McCain, H. Harrison

ENACENIA, MAY, 1986
HAROLD HARRISON MCCAIN
to be Doctor of Laws


Unlike Dr. Lewis, Harrison McCain was not handicapped by being born in Upper Canada; he is a "herring-chocker" twice over, once by birth and still by deliberate choice, and today we seek to offset the single disadvantage of his education at a sister university in our sister province of Nova Scotia. Some of today's graduates will leave New Brunswick and Canada to play a major role on the international stage, but Harrison McCain has brought the world to our own doorstep, to Florenceville, where the empire of McCain Foods Limited is firmly rooted in one hundred and fifty years of family and tradition.

Not quite 30 years ago Harrison and his younger brother decided to go into business for themselves. They accepted the risks, the long days, and the six day weeks as a matter of course, and today McCain's is the largest processor of frozen French fries in the world, and a world leader in the frozen food industry as a whole. More than 30 plants in eight countries on three continents employ more than 8,000 people; McCain's exports from Canada to over 50 countries, and last year their sales exceeded a billion dollars.

Harrison McCain's achievements in the international business community are truly remarkable, but every bit as remarkable has been his refusal to relocate the headquarters of his multinational corporation to some great urban centre: the company remains where it began, in Florenceville.

In a frank and engaging letter he has told me that he doesn't take himself too seriously, but that he is rightly proud of the company and what it has done. He considers it vitally important that his company provides direct employment to some 2,500 New Brunswickers. His pride in his native province shines through his words when he writes: "Not just in the mid 1800's have New Brunswickers entered world commerce. Others can still do it."

Harrison McCain shares with Stephen Lewis an ardent enthusiasm and pride in his country and his world - he also shares with Dr. Lewis a deep concern for the welfare of others. Active in civic affairs, provincial and national politics, he has a particular soft spot in his heart for the sons and daughters of his employees who each year receive scholarships of thousands of dollars to attend university. The McCain Group Scholarship Program is now in its thirteenth year; in its first twelve years more than $250,000 has been provided in scholarships. He has as well made it company policy to recruit graduates of Maritime universities for management positions around the world.

Canada has recognized the excellence of this man by making him an officer of the Order of Canada; because he is a good friend and supporter of UNB, it is right and proper that we make him one of us.

Insignissime Pracses, Amplissima Cancellaria, tota Universitas, praesento vobis Haroldum Harrison McCain ut admittatur honoris causa ad gradum Doctoris in Utroque Jure in Hac Universitate.