Walter Gretzky to receive WLU honorary degree

Walter Gretzky. Nathan Denette/AP

WATERLOO, Ont. — The father of The Great One and a Canadian film and TV star and will soon have new titles to add to their resumes.

Walter Gretzky and Adam Beach will each be conferred with honorary doctor of letters degrees during Wilfrid Laurier University’s spring convocation ceremonies.

Author and philanthropist Gretzky — father of NHL Hall of Fame legend Wayne — will receive his degree on June 18 at the Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts in Brantford, Ont.

Beach, star of the recently cancelled CBC drama "Arctic Air," will be honoured on June 12 at the Athletic Complex on the Waterloo campus.

Filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk, director of the award-winning film "Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner," will receive an honorary doctor of letters degree on June 11.

And scientist and peace activist Ursula Franklin will be conferred with an honorary doctor of science degree on June 18.

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