‘Amazed and humbled’: Free Press faith writer among new Order of Canada recipients Longhurst joins Oake, Backstrom, Mould as recipients from Manitoba By: Kevin Rollason Posted: 5:49 PM CST Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024

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A Free Press faith columnist, and a longtime sports broadcaster and champion for addiction recovery, are among four Manitobans who have been inducted into the Order of Canada.

John Longhurst and Scott Oake have been honoured alongside Oly Backstrom, a disability rights activist, and Ken Mould, a veterinarian who founded the Canadian Animal Blood Bank.

“I’m totally amazed and humbled by it,” said Longhurst Wednesday, shortly after the announcement of 88 new appointments by Gov. Gen. Mary Simon.

“When I take a look at the other people inducted — people curing disease, captains of industry, leaders in every way — I’m humbled to be in their company.”

Free Press editor Paul Samyn said Longhurst “has written with authority on the often complicated issues of faith for decades.

“That journalism has served our city and province well by providing the context so critical to understanding in these increasingly polarized times. This honour is well-deserved and the Free Press is delighted to add our congratulations to John.”

According to the Governor General’s website, Longhurst received the honour because “as the religion columnist and reporter at the Winnipeg Free Press, he made it his goal to promote positive interdenominational relations, to reduce hate, and to help readers see the humanity in every person.”

Scott Oake is being honoured as “a dedicated advocate for addiction recovery” after co-founding Winnipeg’s Bruce Oake Recovery Centre named in memory of his late son.

Oake said the honour, while humbling, is also bittersweet. His wife, Anne, died in 2021, while their son, Bruce, died of an accidental drug overdose when he was 25 in 2011.

“I don’t accept it for me, I accept it for the Bruce Oake Centre, the Anne Oake Family Recovery Centre, and everyone on the front lines in the battle with addiction,” he said.

“I don’t accept it for me, I accept it for the Bruce Oake Centre, the Anne Oake Family Recovery Centre, and everyone on the front lines in the battle with addiction.”–Scott Oake

“Anne was a driving force for the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre. And, even now, when I attend our ceremonies at the centre, they are our graduation ceremonies for people who have received treatment, I look at all the guys and I think Bruce should be with them. But then I think if he was, the Bruce Oake Centre wouldn’t exist.

“I have to push those thoughts away or I would be too emotional.”

Oly Backstrom is not just the president and CEO of SCE LifeWorks, an organization which supports people living with intellectual disabilities to work and participate in the community, he also brought Project SEARCH to Canada so high school students living with disabilities could access work placements.

“He has played a pivotal role in fostering a more inclusive society,” says Backstrom’s citation.

Mould has worked as a veterinarian for decades at the Centennial Animal Hospital, has served as president of both the Manitoba and Canadian Veterinary Medical Associations and has been named both a provincial veterinarian of the year and the Canadian small animal practitioner of the year.

Ken Mould founded the blood bank, of which he is still president, and its foundation in 1995.

Since then, tens of thousands of dogs have donated blood which, as his citation reads, “helps ensure a reliable source of high-quality blood products across the country.

Mould also supports local and national nature conservation efforts. With his wife, Mould donated $250,000 to the Nature Conservancy of Canada to help the organization buy the site of old Fort Ellice to protect it and create nature trails.

Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal congratulated the Order of Canada recipients.

About Longhurst, Vandal said: “I read some of his columns — he is a good writer.”

Vandal said he was pleased to learn of Oake’s induction.

“I have so much respect for Scott, both as someone who works in the charitable sector now, and as a broadcaster. It seems like I grew up listening to Scott — lots of respect.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

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