Mr. Daniel Carter

Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

Daniel Carter exemplifies the qualities we strive to instil in all our graduates—leadership, benevolence and true passion and dedication for making a difference in the world.

As a veteran television host and producer Mr. Carter is a true community leader as well as an accomplished motivational speaker, author and television/media host. Emerging from a background of immense personal challenge and tragedy, Mr. Carter has become an inspiration and role model to individuals throughout Ontario motivating them to use their passion to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others.

Mr. Carter has dedicated his life to becoming more knowledgeable about issues that face communities and individuals every day. For over a decade he has been bringing programming that matters into the homes of citizens in the Region of Durham. Mr. Carter is also a professional speaker who travels across Canada speaking to corporations and organizations on mental health and addictions education and awareness; leadership; corporate and social responsibility; and keys to success. As part of his contribution to the revitalization of downtown Oshawa, he opened the Carter Centre for Media and Cultural Studies refurbishing a downtown Oshawa building that is the home of CHEX-TV Durham's news operations.

Mr. Carter is a tireless advocate for removing the stigma of mental health and addiction issues. He is a highly sought after speaker who courageously uses his own personal experience in overcoming addiction, depression and homelessness to inspire and motivate others. Mr. Carter is also author of "It's the Right Time Now", chronicling his own life story and his rise to success. As the board chair for Ontario Shores for Mental Health Mr. Carter has been instrumental in raising funds for important initiatives to support life skills for people living with mental illness, respite care for caregivers, educating students about mental health and contributing to advancing best practices and knowledge for practitioners. He has a remarkable ability to motivate others to action, to improve disadvantaged communities and inspire hope locally and across the country.

Mr. Carter through his deep commitment to making a difference has established a number of community initiatives. As a leader and community champion for better education and better opportunities for all, one of his many accomplishments was establishing the Hope Centre for Learning at the Oshawa Community Health Centre. The goal of the Centre is to help encourage those that want to learn and inspire them to follow their dreams. To help achieve this, the Centre provides youth the latest in technology through computers, and software for graphic design, video editing, music and web design. He also established the Isobel Carter Youth Fund. Building on the legacy of his mother, this fund is made available to deserving students under the age of 15 in the region that show kindness of heart, a generous soul and leadership when it is most important. Each year one youth from Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa and Clarington receives a $500 RESP to be used in the future for their education.

In addition to inspiring and motivating youth in the community, Mr. Carter also motivates other leaders to use their own passion to make a difference. The annual Day of Hope and Leadership is a professional development day that has become a signature event for local community leaders. This annual event has inspired hundreds of leaders in the community to give back. Mr. Carter's leadership and contributions have also been widely recognized within the broader community and he has received a number of honours and awards for his work, including the Business Person of the Year by Whitby Chamber of Commerce, the Civic Pride Award by the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, the CAMH Courage to Come Back Award, and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medallion Man of Distinction.

In 2014, Mr. Carter was elected as a councillor in the City of Oshawa and the Region of Durham.