Hockey hero Darryl Sittler gets honorary doctorate from Lakehead University
A hockey hero with ties to the local community has been honoured by the school he has worked alongside for decades.
On Saturday, Darryl Sittler, best known for his years in the NHL, received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Lakehead University during its most recent virtual convocation ceremony.
"The name doctor, I just look at it as an honourary thing for them to do, and to me, I don't feel like a doctor, but I certainly do appreciate it," Sittler says to CTV News.
Sittler, who has a cottage in the Orillia area, has been a steadfast supporter of Lakehead University, serving as an ambassador of the school since its inaugural year.
"When they were in their rookie season in Orillia, Lakehead themselves, before they even broke ground, we were raising funds for the wellness of the school," says Sittler.
The degree is meant to honour the dedication he has shown to the school and his decades of work in the game of hockey and the community.
"As one of the hundred greatest NHL players in history, Mr. Sittler's contribution to the Toronto Maple Leafs, hockey in Canada, and Canadian sport, in general, make him an inspiration to not only our students but all Canadians," says Dr. Dean Jobin-Bevans, the principal of Lakehead University's Orillia campus. "His contribution, you know, in the short answer is a great deal. Mr. Sittler's achievements solidly align with our university's values and mission. Broadly speaking, to support access to post-secondary education."
Aside from his passion for Canada's game, Sittler has dedicated countless hours towards several charities, including Special Olympics Canada and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
"My dad was involved with lions club," says Sittler. "He instilled in my brothers and sisters and I that there's opportunities out there, and it was important to give back, you know, without expecting anything in return.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.