Governor General David Johnston on Thursday appointed 54 Canadians, including nine British Columbians, as either an officer or member of the Order of Canada – Canada’s highest civilian honour.
Vancouverites will likely be most familiar with former Vancouver Canuck centre and tireless community service volunteer Trevor Linden, who was appointed as a member of the body.
Business readers, however, will likely be just as familiar with North Growth Management Ltd. CEO Rudy North, who was also named as a member of the Order of Canada. (See “Rudy North Profile” – issue 649; April 2-8, 2002.)
North, who co-founded Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management Ltd., was named to the order because of his environmental conservation efforts, volunteerism and philanthropy.
“I was speechless when I learned [of the appointment],” North told Business in Vancouver on Thursday. “It was terribly unexpected.”
North said the recent philanthropic activities he is most proud of include being a founding donor for the British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest: The Rainforest Solutions Project and for helping Mark Angelo get the Rivers Institute going at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.
Two British Columbians were named officers of the Order of Canada: Victoria’s Angela Enright and Shelagh Rogers.
Five more Vancouverites were named members of the Order of Canada: Michael Hayden, Martha Lou Henley, Jennifer Simons, Tricia Smith and Robert Taylor.