Eight Western alumni have been named among 135 new appointments to the Order of Canada announced on Dec. 29, 2021 by Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada.
Created in 1967, the Order of Canada recognizes individuals whose work has contributed to shaping society, igniting imaginations and uniting communities.
“Canada is defined by the people that make up this great country,” Simon said in a statement. “These most recent nominees to the Order of Canada are shining examples of the commitment and outstanding contributions Canadians have made to the well-being of communities throughout this land, whether it be social, environmental, scientific, economic, cultural or related to mental and physical health.”
Western alumni appointed to the Order of Canada include:
Navjeet Dhillon, MBA’98, of Calgary, for his achievements in business, and for his unwavering commitment to philanthropy and higher education.
Tomson Highway, BMus’75, LLD’93, of Gatineau, Que., for his sustained and distinguished contributions to theatre and Canadian culture as one of Canada’s foremost playwrights and novelists.
Jean Riley Senft, BA’70, of West Vancouver, B.C., for her contributions to the sport of figure skating as one of Canada’s leading judges and promoter of fairer judging rules.
Vahan Kololian, BA’75, of Toronto, for his community leadership and commitment to promoting Canadian diversity and pluralism.
Andrew Paul MacDonald, BMus’81, of Sherbrooke, Que., for his contributions to contemporary Canadian classical, jazz and electronic music, as an educator, composer and performer.
Joy Kathryn MacPhail, BA’77, of Vancouver, for her pioneering contributions to politics and her tireless advocacy of underserved and marginalized communities.
Sharon Elizabeth Straus, BSc’86, of Toronto, for her contributions to the field of knowledge translation and for her mentorship in the field of epidemiology.
Barbara G. Stymiest, HBA’78, LLD ’11, of Toronto, for her trailblazing efforts in Canada’s financial and business sectors, and for her mentorship and community engagement.
The Order of Canada is one of Canada’s highest honours, with the motto: Desiderantes meliorem patriam (They desire a better country).