Once I decided to apply to McGill, I made my first-ever trip to Montreal. I remember coming out of the train station in late January and it must have been -40 degrees. I felt like I had come out in the North Pole! My first thought was “how do people live in this?” That weekend however, taking in the culture and energy of the city, and walking through the campus full of old-world charm, I was sold on Montreal and on McGill. Any question of enduring the harsh Montreal winter faded easily into the background.
Starting my BA, I had a basic notion that economics would be my path, but it was very much the experience I had that made me into the passionate economist I am today. The faculty was incredibly approachable, and I spent hours talking after classes with remarkable professors like Chris Ragan and Bill Watson. The student body was incredibly diverse, full of fascinating stories and backgrounds and a visceral sense of social mindedness. From the community in the department, I learned how to think critically about the behaviour of society, and this colours my life today.
While I was at McGill, Quebec was hurtling toward the 1995 sovereignty referendum. It was a fascinating time to be living in Montreal, where both factions of the debate were cohabitating. I took a class on the economics of Quebec separation (interestingly with Professor John McCallum, who would later serve in Federal parliament and cabinet) and being in Montreal made discussing the political and economic realities of Quebec separatism that much more tangible. I hadn’t been an activist before and haven’t really been since; however, in this moment, I strongly embraced the federalist cause, writing postcards and spending hours having very real, very intense debates with friends.
Because of my experience in the department and my passion for the subject matter, I decided I was going to become an economics professor. I had recently completed my MA at Queen’s and was absolutely committed to an academic life when, over beer in a pool hall, a friend talked to me about his new job in a consulting firm. I realised working in industry was not a departure from what I loved; instead, it would allow me to have influence on the choices that shape industry and the economy, and thereby do something even more tangible with my passion.
My career has afforded me the opportunity to experience almost every industry and explore as much of the economy as possible. McGill instilled in me confidence in my ability to learn, rather than to rely on a body of knowledge I already had. I hope students recognize that a BA is an opportunity to grow and to learn how to deal with ambiguity. Diversity of experience is, to me, the most important objective because a broader base truly does make for a taller tower. If you love learning and you can embrace change, cultivate your own ability to bring a new voice to an old table.