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In Memoriam and Appreciation of Dr. Ole Nielsen – March 5, 1930 to May 29, 2025
June 25, 2025
In memoriam and appreciation of Dr. Ole Nielsen, CM, DVM, PhD, LLD (Hon), Dip ACVP – March 5, 1930 to May 29, 2025
The veterinary profession in Canada remembers with overwhelming gratitude the accomplishments, contributions, legend, and legacy of Dr. Ole Nielsen, who served as President of the CVMA in 1968 and 1969.
Ole was unapologetically passionate about what he saw as the untapped potential of the profession. This is perhaps best summed up by the quote from Bernard Shaw that was popularized by Robert F. Kennedy in 1968: “Some men see things that are and say why, I dream things of things that never were and say why not.”
Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Dr. Nielsen graduated with his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) (1 of only 2 veterinary schools in Canada at the time) in 1956. He obtained his
PhD from the University of Minnesota in 1963 and was appointed Associate Professor of Veterinary Pathology at the University of Saskatchewan in 1964. Over the ensuing 4 years, he had a major role in the design and construction of Canada’s third veterinary school, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCMV).
Dr. Nielsen served as Dean of WCVM from 1974 to 1994, where he continued to push for transformation of the teaching curriculum and helped to inspire a generation of One Health leaders and practitioners. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the OVC Pet Trust.
But he was by no means done in his efforts to expand the veterinary teaching capacity in Canada and its approach to veterinary education. Following the detection of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in western Canada in 2003, Dr. Nielsen was approached by the Government of Alberta to lead a study
that led to the establishment of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary.
Dr. Nielsen’s leadership contributions were not limited to Canada. He was Chair of the Board of Trustees of the International Laboratory for Research in Animal Diseases in Nairobi, Kenya, from 1990 to 1994 and led the First International Symposium of Ecosystem Health and Medicine in 1994.
The fire within continued to burn for Dr. Nielsen, and in 2022 he was a principal in the establishment of the McEachran Institute, named for the founder of the first veterinary school in Canada, Duncan McEachran. The Institute was founded on the philosophy of McEachran and his colleague Sir William Osler that human and animal health are complementary and based on the same fundamental principles of comparative medicine. The Institute is a registered charitable organization and Canada's first apolitical, independent think tank dedicated to transforming how we keep the world healthy.
For his tireless efforts, vision, and advocacy for the veterinary profession's role in ecosystem health and ecological medicine as a core pillar of One Health, Ole was the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions. He delivered the inaugural Reginald Thomson Lecture at the Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island and the prestigious Schofield Lecture at the University of Guelph. He received an Honorary Degree of Laws from the University of Saskatchewan in 1996, Professor Emeritus from the University of Guelph, the Order of the University of Calgary in 2012, and the Order of Canada in 2016.
He was also an Honorary Life Member of the CVMA. Educator, academician, administrator, researcher, builder, innovator, mentor, agent for change, and much more, Dr. Nielsen leaves a profound impact and legacy. He has earned not only our sincere gratitude but also our commitment to continue his vision to enhance the relevance, engagement, and recognition of the profession’s ability to address the health challenges of today and of tomorrow
– Canadian Veterinary Medical Association
