Scarlet Key Honor Society
Encyclopedia
The "Scarlet Key Honor Society" is a leadership
award that recognizes and celebrates the extra-curricular accomplishments of students at McGill University
in Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
.
The purpose of the Society is to recognize students who have demonstrated indubitable qualities of leadership, unselfishness, creativity, and perseverance by their outstanding contributions to the McGill community, bring them closer together, and provide them with means to continue their service to the University and the community. It is the highest non-scholastic honor bestowed onto a student at the University.
Winners include a wide range of student leaders who are athletes, student-politicians, social activists, and much more. All recipients, or “Keys”, automatically become life-long members of the Society and are invited to events throughout the year to meet other Keys.
The Graduates' Society of McGill University offered assistance and agreed to help maintain the honor society objectives, but introduced a change to their program, obligations, means of selection, and the numbers honored each year. The result was the introduction of the Scarlet Key Award in 1971 with students being nominated, interviewed, selected by their peers and honored for their campus leadership while maintaining satisfactory standing.
The obligations for the Scarlet Key Award recipients were to assist the Principal of the University as required and to serve as special marshals at the annual University Convocations
. Later that same year, another committee was formed to write a new constitution for the Society. This constitution was approved on January 31, 1990, and spells out the three main goals of the Society: recognition of leadership at McGill, service to the University and the greater community, and the maintaining of an organized Society for its members.
In the summer of 1995, the elected Executive of the Scarlet Key Society began another "soul searching" process. Keys were no longer needed as official escorts for the University and had taken on a purely ceremonial role at Convocations. The locus of the Society had clearly shifted off campus; the past winners of the award now numbered more than 1,500 Keys living across the world.
As a result of extensive consultation with the membership, it was agreed to further expand the role of the Society beyond the confines of the Roddick Gates. As well, the members chose to rally around "leadership" as a common feature to its various forms of service to the community. The Scarlet Key Society is now a McGill Alumni Association "Constituent Group" which is financed by its own members and which seeks to "promote and foster" leadership at McGill and in various forums.
Other events include a speaker series, calling on prominent Scarlet Key alumni and other notable McGill alumni to come share their experiences as students and discuss leadership from their perspective to new Keys and non-Keys. Noteworthy speakers include Jan Wong
, Yves Fortier
, and Ian Binnie
.
The Awards reception is held every spring at the University Club whereby each inductee receives their Scarlet Key pin and certificate from either the Chancellor or the Principal of McGill University. Occasionally, there is an "Honorary Key Award" bestowed to non-students, typically revered professors and members of the McGill Administration.
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
award that recognizes and celebrates the extra-curricular accomplishments of students at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The purpose of the Society is to recognize students who have demonstrated indubitable qualities of leadership, unselfishness, creativity, and perseverance by their outstanding contributions to the McGill community, bring them closer together, and provide them with means to continue their service to the University and the community. It is the highest non-scholastic honor bestowed onto a student at the University.
Winners include a wide range of student leaders who are athletes, student-politicians, social activists, and much more. All recipients, or “Keys”, automatically become life-long members of the Society and are invited to events throughout the year to meet other Keys.
Early Beginnings
In 1925, the General Manager of Athletics at McGill, Major D. Stuart Forbes established a system whereby each faculty and school at McGill asked its students to vote two or more representatives to the Scarlet Key Society. The role of the Scarlet Key Society was to serve as the official hosts and tour guides for dignitaries and special guests visiting the University. Eventually, this increased to be a commitment that the Scarlet Key Society members (men only) serve at all University functions. The original constitution defines their objective as "welcoming all visitors to the University, seeing to their needs and comfort during their stay and supplying them with the means of entertainment when necessary". In the 1938-39 year, a parallel organization called the "Red Wing Society" was established for female students. Each organization played an important role in student leadership and promotion of goodwill among the students and the University staff.1970-1989
In 1969-1970, the University Officials met with the leaders of both the Scarlet Key Society and the Red Wing Society and discussed a problem of increased costs for uniforms and the amazing set of demands upon these honor societies which had grown out of proportion given the large number of events these busy students were expected to cover. Restructuring was essential.The Graduates' Society of McGill University offered assistance and agreed to help maintain the honor society objectives, but introduced a change to their program, obligations, means of selection, and the numbers honored each year. The result was the introduction of the Scarlet Key Award in 1971 with students being nominated, interviewed, selected by their peers and honored for their campus leadership while maintaining satisfactory standing.
