David Smith

Distinguished Researcher Award - Spring 2003

The Distinguished Researcher Award recognizes a faculty member's contribution to scholarship through the creation, expansion and critique of knowledge.  David E. Smith, Professor of Political Studies, College of Arts & Science, is the recipient of the Spring 2003 award.

Professor Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Western Ontario (1959), and both a Master of Arts (1962) and a Doctorate of Philosophy (1964) from Duke University.  He began his career at the University of Saskatchewan in 1964, first as a member of the Department of Economics and Political Science and then in 1985 as a member of the newly created Department of Political Studies.  In 1987 he joined a select group of individuals to be awarded a Doctorate of Letters by the University.

Professor Smith is a leading authority on constitutional governance in Canada. In particular, his scholarship explores the central political institutions and political processes of Canadian democracy.  His recent monographs, The Invisible Crown: The First Principle of Government and The Republican Option in Canada: Past and Present are ground-breaking and highly creative analyses of previously understudied aspects of Canadian political life. His most recent work The Canadian Senate in Bicameral Perspective will be released in the upcoming year. His scholarship has not only contributed to political studies in Canada, but has informed studies of comparative politics generally.

Professor Smith's scholarly work covers a broad spectrum.  He has examined prairie political culture, political leaders and public intellectuals, Canadian broadcasting, and emergency government.  His early work on the politics of Saskatchewan remains a classic in the field.

Professor Smith's career is also characterized by a tremendous investment of time and energy in public service.   He has been actively involved in the Canadian Political Science Association both as president and as a member of the executive, and in the Humanities and Social Science Federation of Canada.  He has contributed to the work of Parliament - providing expert testimony to parliamentary committees considering measures such as the Clarity Bill and the Royal Assent Bill, and has served as a Commissionaire of electoral boundaries.  He also served as chair of the Department of Political Studies at the University.

Professor Smith is a member of the Royal Society of Canada and has been awarded a number of prestigious fellowships including the Killam Research Scholarship 1994-1995, and SSHRC's Jules and Gabrielle Leger Fellowship 1992-93.

Professor Smith has made nationally and internationally recognized contributions to the fields of Western Canadian and constitutional studies.  He is a deserving recipient of this award.