Sylvias up for Order of Manitoba

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This article was published 13/05/2009 (6321 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG – A pair of Sylvias is receiving Manitoba’s highest honour this summer.

One says she will never forget this place; the other says she will never leave it.

Foreign trade and economics expert Sylvia Ostry and Winnipeg TV weather specialist Sylvia Kuzyk will receive the Order of Manitoba on July 15 at the legislature.

They join filmmaker Guy Maddin and infectious disease expert Dr. Frank Plummer among the dozen new inductees announced Tuesday.

"Each has made a unique mark on this province and its people with achievements that both impress and inspire," Lt.-Gov. John Harvard said in a prepared statement.

"I’m overwhelmed by it," said Kuzyk, who has been in broadcasting for more than 30 years. "There’s something to be said for sticking around for a while."

In addition to being a Manitoba TV icon, Kuzyk is an ardent supporter of the arts, community and charitable events.

Earlier in her career, the congenial Kuzyk spent many weekends helping out at the many community events to which she was invited.

"I had to eventually allow some time for myself. It got to be a little hectic," she said.

But it strengthened her ties to the province.

"Winnipeg — and Manitoba — it’s the most amazing place where I have my roots and my ties. I can’t imagine living anywhere else."

Ostry says growing up here encouraged her love of ideas and gave her a broad world view.

"It was a very interesting, multicultural city," said Ostry, who left nearly 60 years ago and now lives in Toronto, where she is a distinguished research fellow at the University of Toronto’s Munk Centre for International Studies. The 81-year-old has served as Canada’s chief statistician, first female deputy minister, chairwoman of the Economic Council of Canada and head of the department of economics and statistics for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris.

Born Sylvia Knelman to a teacher from England and father from the eastern European city of Odessa, Ostry was raised and surrounded by hard-working thinkers in Winnipeg. "Like many of the immigrants, they determined that the best way to succeed in this country was education and study and hard work," said Ostry. "They were very interested in ideas, and culture was very important."

She remembers world-famous dancers and opera singers performing in Winnipeg.

"You have to ask yourself, how this is possible at that time in the middle of the Prairies?" said Ostry, a companion of the Order of Canada with honorary degrees from 18 universities, including Winnipeg and Manitoba.

The other 2009 recipients are:

"ö Abdo (Albert) El Tassi, "a leader in the Muslim community and promoter of peace and tolerance"

"ö Yhetta Miriam Gold, "visionary advocate for seniors and the disabled"

"ö Kevin P. Kavanagh, "business leader, education advocate and philanthropist"

"ö Roland Mahé, "longtime artistic director of Cercle Molière and promoter of the French language, culture and theatre"

"ö Joseph Meconse, "Dene elder and Manitoba representative for aboriginal veterans in Canada"

"ö Corinne Scott, "pioneer, role model and advocate for women in policing in Canada"

"ö Emöke Szathmáry, "president emeritus, University of Manitoba"

"ö Josephine Wright "who has provided decades of service to her community with the United Way of Winnipeg".

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca