Ideas have great power, but they’re useless without people willing to fight for them.

That was the message Canadian Labour Congress President Hassan Yussuff delivered to Faculty of Social Sciences graduates Tuesday, June 5 as he gave the Convocation address at Brock University.

After being awarded an honorary doctorate from Brock Chancellor Shirley Cheechoo, the former union leader and longtime workers’ rights advocate gave a powerful talk about being engaged in democracy.

“Progress happens when you get engaged and we fight for change together,” said Yussuff, who was the first-ever Human Rights Director for the Canadian Auto workers and has served as President of the CLC since 2014.

After emigrating from Guyana at 16 years old, Yussuff got a job as a mechanic, joined the union and then became a union leader at 18.

“You are the new generation of Canadian leaders,” he told the large group of graduands Tuesday. “Brock has given you the tools to engage and reshape our democracy and your country needs you. So pick up an issue, show up, join with others and persevere.”

He left the graduating class with three key points: That ideas have power; That those ideas are powerless without boots on the ground to take action; And to never quit.

“Nothing worth fighting for comes easy,” said Yussuff. “It’s always a struggle. But a great leader never quits. They push on and keep building because they know that progress is always possible.”