Portrait photo of Ron
Ron Stevenson
Newfoundland & Oriel 1978
Born in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1957, Ron Stevenson studied at Memorial University before going to Oxford to study political science, with a focus on legal and political philosophy. Returning to Canada to attend law school, Stevenson went on to join the Department of Justice, working on constitutional issues and, primarily, the rights of indigenous peoples. Alongside this, he took a master’s from York University’s Osgoode Hall and a doctorate in law from the University of Ottawa. In 2024, Stevenson joined the first cohort of Oxford Next Horizons, a six-month experience for those in mid to late career, offering the chance to think, explore and reinvent. This narrative is excerpted from an interview with the Rhodes Trust on 28 March 2024.
‘A wonderful place to grow up’
I’ve lived about half of my life now in Newfoundland. It’s a place I love, and it was a wonderful place to grow up. We lived in what was basically then the country on the outskirts of Newfoundland, and I had what I think can only be described as a perfect childhood. My father and I would spend time fishing together, and our house, which my father had built, was in a place that had been used by farmers for several hundred years, so every time you dug in the garden, you’d find old coins. I also developed a love for reading. We had no books in the house, but I used to walk about three kilometres to a small community library, and by the age of ten, I’d read every book in that library. Music was very important to me too and I started early, playing clarinet with the school band.
Throughout my schooling, I was educated by Christian Brothers. Academically, the level of education was beyond compare, with a very strong background in math, sciences and classics. I’m still appreciative of the start I got in terms of education, but I have mixed feelings, mostly negative, about my contact with the Christian Brothers. They were disciplinarians, and with time, we learned that they had also been responsible for some serious abuses.
I went on to Memorial University, and it was there that I discovered my love for political science, although I’d started majoring in physics, and then math. Being there was also a political and social awakening for me. I became a very strong Newfoundland nationalist, and at that time, there was a massive cultural revival in music, poetry and literature. Newfoundland has a strong presence and doesn’t consider itself just to be part of English Canada, and while I was at university I was chosen with three others to represent Newfoundland at a national unity conference. Memorial was where I also shifted my musical interest into singing. But I think the biggest contribution Memorial made for me was to help me get over my shyness. I had had a relatively quiet upbringing, and my education had been in all-boys schools. I think it’s fair to say that when I entered university, I was shell-shocked.
On applying for the Rhodes Scholarship
I hadn’t thought about the Rhodes Scholarship at all. But then, Jackie Sheppard (Newfoundland & St Hilda’s 1977) – who was actually the first female Rhodes Scholar, because the Rhodes committee in Newfoundland made its decision earlier than those in the US – spoke to me and persuaded me to put in an application. There were only a couple of days left to the deadline, so I ran around getting references and preparing my application. I was very pleasantly surprised to win!
‘It was the most astounding intellectual display’
Going to Oxford was amazingly mind-expanding for me. It allowed me to see the world from many other perspectives, to meet people from all over the world and to develop this interest that I had always had in the normative side of our existence: what are our deeper aspirations? What is the role of justice in how we work? I got very interested in legal and political philosophy and I was really lucky, because at the time I was there, there were the famous seminars with Hart and Raz. It was the most astounding intellectual display you could imagine: important ideas being talked about people who had very disparate perspectives. They were very generous to each other, but you tell there was real debate. I was captivated by that and by the notion of law as a living phenomenon.
I think the only thing that surprised me about England at that time was the role that class still played. The first time I ever voted in an election was in Britain, and I campaigned actively against Margaret Thatcher. When it came to the class divide that I saw in Oxford then, I knew which side I took, because I always identified more with the working class. So, Oxford gave me a way of looking at the world, a way of thinking. I also made great friends there, and I developed a deep appreciation for the place, exploring Port Meadow and the villages all around and, of course, singing in pubs! We all have three or four places that we love, and for me, Oxford is one of them.
'The link between practical things and underlying normative dynamics’
I knew I would go back to Canada after being at Oxford. In my last few months at memorial, I had met Bonita, who would later become my wife, and I wanted to get back to Newfoundland. I’m like a salmon: the pull back home is very, very strong. At law school, I found myself gravitating to the constitutional law courses, the jurisprudence courses, and I went on to work eventually in the Department of Justice. Looking around, I could see that the really interesting opportunities involved working on relations with indigenous peoples. So, I found myself involved in comprehensive claims negotiations – basically, land negotiations – with indigenous groups in Labrador – the Inuit and the Innu. I negotiated Newfoundland’s first Indian reserve, with the Mi’kmaq of the Conne River, now called Miawpukek, and that was fascinating. I also worked on the constitutional conferences that dealt with a commitment to try to implement constitutional rights that were recognised and affirmed in 1982, but not specified in detail. And finally, I was involved in some important court cases involving aboriginal issues, including a case called Sparrow, which continues to be the leading case in aboriginal law. While I practised law, I continued to study it academically as well. I’ve always taken seriously this link between practical things that can be achieved through the law and deeper reflection on the underlying normative dynamics.
The urge to explore that link still further is what brought me back to Oxford for the Next Horizons programme. When I completed my doctorate, there were still loose ends, still things I wanted to explore. I’d kept my connections with the Rhodes community, getting involved in selection and in programmes like Rise and reaching out to those who shared my interests. Next Horizons seemed to be a great opportunity to build on that. I’ve found every part of the programme inspiring and useful, and I’ve been extraordinarily impressed with the quality of the people we’re meeting, both across the university and in the cohort itself. One high point has been giving a presentation to the Oxford Public Law group on my work on constitutionalism and Canadian indigenous rights law. Being here has been a chance to work with scholars who don’t see the world the same way I do, and that’s allowed me to clarify my own ideas. I’m also loving the chance to explore Oxford again, walking the trails and singing in pubs and going to evensong.
‘A great resource of people to turn to’
What motivates and inspires me today is, in order, my wife, my son, my family and friends, and my commitment to ideas and the deep sense of justice I feel through my work in Canada. In my academic career and my legal career, I’ve lived my life with a profound belief that theory and practice cannot be separated, that you have to find a way to do both and link the two. The list of things I continue to enjoy is very, very long. I love reading and literature, I love history and I love music. I’ve been fortunate to live a very fulfilling life.
I’m especially appreciative of what the Rhodes Scholarship brought me in terms of opportunities and outlook. I think today’s Scholars in Residence should be conscious of the fact that they’re entering a wonderful community that is truly multi-generational and that they have a great resource of people to turn to. When it comes to advice, I think I’d say, slow down and enjoy it. Academics is very, very important, but it’s not the only thing in life. Take the time to explore life in Oxford, and also to explore intellectual areas beyond what’s immediately on your plate. And document your experience too: take pictures, keep a journal, note your reflections. Because there will be many other important parts of life, but as the years come on, you will be glad to remember as much as possible about your time in Oxford.