 Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Jeremy Brownridge, Private Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor and Executive Director here at Government House. Welcome to the Order of British Columbia Investiture Ceremony. Ladies and gentlemen, would you please rise for the arrival of the official party, including Her Honour of the Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, the Honourable John Horgan, Premier of British Columbia, and kindly remain standing for the singing of our national anthem. I'm delighted to introduce Melissa Irvine, an alumna of the Suke Youth Show Choir and Suke Community Choir, and a music performance major at the University of Victoria, accompanied by the Nadin Band of the Royal Canadian Navy. They'll now perform our national anthem, but as much as we would love to hear your voice today, we'll kindly ask you to refrain from singing. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Irvine, the Nadin Band, and the Quangenelder Butch Dick of the Song He's Nation. Your Honour, Premier, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct pleasure to welcome all the recipients of the Order of British Columbia. I'm a little bit rusty. Your guests and members of the OBC Advisory Council to this Investiture Ceremony. I'd also like to recognize those watching online who couldn't be with us in person here today, friends, family, previous recipients, nominators, and other distinguished guests. This Investiture Ceremony is taking place on the territory of the Laquangan Peoples, and we respectfully acknowledge the elders, chiefs of these territories, where we are guests here today. I am now honoured to call upon Elder Butch Dick, the Song He's First Nation, to provide a blessing of today's proceedings. I'll see you. I'll see you. Good evening, my friends and family. My first nation name is Eucalyptus, and I come from a Song He's Nation, and also the Squamalt Nation is included with that, and commonly referred to as the Laquangan-speaking people. So thank you for this honour this evening. I think the world needs words of blessing right now. So what is going on across the world needs all our hearts and spirits to speak to the people that are going through so much turmoil in their country. We all know that they didn't ask for it, but I think whatever way we pray, whether it's in song, or loud voice, or whisper, or even in a thought, it needs to be sent their way. It's heartbreaking to watch what's going on in this world, but we only can hope for a better tomorrow if we keep on thinking that way. So thank you for this honour to be here this evening. I come here representing my self and my family, and the community, and the chief and council, and they all send their best wishes to the recipients this evening. There are so many deserving people that need to be recognized, and I congratulate you on your receiving the Order of British Columbia. So I thank her honour and Premier John Horgan. I always look forward to seeing John and seeing him healthy. So thank you very much. Thank you so very much for those wise words. Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. I'm now delighted to introduce our director ceremonies this evening, Lucy Loeb Meyer, Secretary of the OBC Advisory Council, and Chief of Protocol for the province of British Columbia. Lucy. Thank you, Jeremy. We are here today to bestow the highest form of recognition the province can extend to its citizens on these outstanding British Columbians. Hundreds of people were nominated for the Order in 2020 and 2021. Many more are worthy of this honour than can be chosen each year. And I would like to thank the members of the advisory council for the care you took in making difficult decisions. I will ask members of the advisory council who are here with us today to stand as I say your name. The Honourable Robert Bowman, Chief Justice and Chair of the OBC Advisory Council. The Honourable Raj Chohan, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. Her Worship Maya Tate, Mayor of Suke and past President of the Union of BC Municipalities. Mr. Silas Brownsy, Deputy Minister IGRS. And Shirley Chan and Ruth Williams. Her Honour, the Lieutenant Governor is pleased to be the Chancellor of the Order. Please join me in thanking these individuals for their work on the advisory council. At this time, I would ask you to observe a moment of silence in memory of those members who have passed away since our last Investiture Ceremony in 2019. And in particular in memory of Mrs. Shashi Asenand who passed away last September and whose daughter is here today to accept the honour on her behalf. Thank you. And now I would like to move on to the Investiture Ceremony. Her Honour has instructed me to present to her these persons for Investiture with the Order of British Columbia and to read the letters patent conferring the order upon them. Recipients, please stand as you are able as I call your name and guests, please hold your applause until the recipients have been announced. Elizabeth II