Leadership

November 5, 1997,
Queen’s Landing, Niagara-on-the-Lake

Your Honour, Excellency, Bishop Knight, head table guests, ladies and gentleman,

It is always with some trepidation that you wait for your introduction by someone who has known you for forty years, and I thank Mike for refraining from stories he could have gotten into -- for my sake and his! He was very generous in his comments. I thank you for that kind and very flattering introduction.

But you know, everything is in the eye of the beholder. Mike made reference to my diversified international career which was looked upon quite differently by my family! When our three daughters were about the same age as many students who are gathered here tonight, they would complain to their mother that they didn't know what they wanted to do when they grew up, and Bernie would aptly respond, "Don't worry! Neither does your father."

As you are aware, life experiences often have their difficult and darker moments. Early in my career as a trial lawyer, I experienced six weeks that I would like to forget. I defended a young man on a charge of murder. After a two-week trial, he was convicted, sentenced to life imprisonment and sent off to Kingston Penitentiary. When that trial ended, I traveled to Kingston to defend a young inmate on a murder charge. After a two-week trial, he suffered the same fate, was sentenced to life imprisonment, and returned to Kingston Penitentiary.

Next, I came back to Toronto to conclude the trial of a woman charged with conspiracy to import and traffic in narcotics. After two weeks, the end result was that she pleaded guilty to one of the offenses, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, and was sent to the Women's Prison in Kingston.

From that point forward, I was known to my colleagues at the Bar as "the Keys to Kingston." I thought then that maybe it was time to move on to a different career!

My wife, Bernadette, and I are delighted to be here with you this evening. Some of my colleagues at Notre Dame asked where I was going -- and I reported rather pompously, "I am going to address "The Council on World Affairs," and they replied, "Oh, really! What an impressive title!!" Then, I explained to them what this ambitious group is all about, and while the title may be extremely ambitious, what is impressive, truly, is the mission of your organization and the effort that Mike and Ward and all of you are putting into it.

The need to focus on the development of youth in our communities has never been greater. The particular focus, I understand, is to encourage Canadian youth to think globally and to think also about what kind of difference they may make in the world around them. I vigorously endorse this initiative!

I support that mission because, during our five years of Government service in Ireland, we learned of a European Community-based program entitled, "Erasmus." It was set up by the European Union nations, avid its objective was to encourage faculty and students from European Community-based universities to embrace opportunities to teach and study at universities based in other countries, to move around and gain broader experience and not become captive of their own region. The intent was a greater understanding, knowledge and awareness of what being European was about, and not simply their own nationality. The result, obviously, was to encourage a greater understanding of and identification with European issues, thereby strengthening the very goals of the Union.

Well, while we were there, we had the good fortune to listen to a paper by a person who had been intimately involved in this program for a number of years. The data proved that -- students who moved from the familiarity and comfort of their own country and culture, to the challenge of studying and competing abroad, invariably improved significantly in their academic achievement.

At the University of Notre Dame, I have been asked by Father Malloy to serve on the Advisory Council for International Studies. Father Malloy, President of the University of Notre Dame, launched an initiative in 1992 to make our University more international in its reach. There are two main reasons for this. A diverse student body will create a richer learning environment for our young people. The other major point is to encourage as many of our students as possible to pursue part of their education in a foreign land.

Father Malloy was greatly influenced by one of our trustees, Mr. Donald Keough, former president of Coca-Cola, with his own first-hand knowledge of the global village and whose view it is that our young people are not being truly educated if they are not being given the opportunity to think beyond their own shores in order to have a heightened awareness of the wide world in which we live. Mr. Keough believed that if you are not making your students more aware of the entire world around them, and encouraging them to go out and gain some international experience; if you are not bringing a diversity of experience upon your campus from other parts of the world, then you are not really fulfilling the educational needs that young people have today because of the manner in which we are really becoming more of a global village.

And so I see the experiences that we had in Ireland with Erasmus, the experiences I am having at Notre Dame with this Advisory Council to parallel what is essentially the mission statement of the Council on World Affairs of Canada.

Again, "The Council on World Affairs" is an ambitious title -- but it befits the importance of your work. I applaud Ward, Michael and the Directors who are here tonight in all that they are doing.

In addition, you know that Michael mentioned that we've been friends for almost forty years and you know, the passing years bring with them aches, pains, the need for glasses, more medication than before, etc. - but they also present the opportunity to reunite old friends -- and provide to me the wonderful opportunity to say to a former teammate and classmate -- and friend of almost 40 years --congratulations, Mike for all that you have done -- and what you continue to do through this great organization!! We are delighted to be here, to pass on those good wishes to the Council as well as to Michael personally.

"Leadership" is one of those terms about which much has been written and discussed. It is vital on the world stage, in our communities, our businesses, our schools and our families. I cannot say anything new on this subject -- but I would be pleased to share with you some personal experiences which might help shed some light, particularly for the younger people, on how leadership has made an impact on my life.

