Order of Canada goes to 2 advocates from northeastern Ontario
Diane Sims ‘surprised and delighted’ at being appointed a member of the Order of Canada
Two people from northeastern Ontario are new members of the Order of Canada.
Journalist and author Diane Sims, originally from Sault Ste. Marie, and lawyer Douglas Elliott, from Elliot Lake, were appointed to the Order of Canada on Dec. 18.
When Sims received the call to inform her that she'd be receiving the honour, she thought they had made a mistake.
"I said there's no way I deserve that," she said.
But once the news was able to sink in, Sims said she felt honoured to become a member of the Order of Canada.
"I was so surprised, so delighted, but so incredibly humbled," she said. "It's an honour, and it's beyond my wildest dreams."
In its description of Sims's contributions, the office of the Governor General of Canada said she is a "celebrated writer and accessibility advocate. Her publications include the internationally distributed An Ovarian Cancer Companion, as well as candid writings about her lifelong perseverance through medical hardships and her personal journey with medical assistance in dying."
The description also highlighted Sims's volunteerism with organizations focused on multiple sclerosis and ovarian cancer.
2SLGBTQ+ advocacy
Elliott was recognized for his work to "advance and protect 2SLGBTQI+ rights under Canadian law."
Elliott served as lead counsel in a class action lawsuit against the federal government regarding discrimination against 2SLGBTQ+ members of the military, RCMP and civil service, which has been referred to as the LGBT Purge.
"I never dreamed that the law was going to help gay people because during most of my life, up until that point, it had been used to persecute us," Douglas previously told CBC News.
Other Canadians appointed to the Order of Canada on Wednesday include movie star Ryan Reynolds, Holocaust survivor and educator Mariette Doduck, geneticist David Chitayat, curler Kevin Martin and Heather Rankin, a member of the award-winning band,The Rankin Family.
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon thanked the appointees for their "perseverance, fearless leadership and visionary spirit."
"Members of the Order of Canada are builders of hope for a better future. Each in their own way, they broaden the realm of possibilities and inspire others to continue pushing its boundaries," Simon said in a statement.
In all, 88 Canadians were appointed to the Order of Canada on Wednesday.
With files from Markus Schwabe