Former Canadian ambassador to the United States, Frank McKenna, has committed $20 million to his alma mater, St. Francis Xavier University (StFX) in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. The donation establishes the McKenna Scholarship Program, described as the largest in the country.
The McKenna Scholarship Program
“The scholarships will be the largest in the country,” McKenna stated. “The program will be large and prestigious and should attract the strongest students in the country, both academically and in terms of their leadership skills.”
Awarded across all StFX faculties, including arts, science, and business, the endowment aims to make post-secondary education more accessible. McKenna encourages students nationwide to consider StFX and other Maritime institutions.
From Humble Beginnings to Lasting Gratitude
Raised in a poor farming family in New Brunswick as one of ten siblings, McKenna credits StFX with launching his successful career and family life. “I’ve been hugely blessed in my life,” he said. “I come from a very poor farming family in New Brunswick, a large family of 10. I was able to go from that background to be honoured as premier of the province of New Brunswick, and later became blessed to become ambassador for Canada.”
He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1970 and served as president of the students’ union. McKenna pursued further studies, earning a graduate degree in political science at Queen’s University and attending the University of New Brunswick Law School.
Deep Family Roots at StFX
McKenna’s connections to the university run deep. His wife, children, and several spouses are alumni, and five grandchildren currently attend. “I’ve got two grandchildren graduating, so I don’t want to diminish: that’s why we’re all here,” he joked ahead of their May convocation, where he will speak. “We’ve had a strong emotional connection to that institution because it’s been a huge part of our lives during our formative years.”
Distinguished Career Milestones
McKenna gained prominence as a lawyer, notably defending boxing champion Yvon Durelle against a murder charge in 1977. He entered politics in 1982 as a Liberal MLA in New Brunswick, becoming premier in 1987 and serving exactly ten years before resigning in 1997.
Post-politics, he joined corporate boards, provided legal counsel, and in 2005, Prime Minister Paul Martin appointed him Canada’s ambassador to the United States, a role he held for over a year. Though speculated as a Liberal leadership contender after 2006, he focused on business, now serving as chairman of Brookfield Asset Management, a director of Canadian Natural Resources, and an executive with TD Bank Group.
Insights on Canada-U.S. Relations
Reflecting on his Washington tenure, McKenna noted, “As a Canadian, you only really value the country when you’re out of it. When I was in Washington, I used to have ambassadors talking to me every day telling me how lucky I was ’cause I represented Canada, the most envied country in the world.”
Amid tense bilateral ties following Donald Trump’s return, he praises bipartisan Canadian leadership. “I think it’s no secret that the relationships are fraught at the moment. I like the way that our country is conducting itself; it’s very bipartisan,” McKenna said, commending figures like Stephen Harper, Pierre Poilievre, and Prime Minister Mark Carney. “The provinces are standing up to be counted and I think the country’s responding to this leadership. We may look back at this as a moment where Canada grew up.”
A Lifelong Bond with the Maritimes
Splitting time between Ontario and New Brunswick—his true home—McKenna cherishes the region’s supportive community. “I live in the bigger world, I travel all over the world on business and stuff, but when I’m home in the Maritimes, I just kind of leave the chaos behind,” he said. “I always feel like we’re brothers and sisters and neighbours and we look after each other. That we’ve got a quality of life that is just enviable.”
