Scotland's Presiding Officer visits Queen's, delivers lecture

Scotland's Presiding Officer visits Queen's, delivers lecture

By Communications Staff

January 12, 2015

Share

The Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament visited Queen’s University over the weekend as the Principal’s Distinguished Visitor.

The Rt. Hon. Tricia Marwick took part in a series of events throughout the weekend including a special conversation Friday at Wallace Hall regarding the importance of women being involved in politics, and, as part of the Principal’s Forum, delivered the Principal’s Distinguished Visitor Lecture on Saturday on “Scotland’s Constitutional Journey.”

Ms. Marwick, the first female Presiding Officer, similar to Canada’s Speaker of the House, attended several events held throughout the weekend in celebration of the bicentennial of the birth of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister, who was born in Scotland.

She also took time to have tea with a group of exchange students from the United Kingdom who are currently studying at Queen’s.

The Principal’s Forum is a lecture series in which the Principal’s Distinguished Visitor lectures on current topics of interest. Past speakers have included world-renowned scholar Dipesh Chakrabarty and His Excellency the Governor General, the Rt. Hon. David Johnston.