Order of Canada appointees include notable B.C. educators

VANCOUVER — Governor General Mary Simon has appointed several notable British Columbia educators to the Order of Canada.

They include a number of University of British Columbia academics, including neuroscientist Adele Diamond, neurologist Janice Eng and animal welfare researcher Marina von Keyserlingk, while neurologist Judy Illes was promoted within the order.

Forensic nursing pioneer Sheila Dawn Early is also among the appointees, hailed for her work developing B.C.’s first forensic nursing program and its impact on health care services for survivors of violence.

Vancouver broadcaster Nardwuar the Human Serviette is among the 80 appointees announced Wednesday, alongside author and broadcaster Ziya Tong, composer Barry Truax, and philanthropist and Vancouver International Film Festival founder Leonard Schein, with children’s songwriter Raffi Cavoukian promoted to the highest level of Companion of the Order of Canada.

Vancouver legal scholar James Hathaway, a professor emeritus at the University of Michigan, was appointed as a member of the order for his “seminal work” in the field of international refugee law.

Simon Fraser University researcher John Willinsky was made a member of the order for his work with the Public Knowledge Project, credited for developing “the world’s most widely deployed scholarly publishing platform.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 31, 2025.

The Canadian Press