A new bursary will honour Simcoe North’s former Member of Parliament and the way he worked as a politician.
The Bruce Stanton Public Service Bursary will be awarded to a student at Lakehead University’s Orillia campus who is studying in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and who has made contributions to the community.
The idea for the bursary came from Duncan McDonald, one of Stanton’s friends and supporters.
“Across party lines, he’s consistently regarded as someone who is humble and a servant,” McDonald said of the former Conservative MP. “He’s really what I’d call a servant leader, which is rare.”
McDonald has worked in universities, which are bastions for lifelong learning. Stanton displayed that as an MP, McDonald said, when he learned to speak French after being elected.
“These are values that align with higher education,” he said.
A bursary is a way to support students while also recognizing Stanton’s work, much of which was done outside the spotlight.
McDonald recalled the time he volunteered at the Oro World’s Fair. He showed up to find Stanton, who stood over a fryer for hours on a hot day, preparing food for fair goers. Few knew the MP was doing so.
“He was cheerful and kind, just as he was in Parliament. It just struck me,” McDonald said. “Public service is like integrity; it’s what you do when no one’s looking.”
Stanton said having a bursary created in his name is “a real honour.”
“I’m not usually one to try and find accolades. I’m more interested in the effect of this,” he said. “If having something like this that touches on public service is helpful to people pursuing post-secondary education in the area, it is worth all of the effort.”
He hopes it inspires students to take a further interest in public service.
“It’s an increasingly important calling for people to consider. It’s perhaps more difficult and fraught with risk than in the past,” he said. “It’s a huge commitment, but we need people to pick it up.”
The bursary should help with that, but the money needs to be there to make the award sustainable before it is handed out. That’s why a fundraising effort is underway.
Stanton didn’t have a specific figure but said it “needs to be big enough that it will be worth their while to take the time to apply.”
Donations can be made online. Below “I wish to support,” choose “Other” and type “Bruce Stanton Fund” under “Other project.”
Contributions can also be made by sending a cheque to Lakehead University, 500 University Ave., Orillia, ON, L3V 0B9, ATTN: Jacquie Kent, external relations.
Donations of more than $20 are entirely tax deductible.
