Order of Manitoba 2017 recipients announced

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This article was published 12/05/2017 (3098 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The names of 12 Manitobans who will be invested into the Order of Manitoba were announced Friday.

They will be honoured July 13 in a special ceremony that recognizes the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

The Order of Manitoba, the province’s highest honour, was established in 1999 to recognize Manitobans who have demonstrated excellence and achievement, thereby enriching the social, cultural or economic well-being of the province and its residents.

“The exceptional women and men to be invested into the Order of Manitoba serve to inspire us all and reinforce that we all have the power to make a difference,” said Lt.-Gov. Janice C. Filmon, chancellor of the order, in a news release. “The vast and varied contributions made by these individuals, whether their impact is felt on the local, national or international level, are most worthy of acknowledgement and acclaim. We are proud to celebrate the passion and leadership of these great Manitobans. “

Appointments to the order are made by the chancellor on the recommendations of an advisory council. Once invested, members are entitled to use the initials O.M. after their names for life and will have their names placed on permanent display in the Legislative Building.

Those to be invested at the 2017 ceremony are:

• David Angus, former president and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, was instrumental in the creation of Winnipeg’s World Trade Centre. Angus was also involved in the work of the Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council.

• Marlene Bertrand, a specialist in family violence intervention and prevention for over three decades, has helped shape public policy and program responses to family violence. She also founded and co-chaired the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Domestic Violence.

• Doreen Brownstone is a Manitoba actor whose talents have entertained audiences across Canada for over six decades. At the age of 94, she is one of the oldest working professional stage actors in Canada and has appeared in more than 100 theatrical productions.

• Selwyn (Sel) Burrows is chair of Winnipeg’s Point Douglas Residents Committee and a co-ordinator of the Point Powerline, which works to improve the inner-city neighbourhood and rid it of gangs, drugs and derelict houses. Under his leadership, North Point Douglas has seen a significant reduction in the crime rate as residents have worked to take back their community.

• Philipp R. Ens is a founding partner of Triple E. Canada Ltd. based in Winkler, Man. His wide-ranging community service is extensive, spanning local, provincial and national boards, organizations and initiatives. He was president of the former P.W. Enns Family Foundation, a charity that has supported such projects as the Heritage Centre, located at Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, as well as a hospital in Taiwan.

• Anne Lindsey has dedicated her life’s work to environmental sustainability and social justice. Under her 23-year leadership at the Manitoba Eco-Network, she mentored many young activists and helped to create a strong network focused on fostering non-partisan education and citizen participation in pressing environmental and natural resource issues.

• Lisa Meeches is a TV and film producer whose commitment to her craft and community has been guided by her Aboriginal culture and spirituality. She has served on several local and national boards related to her industry and her community, and has also been a driving force behind the success of the annual Manito Ahbee Festival.

• Dr. Rey D. Pagtakhan practised and did research as a lung specialist and professor of pediatrics, entered politics and became the member of Parliament for Winnipeg North-St. Paul from 1988 to 2004 including as federal regional minister for Manitoba. Having served as a leader in the Manitoba Filipino and Canada’s ethno-cultural communities, his volunteer community service before and after politics has been extensive. He currently serves on the Advisory Council of Immigration Partnership Winnipeg.

• Dr. Phillip James (Jim) Peebles, an award-winning physicist, is the Albert Einstein Professor of Science Emeritus at Princeton University and one of the world’s leading theoretical cosmologists.

• Robert (Bob) Picken was a broadcaster and journalist for more than six decades. His lifetime contribution to curling includes roles as an administrator, volunteer and curler and serving as the first media officer of the World Curling Federation in 1992.

• Paul Robson is a former educator and Winnipeg Blue Bomber who went on to become assistant manager and then general manager of the Winnipeg Football Club.

• Beverly Suek is the founder of Women’s Housing Initiative Manitoba, an alternative housing concept for older women who prefer not to live alone. A member of Grands ’n’ More, which raises funds for grandmothers in Africa who care for children orphaned by AIDS, she also initiated the development of Winnipeg’s first birthing centre and was a co-founder of the Manitoba Women’s Enterprise Centre, Women’s Music and Cultural Festival, Women’s Employment Counselling Centre and the SDB Housing Co-operative. Suek also started Kali Shiva AIDS Services in Winnipeg, now known as Sunshine House, and organized volunteers to assist people with AIDS to help them stay in their homes as long as possible.