Order Of Ontario Recipients Announced

    Recipients Of Ontario's Highest Honour Named

    TORONTO, Dec. 19 /CNW/ - Twenty-seven recipients were named today for
appointment to the province's highest and most prestigious honour by the
Honourable David Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.
    "These distinguished individuals are truly exemplary in their fields."
said Onley. "Our province is richer for the breadth and depth of their
contributions. Through drive and determination they have pushed boundaries and
serve as outstanding examples for all Ontarians."
    This year's honourees will bring to 460 the total number of recipients
since 1987, when the honour was first presented.
    The appointees will be invested in the Order of Ontario at a ceremony to
be held at Queen's Park on January 24, 2008.
    The Order of Ontario is awarded to Ontarians for excellence and
achievement in any field. The 27 individuals being invested represent areas as
diverse as medicine, the arts, law and social issues.
    Outstanding Ontarians may be nominated for the Order by members of the
public. The closing date for nominations for next year's Order of Ontario is
February 28, 2008. Nomination forms and other information can be found at
http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/honours/orderofontario/

    This year's recipients are:

    Thomas J. Bitove - a leading Toronto businessman and pillar of the
community who has supported many charitable causes including Big Brothers, the
Canadian Macedonian Place and ProAction Cops and Kids.

    John Richard Bond - a University of Toronto astrophysicist and
cosmologist whose pioneering work on the structure, formation and evolution of
the universe helped establish Ontario as a centre for cosmology research.

    Bernice and Rolland Desnoyers - this Leamington couple has provided a
safe, nurturing and stable environment for 63 foster children over more than
45 years.

    Peter J. George - a distinguished economist and author and President and
Vice Chancellor of McMaster University in Hamilton and Chair of the Council of
Ontario Universities.

    Christopher A. Harris - co-founder of the Ottawa-Carleton Immigrant
Services Organization, the National Capital Alliance on Race Relations and the
Jamaican Ottawa Community Association.

    Peter A. Herrndorf - revolutionized Canadian broadcasting, publishing and
the performing arts at organizations such as the CBC, Toronto Life Magazine,
TV Ontario and the National Arts Centre.

    Rebecca F. Jamieson - for her career as a leader and educator in the
First Nations community. She is a tireless worker on behalf of the Six Nations
community and the Grand River Post Secondary Education Organization.

    Max Keeping - a well-known Ottawa media personality, he uses his nightly
newscast to encourage people to make a difference. He created the Max Keeping
Foundation and spends countless hours as master of ceremonies for events,
hosting telethons, volunteering, and working with community groups.

    M. David Lepofsky - for his work on behalf of people with disabilities in
Ontario which helped lead to Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2001 and the
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005.

    Dr. Tak W. Mak - an internationally respected biomedical scientist, noted
for his discovery of the T cell receptor as well as his work in molecular
biology and his pioneering contributions in the genetics of immunology.

    J. William McConkey - a University of Windsor professor for more than 35
years and a world leader in atomic and molecular physics.

    Dr. Roderick R. McInnes - a University of Toronto professor and senior
scientist with the Hospital for Sick Children, Dr. McInnes is internationally
known for his research on the eye.

    The Honourable R. Roy McMurtry - former Chief Justice of Ontario, former
Attorney General of Ontario whose accomplishments include major roles in the
patriation of the Canadian Constitution and the creation of the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

    Lorraine Monk - has brought great acclaim and international recognition
to Canada and Ontario for her award-winning books and several hundred
photographic exhibitions. She created the Photographers for Peace Foundation,
believing in the power of photography to change the world.

    Albert Kai-Wing Ng - one of Canada's best-known graphic designers, he
founded the Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario after a
10-year campaign for professional accreditation. This accreditation was the
first of its kind in North America.

    Adeena Niazi - for her tireless work helping newcomers to Canada. She is
a former lecturer at Kabul University. In 1990, she established the Afghan
Women's Organization to address women's unique settlement needs.

    Gordon M. Nixon - one of Canada's most respected business leaders as
President and CEO of the Royal Bank of Canada. His outstanding qualities as a
business leader are echoed in his community work to strengthen the newcomer
advantage and encourage research and innovation.

    Margaret Helen Ogilvie - Chancellor's Professor of Law at Carleton
University in Ottawa, has earned accolades as an educator and law scholar. She
is consulted widely as a legal expert and has served as a visiting scholar to
universities abroad.

    Eva Olsson - a survivor of the concentration camps, Ms. Olsson, author
and public speaker, travels across Ontario and North America to share her
story. She inspires many with her dignity and faith and her contribution to
education, community groups and associations.

    Marlene Ann Pierre - founding member of the Thunder Bay Indian Friendship
Centre and the Ontario Native Women's Association, she works actively for the
betterment of Aboriginal people in Thunder Bay and across Ontario.

    Dr. Frances A. Shepherd - a University of Toronto professor and the Scott
Taylor Chair in Lung Cancer Research at Princess Margaret Hospital. She is an
internationally renowned oncologist and researcher whose work has led to new
treatment options for lung cancer patients in Ontario and throughout the
world.

    Janice Gross Stein - one of Ontario's preeminent scholars and experts in
conflict management and negotiation, Middle Eastern politics and Canadian
foreign policy. Stein is a University of Toronto professor and Director of the
Munk Centre for International Studies, committed to public education and civic
debate.

    Paul-François Sylvestre - a novelist, researcher and mentor for new
talent and a leader in the development of Franco-Ontarian literature and
thought. He is a founding member of the Association des auteures et auteurs de
l'Ontario français.

    William Thorsell - Director and CEO of the Royal Ontario Museum, he is
the visionary behind the current renaissance of this cultural centre. A former
editor-in-chief of a major national paper; he effectively raised the bar for
journalism in Canada.

    Dr. David Walde - Director of the Oncology Program at Sault Area Hospital
he is a pioneer of community-based cancer treatments and a tireless fundraiser
for the new Sault Ste. Marie hospital.

    Dr. Paul Walfish - a University of Toronto professor and senior
consultant with Mount Sinai Hospital, he is widely published and is a leader
in the international thyroidology community.

    
    Disponible en français

                          www.citizenship.gov.on.ca
    

For further information: Nanda Casucci-Byrne, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, [phone]; Lily Pavlovic, Communications Branch, [phone]