Eleven Manitobans will be invested into the Order of Manitoba, the province’s highest honour, at a special ceremony Thursday, presided over by Lt-Gov.Janice Filmon,chancellor of the order.
The Order of Manitoba was established to recognize Manitobans who have demonstrated excellence and achievement, which have enriched the social, cultural or economic well-being of the province and its residents.
Those to be invested at the ceremony are:
• Paul Albrechtsen, a trucking magnate, business leader, philanthropist and founder of one of the leading bulk transport services in Western Canada;
• Marileen Bartlett, a Métis woman, community leader and entrepreneur, who has dedicated more than 30 years to leadership in the field of Indigenous employment and training;
• Maria De Nardi, who has contributed to the enrichment of Italian culture in Manitoba, was a founder of the Lupa di Roma Sons of Italy organization and was instrumental in creating the Manitoba chapter of the Italian Chamber of Commerce;
• Dr. Dhali Dhaliwal, past president and CEO of CancerCare Manitoba (2003-13) who introduced many leading-edge advancements in the prevention, rapid diagnosis and treatment of cancer;
• Chief Betsy Kennedy, the longest-serving female chief in Manitoba, who has overseen the development of many health, environmental and economic additions to her community;
• Dr. Gary Kobinger, one of the world’s leading researchers in the global fight against Ebola, who has been deployed to Africa several times to fight Ebola at its origin, helping to reduce the risk of it spreading to Canada;
• Wanda Koop, one of Canada’s pre-eminent contemporary artists and community activists, who has made a substantial contribution to Canadian art and also founded Art City, offering free art programs for inner-city youth;
• Reggie Leach, ‘The Riverton Rifle’ became one of the most gifted hockey players of his generation, who was twice named to the all-star team and also played for Team Canada in 1976;
• Bernadette Smith, best known for her dedication to pursuing justice for Canada’s missing and murdered Indigenous girls and women, is a leader in her community and across Canada;
• Susan Thompson, the first woman mayor of Winnipeg who saw the city through the flood of 1997 and who also served as the founding president and CEO of the University of Winnipeg Foundation; and
• Wanbdi Wakita, a Dakota spiritual leader who has spent more than 30 years working as an elder in federal, provincial and territorial prisons and is devoted to teaching and healing the relationship between First Nations and non-First Nations people.