by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom, Canada and her other realms and territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, 2 Chief Joe Alphonse, Joe Average, Brenda Baptiste who is joining us virtually, Ryan Beattie, Francis Bellsburg, Dr. Gary Birch who is joining us virtually, Dr. Deborah Braithwaite, Michael Buble who is joining us virtually, Shirley Chan, Neil Cook who is joining us virtually, Jane Koop, AJ DeLaurie, Deborah Doucette, Paul George, Rusty Gopel, Dr. Bonnie Henry, John Horton, Dr. Mel Craggin, Carol Lee, Dr. James McEwen, Brian Minter, Dr. Janet Nadine Mort, Professor Andrew Petter, Tracy Porteus, Dr. Dolph Schluter, Eran and Ratana Stevens, Marvin Storo, Carol Taylor and Ruth Williams. No ye that in recognition of serving with the greatest distinction and excellence in a field of endeavor benefiting the people of the province of British Columbia or elsewhere on the nomination of our advisory council to the Order of British Columbia and with the approval and on the recommendation of the Executive Council, we do by these presence invest you with the Order of British Columbia and we do hereby admit you to the membership of the said order together with all in singular the rights privileges and advantages to the order pertaining or which of right ought to appertain to the same. In testimony whereof we have caused these our letters to remain patent and the great seal of our province to be here unto affixed. Witness the honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of our province of British Columbia in our city of Victoria, in our province in the 70th year of our reign by command. Recipients, congratulations. And if you'd all like to be seated, I'll now ask Jeremy to come back to the podium to read your citations. Thank you. Thank you Lucy. As we know the Lieutenant Governor is the Chancellor of the Order of British Columbia and as her honour's private secretary, I have the privilege of introducing each recipient and reading their citations. But first, congratulations again to you all. Just as a bit of briefing I'd like to say that one by one, I'll be calling each recipient in alphabetical order and I'll ask that you light the stage to my left as I read your citation and then I would ask that you kindly pause on this little square here. As I finish and once completed the reading of the citation, I would ask that you approach the second tee on the floor where her honour will present your insignia. And lastly, we'd ask that you pose for a photo in between the Premier and the Lieutenant Governor. Thank you. First of all, I'm delighted and honoured to call upon Chief Joe Alphonse of 150 Mile House. Chief Joe Alphonse led his Chilcotin people to the major Supreme Court of Canada 2014 Aboriginal Land title win. This led to work on recognition at the federal level as well as paved the way for the acceptance of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People at the federal and at the provincial levels. After the 2014 Court win, Chief Joe supported advocating for the exoneration of the six Chilcotin Chiefs who were unjustly executed to 157 years ago. Chief Joe was on the floor of the House of Commons to hear directly the acknowledgement of the Prime Minister of this historic wrong. The province of BC also exonerated the six War Chiefs. Your honour, Premier, may I present for the order of British Columbia Chief Joe Alphonse. Next, we will honour Shashi Asanand of Richmond. Our next recipient who was appointed to the order in 2020 very sadly passed away before she could attend an Investiture Ceremony. I will read her citation after which we'll ask her daughter Suneena Asan to come on stage to receive the insignia. The late Shashi Asanand established the Vancouver and Lower Mainland Multicultural Family Support Service Society 30 years ago. Since then, the society has provided multicultural, trauma-informed, culturally responsive services to thousands of immigrants, refugee and visible minority women, children and families who faced domestic violence. Through Ms. Asanand's vision and pioneering work, the society provides free and confidential services to people in more than 20 languages. These services are provided by workers who speak the same language, hail from the same culture and understand the immigrant experience. Your honour, Premier, I call Dr. Suneena Asanand to accept the framed insignia for her late mother, Shashi Asanand. To receive the insignia for the order British Columbia, I call upon Mr. Joe Average of Vancouver. Joe Average has been an important contributor to the BC, Canadian and international art scene since the mid-1980s when an HIV diagnosis moved him to focus exclusively on his art. Mr. Average frequently donates work to charitable causes such as Vancouver's annual Art for Life auction. His work has been used for such projects as a loving spoonful, a charity which provides meals to people with terminal illness and the Davie village. Mr. Average has also been selected to judge submissions for Vancouver's AIDS Memorial and anti-homophobia