 

01:10 Welcoming Dr. Lloyd Axworthy 

02:08 Life and Politics with Lloyd Axworthy 

05:24 Canada's Place in the World 

20:36 Challenges in Canadian Education 

27:14 Reflections on Public Service 

35:33 Conclusion and Farewell 

Lloyd Axworthy P.C., C.C., O.M., is the chair of the World Refugee and Migration Council, an international body established to develop solutions to problems in the current refugee system.  

Dr. Axworthy led Canada's election observation mission to Ukraine in 2019. 

He  recently served as Board Chair of CUSO International, a Canadian-based international development agency and was on the executive committee of the International Institute of Sustainable Development. He is past member of the Boards of the MaArthur Foundation and Human Rights Watch. 

From 2004 to 2014, Dr. Axworthy was the President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Winnipeg. In his ten years he pioneered community learning programs for Aboriginal and low-income youth. 

He served seven years as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and  twenty-one years as an elected member of the Canadian Parliament, holding several Cabinet posts, including Minister of Employment and Immigration, Western Diversification and  Minister of Foreign Affairs. In that position he was known for his work in advancing the Human Security agenda that included the Treaty on anti-personnel land mines, the International Criminal Court, and the Protocol on Child Soldiers.  

In 1997, he was nominated by United States Senator Patrick Leahy for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on banning land mines.  

In 2001, he was awarded Princeton University’s James Madison Medal for outstanding public service. 

In 2002, he was awarded The Order of Canada and in 2016, he was made a Companion - the highest rank of the Order. 

In 2004, he published a book, Navigating a New World. His new memoir Lloyd Axworthy: My Life In Politics was released in October, 2024. 

Lloyd Axworthy holds a BA from the University of Winnipeg, and Ph.D from Princeton University. In addition, he has received sixteen honourary doctorates since leaving government. 

He lives in Ottawa with his wife, Denise Ommanney. They have three children. 

Read the full transcript here

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