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Chancellor Shelagh Rogers returns to Queen’s to fulfil her grandmother’s dying wish, and to listen with her heart to the stories of others
In July, longtime CBC broadcast journalist Shelagh Rogers, Artsci’77, became the 16th chancellor of Queen’s. Here, she tells us about her student days at Queen’s and , her reasons for returning to her alma mater as chancellor, and how her commitment to truth, healing, and reconciliation will inform her work.

You’ve had a long history with Queen’s, but do you remember why you chose to study here back in the 1970s?

I do. It was the dying wish of my late grandmother, Dorothy Sutherland (nee Shannon), who went to Queen’s. She and her best friend were visiting San Francisco, and they went to see an opera. And during that opera, my grandmother had a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital. Apparently, as she was holding her friend’s hand, she said, “Tell Shelagh I’d like her to go to Queen’s because I had a great time there.” I don’t think you mess around with that!

What was your own experience like at Queen’s as an art history student? 

You know, when I was a kid growing up in Ottawa, I spent a lot of time at the National Gallery just walking around. And I was really intrigued by abstract art and by colours. I think I’ve always had a fondness for colours – as you can see! – and motion, but in two dimensions. So, when I arrived at Queen’s, I thought, “I’m going to take the intro to art history course.” It was taught by Professor Kathleen Morand, who was a spitfire, so animated, so disciplined. Queen’s is where I grew up, where I learned to think for myself, to think critically. I had some wonderful teachers and made great memories here, including at CFRC. 

What’s the story behind CFRC? How did you start working there? 

I listened to a lot of radio when I was a kid – had a little red transistor that was all mine. One day at Queen’s, I was listening to CFRC and the host was just reading the record notes on the back of an album of Glenn Gould doing the Bach harpsichord concerto in D minor, but played on piano. Now, I had that record and was reading along with her, and I thought, “Hey, I could do that!” I learned very quickly that hosting is much more than that, but that’s what lit the fire. Three weeks later, I was on the air. I know I made many mistakes, but I loved it. I came to love sitting in a studio, talking and imagining there’s only one person listening, that you’re talking only to one person at a time.  

Let’s fast forward to today. Why did you want to return to Queen’s as chancellor? 

Well, I’ve been a chancellor – at the University of Victoria for seven years – and I loved it. I love being at a university, love being around students and that wonderful energy. I don’t have an easy answer about what a chancellor does, but I found that I could make the role my own at UVic, and that’s what I hope to do here. I want to see certain causes of mine furthered, specifically around mental health and truth, healing, and reconciliation. It was pointed out to me by a student at UVic that we shouldn’t be jumping from truth to reconciliation; there has to be healing in between. She was 21 years old when she told me that, and learning from her is part of why I want to be on a university campus – you’re going to learn not only from your elders, but also from people who are young and emerging. 

Can you talk a little more about your commitment to truth, healing, and reconciliation? I know you’re Métis yourself and were an honorary witness at the . How do you see that experience informing your work at Queen’s? 

I should first say that I’m deeply honoured to come after , who is a cousin and a very dear friend. I think he broke the mould, and I want to carry on the work that he began and make sure we become historically literate citizens to understand why our country is where it’s at right now regarding the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. I gained a whole new understanding through my time with the TRC. Bearing witness completely changed who I am and my understanding of Canada, and bearing witness is a lifelong commitment to standing for truth. There are a lot of people right now who are denying aspects of the residential school era, but I witnessed probably a thousand Survivors and their families give their testimony. You cannot make this story up. And it is a story that is part of the story of Canada, and I think Canada has a great chance to make it right. But it’s not going to happen overnight. As Murray says, it will take seven generations. And then there is his famous quote about education getting us into this mess and education getting us out of it. I completely agree.

You’re obviously just getting settled into this new role. How do you see your initial months as chancellor unfolding? 

I want to walk around campus and listen to people and hear what they think the issues are. What are our strengths? What are the things we can do better? Listening is going to be a big deal. I’ve learned a lot about listening as a broadcaster and from listening to Survivors. It’s mostly about shutting up and making sure you create the space and atmosphere for people to share their story. A late friend of mine, Harold Johnson, who was a Cree lawyer and wonderful writer, talked about heart listening. It’s different than listening from the brain, because it takes all of you, it takes everything you’ve got, and I’m trying to practise that.