For the five years ending in 1962 (the year I enroled at Notre Dame), the Notre Dame football team was going through a down time, and had not had a winning season. In 1963, my second year, we won two games and lost seven.

In 1964, with many of the same players, Notre Dame won nine games, lost one and earned a share of the U. S. National Championship title. It was a magical year! Our quarterback on that 1964 team, John Huarte, had played a total of two varsity minutes in his previous seasons, and in that one year, was voted the Heisman Trophy, an award which reflects outstanding achievement as a player in college football in the United States. Another young man, Nick Rassass, was what is called "'a walk-on", a non-scholarship student-athlete, who had not played previously, and he became an All-American. He had simply come out for the team on his own, and had not played one second previous to 1964.

The players were the same players who were there in 1963. What was the difference? What was the reason for this remarkable turnaround in the team's fortunes as well as the individual experiences of so many players? The leadership of one man -- the new head coach, Ara Parseghian! It was his leadership that made the difference in the 1964 team. And he was not a one-year wonder. He was head coach at Notre Dame for 11 years, and his accomplishments in that time earned him a ranking with the legendary coaches of Notre Dame -- Knute Rockne and Frank Leahy.

1964 was 33 years ago! The thrill of that season and the memories of the games have dimmed. Our family has matured, and grandchildren have come into our lives, and every player on that 1964 team has had his life filled with similar, more important events!

Those events have faded. I am hard pressed to remember the scores of those games. But what has not faded is the impression that was made upon us about the difference that one person could make. What was more enduring than the football games thirty-three years ago, was the lesson we learned about leadership. It was more important than the Heisman Trophy, the nine and one season and our share of the national championship. It not only produced results, it transformed our life experience. We had the good fortune to experience the leadership of Ara Parseghian in a way that could never be replicated in a lecture, paper or text. We lived it daily!

When people question the role of athletics and other ancillary activities on a college campus, I tell them this story, and when my teammates would get together afterwards, we would say-- why? Why was he such a great leader? Why was he so successful? The answer was obvious to us all.

First, he had a great knowledge of what he was doing. He knew the game of football. But lots of people know the game of football.

In addition, he was focused and dedicated to the task at hand. He and his staff routinely would work 16-hour days during the season.

Third, he was a person of great self confidence. He was confident enough to surround himself with the best staff of assistant coaches available, and he gave them considerable authority. You might think that that sounds simple, but you would be surprised, particularly the young people here tonight, that as you get out in life, some people in leadership positions don't surround themselves with the best that they can find because they are frightened. They are frightened that they might get usurped in their function if they have strong people around; therefore, having confidence in your self to bring the best around you is a very important component of leadership.

Next, his planning was thorough. Each week he set our goals for the game ahead, and he planned each constituent element at daily practice down to the minute. The thoroughness and clarity of his plans instilled confidence in his staff and his team.

Fifth, he was one of the most competitive people I have ever met -- but he was honest! He was demanding -- but he was fair!

Finally, he was loyal to the University, his family, his staff and his team!

In short, when you combined all of these items, he was -- and is -- a person of great personal integrity! He was a person in whom you believed and for whom you wanted to play and perform! This is what his players learned about leadership! Far more important than the wins and losses and awards that some players received, this is the most vivid memory of that remarkable year, 33 years ago!

Has it made a difference in my life? -- Absolutely! Having experienced leadership and its benefits, I sought out the Ara Parseghians in subsequent career opportunities. I recognized it when it was there -- and felt its absence when it was not!

In my years as a lawyer, I was fortunate to have as my mentor the late Arthur Maloney. He may be remembered by some of you as one of this country's finest criminal trial lawyers, a member of Parliament. and Qntario's first Ombudsman.

He was a great leader. He did not coach a team of athletes -- but he was a teacher and mentor to a legion of young law students. He had his own personality and style, but his leadership attributes also included:
I ) a great knowledge of the subject;
2) dedication to his profession and commitment to his clients;
3) generosity to his students -- he was generous with his time and advice and, above all, open and trusting in those with whom he worked. You would never second-guess Arthur. Arthur Maloney's motives -- his openness and generosity of spirit gave him Great credibility.

To be sure, his style differed from Ara Parseghian's -- because they were different personalities engaged in different professions -- but certain attributes were identical:
1) knowledge of their subject;
2) passion and dedication in their work;
3) confidence, trust and loyalty towards those with whom they worked;
4) ability to communicate clearly what results they sought;
5) and most important, integrity in all that they did!

Leadership is essential to high achievement by any organization. In our corporations, businesses, professions and all walks of life, what most of us have in common is the working together with others to achieve certain objectives. The more effective and efficient we are with our combined effort, the greater the end result.

What determines our efficiency and effectiveness is the leadership of the organization. I believe firmly in the maxim -- that you must get it right at the top if you expect to have a successful organization. Examples of that are evident to us all, and certainly the business and political models are there for us to see.