posters. Your honour, Premier, I present for the order British Columbia, Joe Average. And next, to receive the insignia for the order British Columbia, will be Ms. Brenda Baptiste of a Soyuz, coming into us virtually. There she is. Oh, I love it. In 2003, Brenda Baptiste was hired to coordinate the planning and operations for the $10 million first phase of the Incomeak Desert Cultural Centre that would celebrate the Seyalks culture and life in the desert context. The Soyuz Indian Band decided to open the centre to the public to assist with financial operations and to celebrate Indigenous Seyalks culture. Truly a precursor for reconciliation. Brenda also worked in collaboration with a team to develop a blueprint for the growth of Indigenous cultural tourism in BC, the first of its kind here in Canada. The strategy was the catalyst for incredible growth in Indigenous cultural tourism, 20 per cent each year on average, including revenues of more than $1.2 billion and 7,400 full-time jobs. Your honour, Premier, I present for the order British Columbia, Brenda Baptiste. Oh, Ms. Baptiste, with the help of your husband, Chief Clarence Louis, it's her honour's pleasure to welcome you to the order British Columbia. And we see a little baby there too, that's nice. Congratulations. To receive the insignia for the order British Columbia, we call upon Mr. Ryan Beattie of West Vancouver. Ryan Beattie is President of Beattie Development, BC's leading industrial developer and landlord. Beattie Development prides itself in operating a business that lives by its motto, built for good. For Ryan, it's about giving back and helping the community. In 2018, he established Beattie Luminaries, a $50 million scholarship fund for bright, driven students facing adversity. In 2011, he made a $22 million contribution to SFU to establish the Beattie School of Business. Recently, he chaired Lions Gates Hospital, successful $100 million fundraising campaign for an acute care building. Ryan and his wife, Cindy, support many organisations and feel that their philanthropic journey has only just begun. Your honour, Premier, I present for the order British Columbia, Mr. Ryan Beattie. To receive the insignia for the order British Columbia, I now call upon Mrs. Francis Belzberg of Vancouver. Since arriving in BC over 40 years ago, Francis Belzberg has championed numerous causes from healthcare and medical research to education and nurturing the next generation of Canadian leaders. 45 years ago, Francis co-founded the Distonia Medical Research Foundation with the mission to advance research, promote awareness, and support the well-being of those affected by the disease. Francis has been instrumental in the establishment of the ThinkAid Society to advance research and funding and raise awareness for HIV, AIDS, and partnered with the Government of Canada to create Action Canada, which is a joint initiative to inspire and support young Canadians and future public policy influencers. Francis received the Order of Canada in 1995. Your honour, Premier, I present for the order British Columbia, Francis Belzberg. Okay, to receive the insignia for the order British Columbia, we call upon Dr. Gary Birch of Vancouver who will be joining us virtually as well. Gary Birch is a Canadian Paralympian, an expert in brain-computer interface technology. He's changed the lives of people with disabilities by giving them greater independence through his research and developments in assistive technologies. Following a 1975 auto crash that left him quadriplegic, Dr. Birch became fascinated with assistive technology that improved the quality of life for people living with physical impairments. Under his leadership with the non-profit Neil Squire Society, over 10,000 people with disabilities have developed computer skills, found sustained employment, and become more active members of their communities. Dr. Birch also sits on many advisory committees and boards championing ways to foster the independence of people with disabilities all across Canada. Your honour, Premier, I present for the Order of British Columbia, Gary Birch. Dr. Birch with the kind assistance of wife Brenda Birch, it's her honour's pleasure to welcome you to the Order of British Columbia. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Dr. Deborah Braithwaite of Victoria. Dr. Deborah Braithwaite has been the public face of palliative care in our community having spent 34 years as the lead community physician at Victoria Hospice. She decided early in her career that she wanted to focus on helping people to die well at home. 30 years ago, for many, end of life was dealt with in hospital settings only and did not involve family. In the ensuing decades, of course, Victoria Hospice has grown and garnered an international reputation as a pioneer in innovative palliative care and now serves over 400 patients and their families at any one time. Your honour, Premier, I present for the Order of British Columbia, Dr. Deborah Braithwaite. Okay. Next, to receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, we