When I was a teacher at Kelvin High School in the early 2000s, I had a student who was smart, one might even call him brilliant.
He was insightful, funny, and well-spoken. Despite being only 16, he thought about things deeply and with wisdom and maturity. He performed well in science and math and the drama class I taught — a real rarity.
Among the thousands of students I have taught, he was very memorable, which any educator knows is evidence of a student’s character.
University of Manitoba college of medicine valedictorian Gem Newman calls for a ceasefire in Palestine during a 10-minute speech at the Max Rady College of Medicine’s convocation ceremony Thursday afternoon.
His name is Gem Newman.
He’s the same Gem Newman who has sparked controversy by commenting about the war in Gaza during his 10-minute valedictory address at the University of Manitoba Max Rady College of Medicine graduation on May 16.
After offering important advice to fellow new physicians (who chose him as their valedictorian) — such as “admit when you don’t know something” and “listen and give necessary time to your patients” — Newman’s final few minutes called on his colleagues to be “advocates.”
“I call on my fellow graduates to oppose injustice and violence, individual and systemic,” Newman said.
“I call upon you to oppose settler colonialism, both at home and abroad. I call upon you to stand in solidarity with Indigenous people everywhere, here in Treaty One territory, where an Indigenous man can expect a life 10 years shorter than mine and in Palestine, where Israel’s deliberate targeting of hospitals and other civilian infrastructure has led to more than 35,000 deaths and widespread famine and disease.”
The last part, about Palestine, solicited significant cheers and applause.
After demanding an end to what he called “the genocidal war that Israel is waging upon the people of Palestine,” Newman then got specific.
“I call upon you to join me in calling for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. Join me in calling for unrestricted humanitarian and medical aid in Gaza. Join me in calling for an end to the targeting of medical facilities, medical staff, and journalists.”
All of these statements solicited more applause, cheers, and, eventually, a standing ovation from the majority of the audience and graduating class.
I admit to taking responsibility for part of Newman’s speech. I have taught every student throughout my career what it means to be a Treaty One member and therefore carry innate and foundational relationships with Indigenous peoples.
The fact that Dr. Newman understands “settler colonialism” and that systemic racism and Canadian history are the reasons why Indigenous life spans are shorter than everyone else is very important and vital to work in Manitoba.
In a conservative profession such as medicine, just that part of Newman’s speech alone is brave (something I said on social media).
The other, related part about Gaza though, is where people really got upset.
Dr. Peter Nickerson, the dean of medicine, issued a statement that Newman’s address was “divisive and inflammatory” and “delivered in a way that didn’t represent all students and that was disrespectful to some audience members… They should be taken as the views of one student, and do not reflect the views of the college nor the diverse perspectives of its students.”
Ernest Rady, who donated $30 million to the university and whose father the college is named after, called Newman’s address “hate speech” and full of “lies.” He asked university administrators to erase the speech from the broadcast of the graduation and condemned them for “failing to vet the valedictorian’s speech.”
I learned long ago there is nothing one can say or write about Israel’s post-Oct. 7 actions in Gaza without being called antisemitic or genocidal. One just has to look at my inbox from the last column I wrote about it to see what I mean.
The bottom line is there are vital conversations to be had when marginalized people are killed by bombs and military forces — no matter the reason — and Indigenous land is immersed in war, famine, and death.
In other words, the comparison between what is happening here on Treaty One and in Gaza is important — and worthwhile. At minimum, it’s the kind of debate universities are supposed to facilitate.
I’ve certainly been exposed to what I would call hate speech and lies about Indigenous peoples in my time at the University of Manitoba — and the debate around these moments have brought the institution to a pretty interesting place.
Graduation is like a mirror for parents, educators, and indeed, society.
It is a time when students we have invested years of time into show us what they have learned from all of us, giving us a glimpse of what they will become and the issues and ideas they will talk about and debate.
Newman, a clear future leader in the medical profession here in Manitoba, demonstrated that last week.
And, by the response of his fellow graduates, he isn’t alone.
niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca
Niigaan Sinclair
Columnist
Niigaan Sinclair is Anishinaabe and is a columnist at the Winnipeg Free Press.
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