Having come to Canada as an international student in 1968, Constantine Passaris is a proud citizen of two nations: a Canadian by choice, and a Greek by birth. Since 1972, he has been educating and inspiring students as a professor of economics at the University of New Brunswick. Dr. Passaris has leveraged his academic and professional background in economics to powerfully lead, facilitate, and support human rights, economic justice, immigration, and multiculturalism work both locally and globally. One way he has contributed to his community and to the world is by serving for eleven years between 1989 and 2000 as chair of the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission; and in this capacity, Dr. Passaris had the opportunity in 1996 to meet King Charles III. Additionally, he has made meaningful contributions to shaping Canadian public policy through his service as a member of the Economic Council of Canada, founding president of the New Brunswick Multicultural Council, president of the Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies, chair of the board of directors of the Atlantic Human Rights Center at Saint Thomas University, and founding chair of the New Brunswick Ministerial Advisory Committee on Multiculturalism.
Anastasios M. Tamis and Efrosini Gavaki highlighted Dr. Passaris in their 2002 book From Migrants to Citizens. Greek Migration in Australia and Canada as one of two Greek Canadian economists who have had significant national and international impact in academia and the field of economics. Dr. Passaris has maintained close professional ties with Greece, and was selected by the Greek Ministry of Education to chair multiple external evaluation committees and external accreditation panels for Greek universities. In Canada, he has served on the board of the Canadian Hellenic Congress. Three of the numerous academic, volunteer, and civilian honors and awards Dr. Passaris has received over the course of the past four decades are the Canadian government’s Citation for Citizenship Award in 1989, for his "long and distinguished record of respected community and volunteer service… as an innovator and catalyst in the area of immigration and multiculturalism…;" the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada in 1992, in recognition of his significant contributions to fellow Canadians, community, and Canada; and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, for his exceptional contributions to New Brunswick and Canada.
Dr. Passaris has not slowed down as he enters the fifth decade of his professional career and community steward. Only three years ago, Dr. Passaris was conferred the New Brunswick Multicultural Council’s inaugural Legacy Award for his immeasurable and innumerable contributions to multiculturalism, immigration, and human rights in New Brunswick—you can watch and hear some of his inspiring acceptance speech here. And just last year, he received the Order of New Brunswick honor—the first Greek Canadian to receive this honor—for his visionary work as a tireless champion and fervent advocate multiculturalism, immigration, inclusion, and human rights.
In addition to all the other ways Dr. Passaris has contributed and continues to contribute to society, he is a prolific author. One of our favorite essays of his so far is this one, published in The Conversation in 2018, and he has published twenty-nine research papers, as well.
THANK YOU, Dr. Passaris, for the numerous substantial and compelling ways you have made New Brunswick and the world at large a better place for all people to learn, work, live, and thrive. We are grateful that you have chosen and continue to choose to be a person who leaves things better than you found them. Σας ευχαριστούμε πάρα πολύ!