I would like to conclude by relating two stories that bear on the impact that leadership can play on events as we witnessed them as Canada's representatives in Ireland.

Two of the key political issues we tracked for our government between 1989 and 1994 were:
1) the continued evolution of the European union as viewed from Dublin, and the implications for Canadian interests,
2) Anglo-Irish relations, with particular relevance to Northern Ireland. Our High Commissioner in London had jurisdiction over those six counties -- but our government was equally interested in the view from Dublin. And so, with the concurrence of my counterpart in London, we did travel occasionally to Northern Ireland to get a better grasp of the issues.

The issue of leadership with respect to the emerging European Union is interesting because it illustrates that circumstances can overtake and dominate the potential leadership of any one individual.

In the late 1980's and into 1990, the European Union was forging ahead at a great pace toward the United States of Europe. The principal leaders of the movement were Helmut Kohl of West Germany and Francois Mitterand of France.

Unfortunately, circumstances can dominate and overcome what are otherwise great leadership opportunities. With the collapse of the Soviet Empire in late 1989 and 1990, West and East Germany were combined. Helmut Kohl underestimated the costs of this reunification. West Germany was less capable of being the bank to the evolving European Union because of the domestic issues of its unification with East Germany.

Paralleling this, France slipped into a recession in 1990. The French nation and its government became preoccupied with the domestic issues of employment and the stimulation of their own economy.

Kohl and Mitterand, because of their respective domestic issues becoming so important, could no longer afford to lend to the European Union movement their particular leadership skills.

They became focused on domestic concerns as the respective electorates demanded.

The forward progress of the European Union slowed significantly.

On the second issue of Anglo-Irish relations, permit me to demonstrate where things were as recently as 1990. My wife and I were invited to attend a symposium at Queen's University in Belfast in that year and we decided to go. It would also give us a chance to visit some friends in Northern Ireland, inciuding a couple of young priests whom we knew well.

For security reasons, the full details of our weekend activities had to be set out, including the specific time we would arrive at the Northern Ireland border, and the color and plate number of our car.

We arrived as scheduled. Once across the border, security officers took our car and we were chauffeured by other security personnel in one of their armor-plated vehicles. They went everywhere with us -- not that we as individuals counted, but the office I held could make us a target.

They were evident in the rooms at Queen's University, where the symposium was held, and afterward they drove us to the parish church Saturday evening where the regular Mass was being said by our friend, Father Cormican.

When we drove up to the church, patrolling outside in fatigues with automatic weapons were about six British Army personnel. When we came out after Mass, their number had grown considerably and sitting opposite the church was a Saracen -- an armored vehicle that is similar to a tank on wheels.

While all of this seemed over the top to us, the security people we met were very impressive and professional. We put ourselves in their hands. That night they stood guard at the party we attended and the following day they shadowed us on the golf course.

My golf partners cracked, the greatest danger to anyone was to the security people hiding in the trees because of my errant golf shots.

I have detailed the tightness of security measures in this one vignette from 1990 to give you an insight to the tensions that existed at that time.

In December, 1993, then British Prime Minister, John Major, and the Irish Prime Minister, Albert Reynolds, signed an important document known as the Downing Street Declaration. Its purpose was to set out the clear intentions of the British and Irish Governments which are, essentially, not territorial in nature -- and was only geared to establish peace in Northern Ireland.

These were bold steps by two courageous statesmen. The sorry history of Northern Ireland is littered with failed attempts at peace. If by these actions, their names were added to the litany of failures, they exposed themselves to high political risk. They believed however, that the political risk was well worth taking. They demonstrated leadership!

For very different reasons, each of these men is no longer in office. The first steps toward peace with the December, 1993 document have had rough periods between then and now. The people of Northern Ireland, however, have had a taste of peace in that time for the first time in over thirty years, and it was good.

We traveled to Northern Ireland in 1994 before we left office. We continued to make all the appropriate notifications, but there had been such a change already that we had no notice of any security personnel the whole time we were there. The peace effort continues -- and nothing is taken for granted after all of the failed attempts of the past. While it is difficult to be optimistic, there is a new spirit emerging, however - a new spirit borne by the advancements of more education for all of the young people of Northern Ireland, better housing, more equality and better opportunity.

Optimism can now be found in Northern Ireland -- and some of that optimism should be attributed to the two men who signed the Downing Street Declaration in 1993 -- another tribute to leadership.

Ladies and gentlemen, those are a few comments based upon some experiences that we have had in our lives, experiences that relate directly to the concept of leadership, how vital it is, the difference that one person can make as a result of having the courage to provide leadership to others. I encourage all of you who are involved with COWA and who have undertaken this extremely worthwhile project on behalf of young people for the development of leadership amongst students to continue with your efforts because this work is vitally needed in all of our communities today.

Thank you very much for inviting me to be with you, and for the privilege and honour of presenting this inaugural paper.

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