Two Fulbright Canada alumni, two past board members of the Fulbright Canada Board of Directors, and Fulbright Canada’s President Emeritus in Residence have been named to the Order of Canada for their extraordinary achievements, dedication to their communities, and service to Canada. The Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest honours bestowed upon those who have devoted their lives to the enrichment of others.
In announcing the newest appointees to the Order of Canada, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, the Governor-General of Canada, described them as “shining examples of the commitment and outstanding contributions Canadians have made to the well-being of communities throughout this land.” These extraordinary members of the Fulbright Canada community are among 135 scholars, leaders, and advocates appointed to Canada’s highest honour.
We want to congratulate these exceptional members of the Fulbright Canada community for their tireless work, commitment to enhancing mutual understanding, and role in facilitating positive change and promoting social justice. They have genuinely had a direct impact on communities across Canada and worldwide.
“The Order of Canada is a signal honour. Mary Brooks, Deborah Chatsis, Ralph Nilson, Luc Vinet, and Barbara Stymiest are richly deserving of this honour. They have distinguished themselves, with no thought to recognition, as true champions of the values that we at Fulbright Canada cherish. I want to personally congratulate each of them for their unselfish and steadfast devotion to the notion that public service and personal responsibility are their rewards”.
Dr. Michael Hawes, President and CEO, Fulbright Canada
Alumni
Dr. Mary Brooks, C.M., Professor Emerita in the Rowe School of Business at Dalhousie University, was nominated for being “an internationally renowned scholar in the field of marine transportation, performance and supply chain management.” A Fulbright Scholar at George Mason University in 2005, Dr. Brooks examined the impact of security regulations on the U.S. maritime container trade. Dr. Brooks is the Founder and Chair of the Port Performance Research Network, a network of over 50 scholars engaging in port governance and port performance issues.
Deborah Chatsis, C.M., was nominated for her “leadership as the first woman of a First Nation to serve as Ambassador for Canada, and her advocacy of human rights around the globe.” A seasoned diplomat with over 30 years of experience as a member of Canada’s Foreign Service, Ms. Chatsis has served as Canada’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Canada’s Ambassador to Guatemala, and High Commissioner to Belize. In 2006, Deborah Chatsis took up a Fulbright - Government of Canada Mid-Career Professional Award at Harvard University to study federal states' implementation of international human rights obligations.
President Emeritus in Residence at Fulbright Canada
Dr. Ralph Nilson, C.M., President Emeritus in Residence at Fulbright Canada, was nominated for his “exemplary leadership as a university administrator, and for his student advocacy and commitment to the process of reconciliation.” A tireless educator and advocate from Nanaimo, B.C., Dr. Nilson served as the President and Vice-Chancellor of Vancouver Island University (VIU) for more than 12 years. Under his leadership, VIU implemented transformative programs that have developed the university’s national reputation for social justice, fuelled by a commitment to truth and reconciliation.
Fulbright Canada Board of Directors
Barbara Stymiest, C.M., member of the BlackBerry Board of Directors, was nominated for her “trailblazing efforts in Canada’s financial and business sectors, as well as for her mentorship and community engagement.” A seasoned corporate director, Stymiest is a former executive at Royal Bank of Canada, where she served as the Chief Operating Officer for over four years. Barbara Stymiest served on the Fulbright Canada Board of Directors from 2007 to 2012, promoting and encouraging diversity, access, and equity.
Dr. Luc Vinet, C.M., O.Q., a world-renowned Canadian theoretical physicist and mathematician, was nominated for his “pivotal role in the evolution of mathematical physics and for his leadership as an academic administrator.” Dr. Vinet has an outstanding record as an academic administrator, having served as the Rector of the Université de Montréal and as Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) at McGill University. Currently, Dr. Vinet is the Chief Executive Officer of IVADO, a multidisciplinary centre of advanced expertise that was born from a joint initiative of HEC Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal, and Université de Montréal. Dr. Luc Vinet served as Chair of the Fulbright Canada Board of Directors from 2012 to 2014 and dedicated over six years of leadership to the Foundation.
You can view the complete listing and press release on the Governor-General of Canada’s website.