John G. Diefenbaker, University Chancellor, making presentation of an honourary Doctor of Laws degree to Albert W. Johnson at Convocation. Herman Rolfes, Saskatchewan Minister of Education, seated at centre of image.

Bio/Historical Note: Albert Wesley (Al) Johnson was born in Insinger, Saskatchewan in 1923, Johnson received a Masters in public administration (MPA) from the University of Toronto and an MPA and a PhD from Harvard University. He was deputy treasurer of Saskatchewan from 1952-1964. Johnson was one of the key figures in the development of universal medicare, first in Saskatchewan in the governments of Premier Tommy Douglas and Premier Woodrow Lloyd and subsequently at the national level. In 1964 he became assistant deputy minister of finance for the federal government. From 1975-1982 Johnson was president of the CBC. Johnson subsequently taught at Queen's University and the University of Toronto. Johnson was awarded an honourary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Saskatchewan in 1978. In 1980 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and was promoted to Companion in 1996. Johnson wrote the 2004 book Dream No Little Dreams, A Biography of the Douglas Government of Saskatchewan, 1944–1961 for which he was awarded the Canadian Political Science Association's Donald Smiley Prize in 2005. After leaving the federal civil service he embarked on an international career. He served as Special Advisor on National Provincial Fiscal Arrangements for the International Monetary Fund in 1988. Johnson was appointed Head of Mission on Administrative Modernization for the Canadian International Development Agency in 1991. Johnson was senior advisor to South Africa/Canada Program on Governance in 1992, and commissioner of South Africa's Presidential Review Commission on the Public Service in 1996. Returning to Canada in 1999, Johnson became special chair in public policy for the Government of Saskatchewan. Johnson died in Ottawa in 2010 at age 87.