SPPA welcomes new students and kicks off the 2026/27 academic year

A welcome orientation and networking lunch were followed by a panel discussion, led by Prof Daniel Rosenbloom, that focused on Canada’s recent efforts to accelerate energy and infrastructure projects through the Building Canada Act. Panelists engaged students and returning alumni in a discussion of the challenging trade-offs Canada faces in responding to the rupture of the global order while addressing Indigenous rights, climate commitments, and regional interests that push priorities in different directions.

“The discussion was an excellent opportunity for incoming students to get a taste for the issues they will be grappling with in their future careers as public servants and policy practitioners,” said Prof. Rosenbloom. “It was wonderful to see students immediately seize the opportunity to engage panelists with challenging and thoughtful questions on the moment we are in.”

To close the day, we welcomed back alumni from the school’s programs to attend an evening reception in the beautiful Atrium space of Richcraft Hall. After remarks from Dean Mary Francoli to welcome attendees, we had the pleasure to receive keynote remarks from the 2026 Bissett Alumni Award winner, Nancy Naylor.

Her remarks were an invitation to students to appreciate and prepare for the incredible careers they have before them as public servants. Her career involved 35 years working with the Ontario Public Service. She held significant leadership roles, including serving as ADM in the Ministries of Finance, Education, Colleges and Universities, and Health; and as the Associate Deputy Minister of Heath, and as the Deputy Minister of Education. Her accomplishments included leading major projects in funding, labour relations, infrastructure, information technology and public policy. Despite these recent roles in leadership positions, she reminded students that their most significant work might happen at any point in their career, including in the immediate future, particularly given the myriad challenges Canada is presently facing.

2026, and this year’s alumni award, are particularly salient for the school, given the namesake for the award – Joe Bissett – graduated from Carleton University with a MA in public administration in 1956. Nancy’s remarks served as an opportunity to recognize and celebrate 70 years of Joe’s tremendous legacy, and it was wonderful to have him in attendance once again to contribute to the school’s community.

The second achievement we recognized was the 2026 winner of the Ian MacDonald Essay Prize, which went to Madeline Lownie for her paper entitled: “Political feasibility as a barrier to demand-side mitigation policy in Canada.” Each year, faculty of the school nominate the best papers written in their courses for consideration. This year, Prof. Stephan Schott nominated Madeline’s paper in his course PADM 5618: Environmental and Ecological Economics. Congratulations Madeline for your second win of this significant Prize!

“For several years now, we have been hosting our welcome events on the first Friday of the academic year,” explained Prof. Graeme Auld, Interim Director of SPPA. “For me, it is a highlight event. It is a chance to celebrate our incredible community, welcome back exceptional alumni, meet new students, and enjoy our campus at one of the most beautiful times of year. I am incredibly thankful for everyone that came out to make the event possible.”

The school thanks the Faculty of Public and Global Affairs and Carleton Alumni Services for their support of the event.

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