In Memoriam: Dr. Pete Hudson

Dr. Pete Hudson at Ft. Garry Campus attending Convocation

The Faculty of Social Work is deeply saddened by the recent passing of Pete Hudson, former director, and professor. Hudson started his career at the Faculty in 1970 and became a director in 1983 in the School of Social Work. Hudson was a driving force in the transition from the School of Social Work to the Faculty of Social Work towards the end of his term as director in 1989. While at the Faculty, Hudson was a strong community and social policy advocate, specializing in child welfare and working with Indigenous youth.

“Pete was a true renaissance man – a progressive voice for social change in child welfare, where he was one of the first scholars to demonstrate how the mainstream child welfare system acted as an agent of colonization in its treatment of Indigenous people, as a tireless advocate for public health care in his work with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, and as an activist in so many other social justice issues. He was a close friend and colleague and we worked together on many projects related to decolonization in Indigenous child welfare during the formative stage of this movement,” says Brad McKenzie, professor emeritus.

“But Pete was so much more than this. Much loved by his students, he was also a warm and supportive colleague, and an influential Director of the School of Social Work before it became a Faculty. Following his retirement, he embraced a new career as a well-known actor and promoter of the amateur theatre scene”.

“Pete’s contributions reflect his ongoing, passionate commitment to the plight of others in all that he did. He remains an example for all of us as we work together to promote a society based on fundamental social work values. We will miss him,” says Brad McKenzie.

Even after retiring from the Faculty, Hudson continued to be involved in research and advocacy for social work programs and social work history.

A celebration of life will be held with close family and friends. His obituary can be found here: https://www.ethicaldeathcare.com/hudson-peter.