Queen’s remembers Jimmy Carter

The Queen’s community is remembering Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, who died Dec. 29, at the age of 100.

Carter and his wife Rosalynn received honorary degrees from Queen’s University in 2012, for their “humanitarian efforts and their shared commitment to advancing democracy and human rights, building a peaceful society, improving health and education” and for their efforts to improve the lives of people around the world. They were also recognized for their extensive work and leadership roles with Habitat for Humanity, building homes for families in need.

The following remembrance is written by Arthur Milnes (Arts ’88), a Queen’s alumnus and former fellow of the School of Policy Studies, who helped host the Carters during their visit to Queen’s and Kingston.

Daniel Woolf, Rosalynn Carter, Jimmy Carter, David Dodge

Rosalynn Carter and Jimmy Carter stand with Principal Daniel Woolf, and Chancellor David Dodge after receiving their honorary degrees in Grant Hall.

Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn were about to depart Ban Righ Hall when the 39th President of the United States motioned me over.

“Art,” he said, “there is something I want you to have.”

He then reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a carefully folded piece of paper.

“This is for you.”

President Carter gave me the original copy of his Grant Hall convocation speech he had used earlier that day while at the Queen’s podium. It was filled with his handwritten edits. With particular pride as a Canadian, I saw the comments he had written into his speech praising Canada’s role in 1979-80 when six American diplomats found safety and shelter in the home of our nation’s ambassador to Iran.

Carter then hugged my wife and, as did Rosalynn Carter. Then their motorcade left campus for the airport so they could begin their journey home to Georgia.

So ended the events of Nov. 21, 2012, the day Queen’s hosted, for only the second time in its history, one of the 46 men who had served as president of the great republic to the south of us. Decades earlier, of course, Franklin Roosevelt had honoured the university by also delivering a convocation address to the Queen’s community.

Carter’s trip to Queen’s had been more than a year in the making. The seeds were planted in Plains, Georgia, the tiny southern community the Carters called home, in 2011. I was involved in Queen’s at the time as a Fellow of the School of Policy Studies, led by Dr. Thomas Axworthy.

Tom, Pierre Trudeau’s principal secretary, had had many encounters with President Carter when the latter was in the White House. The two of us, joined by University Archivist Paul Banfield, decided to prepare a uniquely Canadian book honouring both Carters, simply called Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter: A Canadian Tribute. When I told the former president of our plans, he immediately offered to write the foreword to the volume. He then took his involvement a step further, telling us he’d happily and personally launch our book at the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site in his hometown.

It took me a millisecond to agree.

Jimmy Carter speak with Art Milnes in the kitchen of Milnes' home during his visit to Kingston in 2012.

Soon, Principal Daniel Woolf, myself, and leading members of the campus community like Banfield and Queen’s politics professor Jonathan Rose, amongst others, were heading to Georgia for the book launch. It was in Plains that Principal Woolf conceived of the idea of honouring the Carters with honorary degrees.

When I ferried the request to President Carter, he agreed and had only one request: He wanted Canada’s former Ambassador to Iran, Ken Taylor, and the latter’s wife Pat, along with Flora MacDonald, to be invited. All three had played crucial roles ensuring the escape from revolutionary Iran of the six American diplomats who had avoided capture by Iranian militants when their embassy was taken over in 1979.

For my wife, Alison Bogle, and me, the visit would be particularly special. President and Mrs. Carter accepted our invitation to stay overnight with us. They also agreed to plant ceremonial trees in our garden as a permanent reminder of their trip to Kingston and Queen’s.

At Grant Hall on Nov. 21, 2012, both Carters delivered inspirational speeches before a graduating class, as did Principal Woolf in his remarks introducing the distinguished couple. Chancellor David Dodge sported a Carter-like smile the entire day.

When the Carters returned home, they wrote Alison and I. “It was a great honour for us to be recognized by Queen’s University, especially in the presence of Ken and Pat Taylor and Flora MacDonald, our special heroes,” they wrote. “We realize, Art, that you made the entire visit possible.”

Since it was revealed that Jimmy Carter was on his final journey, I have thought a great deal about that day on campus more than a decade ago. And I think today, as I did then, how privileged my wife and I, now joined by the entire Queen’s community, are to be able to call the president-peacemaker, and his first lady, our friends

Kingston’s Arthur Milnes (Arts ’88), is the author of 98 Reasons to Thank Jimmy Carter and the editor of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter: A Canadian Tribute, the latter published by the Queen’s School of Policy Studies. Arthur was a speechwriter to then Prime Minister Stephen Harper and also served as the memoirs’ assistant to the Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney.