UBC community members among new Order of Canada appointees ...
On December 18, 2024, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, announced 88 new appointments to the Order of Canada. A number of the most recent appointments have ties to UBC, as faculty members and alumni.
The Order of Canada is one of Canada’s highest honours. It was created in 1967 to honour people whose service shapes our society, whose innovations ignite our imaginations, and whose compassion unites our communities. Its Companions, Officers and Members take to heart the motto of the Order: DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM (“They desire a better country”).
Read the full list of recipients here.
Officers of the Order of Canada (O.C.)Marco Antonio Marra, O.C., O.B.C. (Professor, Department of Medical Genetics)
Marco Marra propelled Canada to the forefront of genome research. A world-renowned scientist, he led large-scale initiatives and groundbreaking work in sequencing the SARS coronavirus genome, and highlighted the underlying causes of cancers and new treatment strategies. Formerly director of Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, he continues the global fight against cancer.
Tricia Catherine Smith, O.C. (Alum, Peter A. Allard School of Law)
Tricia Smith has been a passionate advocate for sport for decades. She has been an esteemed leader in numerous roles, including president of the Canadian Olympic Committee and member of the International Olympic Committee. She continues to champion women in sport and the unique value of sports in society.
This is a promotion within the Order.
Maureen Constance Boyd, C.M. (Alum, UBC Faculty of Arts)
Maureen Boyd is a communicator, connector and community builder with expertise in advocacy, government and public policy. She has served Canada domestically and internationally, and is noted for leading non-profit organizations for four decades. She helped strengthen democracies as chair of the Parliamentary Centre, and supported immigrant and Indigenous families as founding chair of the Mothers Matter Centre.
Morna Edmundson, C.M. (Alum, UBC Faculty of Arts)
Morna Edmundson is an award-winning choral director and the co-founder of the Elektra Women’s Choir. An inspiring mentor whose innovative programming, commissions and engagement serve as a lasting legacy for the choral community, she has helped establish Vancouver’s national and worldwide reputation as a choral mecca.
Please let us know if we have missed any current, former or UBC-affiliated faculty members or UBC alumni from this listing.
