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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

The Honourable Sarabjit (Sabi) Marwah

The Honourable Sarabjit (Sabi) MarwahDoctor of Laws, honoris causa

Faculty of Business and Information Technology
Faculty of Science

For his distinguished career as a Canadian banking executive, his leadership of non-profit organizations, and his championship of social inclusion in all arenas, the university is proud to confer upon the Honourable Sarabjit ‘Sabi’ Marwah the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.

Born in Asansol, India, Senator Marwah was the Vice-Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of the Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank) from 2008 until his retirement in 2014. During his 35-year career with Scotiabank, he had an extraordinary impact on the success and character of the bank through his dedication to excellence, his personal approach and his penchant for incorporating gentle humour in his management style.

In 2016 Governor General David Johnston appointed him to the Senate of Canada on the advice of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Senator Marwah serves on the boards of The Hospital for Sick Children (Vice-Chair), Toronto International Film Festival, Cineplex, TELUS Corporation and George Weston Limited. He previously was a member of the boards of the C.D. Howe Institute, Torstar Corporation and was Chair of the Humber River Regional Hospital. He was a member of the 2008 and 2009 United Way Campaign Cabinets and is a founding member of the Sikh Foundation of Canada.

Senator Marwah earned a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Economics from the University of Calcutta in India, and a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Delhi. He later received a Master in Business Administration in Finance from the University of California, Los Angeles.

For his contributions to Canada, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. He received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario in 2012.

Senator Marwah is an exemplary model of everything we, as a young university thriving on innovation, encourage our graduates to be.