‘It’s quite humbling’: 10 Manitobans to join Order of Canada

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This article was published 29/12/2021 (1465 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA — Ten extraordinary Manitobans will join the Order of Canada, Rideau Hall announced Wednesday, with Murray Sinclair reaching the award’s highest rank.

Sinclair, Manitoba’s first Indigenous judge, led the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada on residential schools, served as a senator, and continues to advocate for anti-racism and reconciliation.

The St. Andrews resident will be invested as a Companion of the Order, the highest domestic honour for civilians.

He was not available for an interview ahead of the Wednesday announcement.

Anti-poverty researcher Evelyn Forget will be invested as an Officer of the Order, the second-highest rank, for her work as a leading health economics researcher.

“It’s a little bit intimidating; you think, ‘Holy cow, do I deserve this?’” she said with a laugh.

Forget’s work has analyzed everything from the cost-effectiveness of various vaccines, how provinces can estimate intensive care surge capacity, and the devolution of First Nations health-care services.

“A lot of our policy is based in many cases on ideology; on assumptions we make about how people behave or what we think will pay off,” she said.

“It’s sometimes a surprise when we look at the evidence, when we pull the numbers out and see things we thought would pay off don’t pay off, and sometimes very small investments can make tremendous changes in people’s lives.”

Forget’s passion has been making the case for a universal basic income, dredging up data from the large 1970s Mincome study conducted in Manitoba.

She’s passionate about implementing a permanent minimum income, an idea that has gained traction since the rollout of COVID-19 benefits, though Forget noted programs such as CERB faced much tighter scrutiny than more expensive programs for the corporate sector.

“We need to recognize poverty has a real cost, and we pay those costs all the time,” she said. “We’ve always been prepared to blame.”

Another Manitoban joining the Order will be elder and historian Ruth Christie, who descends from Cree communities and the Selkirk settlers.

“It was a real pleasure and pride that I could share this (award with) so many people that were outstanding,” said Christie, a knowledge keeper who help bring an Indigenous perspective into many Manitoba institutions, including as an interpreter at Lower Fort Garry.

“Its just so good I can share these stories now with my grandchildren, that we have a history that is positive and has contributed to the birth of Canada, as it is today,” said Christie, 81.

She was trained as a nurse, the first from her remote community of Loon Straits, and served at nursing stations across northern Manitoba, giving her a chance to learn history directly from various First Nations.

Christie has presented abroad and across Canada on her ancestors, including Joseph Monkman and John Ramsay, both of whom had key roles in the settling of Manitoba.

Ramsay, for example, helped Icelandic settlers adjust to the climate of the Interlake. In 1876, a smallpox epidemic devastated Gimli’s Indigenous and Icelandic communities, but Ramsay helped get it under control by bringing in doctors and curtailing the fishery.

Christie sees a parallel to the importance of working together to overcome COVID-19. “It’s a very challenging time, but we mustn’t lose hope.”

Winnipeg philanthropist and businessman Bob Silver will also join the Order, in recognition of work building city institutions.

“It’s quite humbling, and when I look at the list of people receiving this, I’m even more humbled,” said Silver, co-owner of the Winnipeg Free Press.

“You should use (success) in a constructive way, to help others,” said Silver, encouraging Manitobans entering business to have pillars in their life, including their career, volunteering and building up other people.

“If you can connect them all, that would be true success, like a stool needs three legs.”

He said people whose ancestors endured Manitoba’s tough climate can surely weather the pandemic, as difficult as COVID-19 has been.

“I’ve never seen Winnipeggers or Manitobans support each other quite the same way, whether it’s buying local or supporting local charities wherever possible.”

The Order of Canada recipients announced Wednesday will have to wait for the ceremony, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon will present their insignia at later dates at Rideau Hall in Ottawa; these ceremonies typically occur four times a year.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca