Many western Canadians were recognized Wednesday with Order of Canada awards for astounding work across a multitude of fields that make our country a better place..Governor General Mary Simon announced 135 new appointees to the Order of Canada..Author of Life of Pi, Yann Martel from Saskatoon was granted the.highest rank of companion for his literature’s influence and betterment of his community..Calgarian Barry D. Bultz was awarded officer, second-highest ranking in the order, this follows his 2016 appointment on the Alberta Order of Excellence..Bultz was recognized for his findings in psychosocial oncology, especially his research on an additional vital sign, distress. .Another Calgarian, Bob Dhillon, CEO of Mainstream Equity Corp, was recognized on account of his commitment to higher education and philanthropy..W. Roman Petryshyn, from Edmonton, is a Ukrainian Canadian congress member granted for his advocacy of multiculturalism and ethnocultural inclusion in mainstream society..Barbra A. Paterson, from Edmonton, was awarded for her statue and visual arts contributions as a vital part of the community..Another Edmonton representative, John Estacio, was recognized for his work in Canadian composition. He has made contributions to the Canadian Opera, the Calgary Opera, the Calgary Philharmonic, the Edmonton Philharmonic, and the Pro Coro. Canada..Former senator and Court of Queen’s Bench Judge Murray Sinclair, from St. Andrews, Man., was also appointed as a top rank companion..He was chosen for his representation of indigenous legal issues and committed work on the path to reconciliation of indigenous Canadians..Many others received their awards based on a range of work in cultural inclusivity..Deborah Chatsis, from Prince Albert, was awarded for being the first First Nation’s woman to serve as an ambassador for Canada, as well as advocacy of human rights around the globe..Lily Siewsan Chow, from Victoria, was recognized as a member for her work showcasing the history and social-economic contributions of early Chinese immigrants to Canada..The Order of Canada was created to recognize outstanding achievements from Canadians who are striving to create a better country..Ewa Sudyk is a reporter for the Western Standard.