The obligations for the Scarlet Key Award recipients were to assist the Principal of the University as required and to serve as special marshals at the annual University Convocations
1990 - Present
In the late 1980s, certain Keys who recognized the enormous potential lying within the membership of the Society began to discuss ways in which the Society could act beyond the scope of simply granting the Scarlet Key Award. In 1989, a committee was formed to organize, for the first time, McGill's participation in the Terry Fox RunTerry Fox Run
The Terry Fox Run is an annual non-competitive charity event held in numerous regions around the world in commemoration of Canadian cancer activist Terry Fox, and his Marathon of Hope, and to raise money for cancer research....
. Later that same year, another committee was formed to write a new constitution for the Society. This constitution was approved on January 31, 1990, and spells out the three main goals of the Society: recognition of leadership at McGill, service to the University and the greater community, and the maintaining of an organized Society for its members.
In the summer of 1995, the elected Executive of the Scarlet Key Society began another "soul searching" process. Keys were no longer needed as official escorts for the University and had taken on a purely ceremonial role at Convocations. The locus of the Society had clearly shifted off campus; the past winners of the award now numbered more than 1,500 Keys living across the world.
As a result of extensive consultation with the membership, it was agreed to further expand the role of the Society beyond the confines of the Roddick Gates. As well, the members chose to rally around "leadership" as a common feature to its various forms of service to the community. The Scarlet Key Society is now a McGill Alumni Association "Constituent Group" which is financed by its own members and which seeks to "promote and foster" leadership at McGill and in various forums.
Eligibility
The Scarlet Key Honor Society accepts applications from potential candidates, or nominations by others within the McGill community who believe that an individual is deserving of the award. The award is not based on academic merit but to be eligible for the Scarlet Key Award the candidate must be a McGill student who has completed at least two full-time semesters and is in satisfactory standing, or a McGill graduate.Events
In the fall, the Scarlet Key Society sends out a newsletter to all Keys outlining important event dates. The Scarlet Key organizes a number of events on and off campus each year. Since 1989, it has been a long-standing tradition for the Scarlet Key to help raise money for cancer research by participating in the annual Terry Fox Run. In addition, the officials of the Scarlet Key organize a homecoming luncheon to reunite old Keys.Other events include a speaker series, calling on prominent Scarlet Key alumni and other notable McGill alumni to come share their experiences as students and discuss leadership from their perspective to new Keys and non-Keys. Noteworthy speakers include Jan Wong
Jan Wong
Jan Wong is a Canadian journalist of Chinese ancestry. Wong worked for The Globe and Mail, serving as Beijing correspondent from 1988 to 1994, when she returned to write from Canada....
, Yves Fortier
Yves Fortier
L. Yves Fortier, is a Canadian trial lawyer, arbitrator, businessman and diplomat.Born in Quebec City, he received his B.A. from the Université de Montréal in 1955, his B.C.L. from McGill University in 1958, and his B.Litt. from the University of Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar, in 1960...
, and Ian Binnie
Ian Binnie
William Ian Corneil Binnie was a puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, serving from 1998 to 2011. Of the justices appointed to the Supreme Court in recent years, he is one of the few to have never sat as a judge prior to his appointment.- Personal life and career as lawyer :Binnie was...
.
The Awards reception is held every spring at the University Club whereby each inductee receives their Scarlet Key pin and certificate from either the Chancellor or the Principal of McGill University. Occasionally, there is an "Honorary Key Award" bestowed to non-students, typically revered professors and members of the McGill Administration.
Notable Members
In this list of notable Keys, the number in parentheses represents the cohort year as well as their graduation year(s).- Dick PoundDick PoundRichard William Duncan Pound, is a Canadian lawyer, partner of the law firm Stikeman Elliott, the former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency based in Montreal, and former chancellor of McGill University...
(SK '63) – Canadian Lawyer, former President of the World Anti-Doping AgencyWorld Anti-Doping AgencyThe World Anti-Doping Agency , , is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee . It was set up on November 10, 1999 in Lausanne, Switzerland, as a result of what was called the "Declaration of Lausanne", to promote, coordinate and...
, former Chancellor of McGill UniversityMcGill UniversityMohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, and former Vice-President of the International Olympic CommitteeInternational Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(B.Comm 1962, LicentiateLicentiateLicentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to...
in Accounting 1964, B.C.L. 1967) - Ian BinnieIan BinnieWilliam Ian Corneil Binnie was a puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, serving from 1998 to 2011. Of the justices appointed to the Supreme Court in recent years, he is one of the few to have never sat as a judge prior to his appointment.- Personal life and career as lawyer :Binnie was...
