“CPAC is proud to honour Phil, and his strong ties to his alma mater UBC, with this fellowship.”
SPPGA is pleased to announce a new fellowship in the amount of $15,000 that has been made possible through a generous gift from the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC) in memory of Phil Lind (1943–2023). Starting in the 2024/25 winter session, the annual fellowship will be made available to an outstanding student entering the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs.
“Phil was incredibly passionate about supporting democratic debate, and understood the importance of sound public policy” said Christa Dickenson, President and CEO of the Cable Public Affairs Channel. “CPAC is proud to honour Phil, and his strong ties to his alma mater UBC, with this fellowship.”
Over the course of his career, Phil (B.A. 1966, J.D. 2002) worked with Ted Rogers to build a small radio and cable company into Rogers Communications Inc., and held several key positions including Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors. In addition, as the founder and long-time Chair of CPAC, Phil was resolute that Canadians continue to have access to their democratic institutions including House of Commons proceedings, public policy programming, and extensive coverage of federal elections. This long-standing commitment to supporting democratic debate, as well as a desire to recognize the importance of Canada-U.S. relations and his deep connection to UBC, led to the establishment, in 2015, of the ongoing Phil Lind Initiative, which invites prominent U.S. scholars, writers, and intellectuals to the SPPGA to share ideas with the UBC community.
“Phil approached the world with a curious and open mind, always interested in learning more and digging deeper. He valued innovation, collaboration and the pursuit of knowledge and understanding,” said SPPGA director Allison Macfarlane. “I can think of no greater honour to his memory than to support our students—the next generation of policy leaders looking to build an equitable, just and sustainable world. Thank you to CPAC for this meaningful contribution to Phil’s legacy.”
This new award will be made annually for 5 consecutive years on the recommendation of the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
Read more about the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC) here.