(SK '59) – Senior Puisne JusticePuisne JusticeA Puisne Justice or Puisne Judge is the title for a regular member of a Court. This is distinguished from the head of the Court who is known as the Chief Justice or Chief Judge. The term is used almost exclusively in common law jurisdictions such as England, Australia, Kenya, Canada, Sri Lanka,...
of the Supreme Court of CanadaSupreme Court of CanadaThe Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
(BA 1960) - Mark WarnerMark Warner (Canadian politician)Mark A. A. Warner is a Canadian international trade and competition lawyer previously with the Toronto firm Fasken Martineau DuMoulin and with the Government of Ontario....
(SK '86) – Canadian Politician and Lawyer (BA 1986) - David Noble Harpp (Hon. SK ’11) – Chemistry Professor at McGill UniversityMcGill UniversityMohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
- Irwin CotlerIrwin CotlerIrwin Cotler, PC, OC, MP was Canada's Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada from 2003 until the Liberal government of Paul Martin lost power following the 2006 federal election. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons for the constituency of Mount Royal in a by-election...
(SK '60) - Canadian Lawyer, Former Minister of Justice and Attorney GeneralAttorney GeneralIn most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
of Canada (BA 1961) - Patricia BairdPatricia BairdPatricia Ann Baird is a Canadian geneticist. Her research has specialized on the relationship between medical technology and ethics.Born in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England, the daughter of Harold and Winifred Cainen Holt, she was educated at the Queen Mary School for Girls in Lytham, Lancashire...
(SK '59) - Geneticist and Chair of the Royal Commission on New Reproductive Technologies (B. Sc. 1959, M.D., C.M. in 1963) - Brian ToppBrian ToppBrian Topp is a Canadian political strategist, union leader, and writer. He is a candidate for the federal leadership of the NDP. He currently serves as the president of the federal New Democratic Party, is the Director of Information Services at ACTRA and the Executive Director and CEO of ACTRA...
(SK '83) – Canadian Politician, Union Leader, and Writer (BA 1983) - Moses ZnaimerMoses ZnaimerMoses Znaimer, M.A., O.Ont is a co-founder and former head of Citytv, the first independent television station in Toronto, Canada, and the current head of ZoomerMedia.-Early life and career:...
(SK '63) – Co-founder and former President and Executive Producer of CityTVCitytvCitytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
and Chairman/Executive Producer of the Access Media GroupAccess media groupAccess Media Group was a privately held Canadian broadcasting and multimedia group based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada specializing in learning-based media, originally majority-owned by CHUM Limited...
(BA 1963) - Matt Wyndowe (SK '01) – Director of Business Development, FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
(BA 2001) - Morris J. Fish (SK '62) – Puisne JusticePuisne JusticeA Puisne Justice or Puisne Judge is the title for a regular member of a Court. This is distinguished from the head of the Court who is known as the Chief Justice or Chief Judge. The term is used almost exclusively in common law jurisdictions such as England, Australia, Kenya, Canada, Sri Lanka,...
at the Supreme Court of CanadaSupreme Court of CanadaThe Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
(BA 1959, BCL 1962) - Gordon Wasserman (SK '59) – Member at House of LordsHouse of LordsThe House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, Adviser on Policing and Criminal Justice (BA 1959) - Ian Soutar (SK '58) – Businessman and Philanthropist (B. Eng 1958)
- John MacBainJohn MacBainJohn H McCall MacBain is the founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Trader Classified Media, one of the world's largest classified advertising companies...
(SK '80) - Entrepreneur and Philanthropist (BA 1980) - Mortimer ZuckermanMortimer ZuckermanMortimer Benjamin "Mort" Zuckerman is a Canadian-born American business magnate with interests primarily in magazines, publishing, and real estate. He is now a naturalized citizen of the United States....
(SK '57) - Magazine Editor, Publisher, and Real Estate Magnate (BA 1957, BCL 1962) - Michael MeighenMichael MeighenMichael Arthur Meighen, QC is a Canadian senator, lawyer and cultural patron. A litigation and commercial lawyer who has practiced in Montreal and Toronto, he is a member of the Bars of both Ontario and Quebec....
(SK '60) - Canadian Senator, lawyer and cultural patron (BA 1960) - John CleghornJohn CleghornJohn Edward Cleghorn, is a Canadian businessman and former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Bank of Canada from 1994 until 2001. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Canadian Pacific Railway....
(SK '62) – Businessman, Former Royal Bank of CanadaRoyal Bank of CanadaThe Royal Bank of Canada or RBC Financial Group is the largest financial institution in Canada, as measured by deposits, revenues, and market capitalization. The bank serves seventeen million clients and has 80,100 employees worldwide. The company corporate headquarters are located in Toronto,...
CEO (B. Comm 1962)