call upon Michael Buble of Burnaby who'll be joining us virtually. Michael Buble is currently one of the most successful artists in the world. He's entertained and won the hearts of millions of people during the course of his phenomenal career as a singer and songwriter. He's the recipient of 13 Juno awards, four Grammy awards and has sold over 65 million records. A native and current resident of Burnaby, his childhood was spent attending Vancouver Canucks home games. His parents instilled in him a love for family and country and his grandfather fuelled his passion for music. His humanitarian commitments to give back to his community is represented by his support for the Canuck Place Children's Hospice, the BC Children's Hospital, the Burnaby Hospital Foundation and the RCMP. Additionally, he also supports several international charities which include the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, Children's Hospital in Argentina and Dog for Dog. His proudest achievement, however, is being the father to his three beautiful children. Your honour, Premier, may I present Michael Buble. Mr. Buble, with the help of your wife, Louise Sana, it's her honour's pleasure to welcome you to the order and we'll be delighted to pose for a photo. Thank you. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Ms. Shirley Chan of Vancouver. Shirley Chan is a third-generation advocate for her community and for people at risk of displacement, discrimination and marginalisation. Shirley's great-grandfather came to Canada for the Gold Rush, worked on BC Railways and started a successful import-export business in Vancouver's Chinatown. She worked with her parents who created the Strathcona Property Owners and Tenants Association in 1968 to successfully challenge city plans that would have displaced thousands of residents and run a freeway right through Vancouver. Shirley's volunteer work includes learning for a sustainable future, Pathway's Serious Mental Health Society, Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, Vancouver Chinatown Revitalisation Committee and Chinatown Historic Area Planning Committee. She also served on many boards including BC Hydro, PowerX, Van City Credit Union and UBC. Your honour, Premier, I present for the Order of British Columbia Shirley Chan. Next, to receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Mr. Neil Cook of Cranbrook, who will be joining us virtually. Neil Cook has provided extensive volunteer service to Cranbrook, the East Kootenay and BC. He has made a positive, lifelong impact through the lives of the three children he and his wife, Marilyn adopted. In addition to the 24 foster children they welcomed into their home and into their hearts. Neil has also volunteered much of his time with local nonprofits in areas such as mental health, homelessness and community services. He had the vision, determination and perseverance to lead the formation of what is now the community foundation of the Kootenay Rockies. His work resulted in the establishment and an effective and efficient foundation which now holds almost two and a half million dollars permanently invested in funds and returns annual grants eligible to community groups in perpetuity. Mr. Cook, with the help of your wife, Marilyn Cook, it's her honour's pleasure to welcome you to the Order of British Columbia. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Ms. Jane Coop of Vancouver. Pre-eminent concert pianist Jane Coop has performed with many of the world's finest orchestras, received four Juneau Award nominations and founded Skylark Music, a recording studio for West Coast, Canadian and international composers. By the age of 20, Jane had won such prestigious contests as the CBC National Young Performers Competition which drew a spotlight on her emerging talent and helped launch her long and successful career as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and recording artist. Her solo recitals have been performed for audiences and venues such as London's Wickmore Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York. For 33 years, Jane was distinguished UBC Professor of Piano and Chamber Music, her master classes have inspired students at schools and conservatories the world over. Your honour, Premier, I present for the Order of British Columbia, Jane Coop. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call on Mr. Ajay Dilawri of Vancouver. Ajay Dilawri is a leading entrepreneur whose vision, perseverance, leadership and social conscience continue to improve the lives of many people in our province. Ajay and his brothers Cap and Tony are the founders of the Dilawri Group, the largest automotive group in Canada with over 4,000 employees and 76 automotive dealerships. With 24 dealerships in BC, he supports more than 2,000 employees and their families right here in this province. Ajay's significant investment in electric vehicle development is helping address climate change and contributes to a greener economy. With a focus on children and healthy outcomes, the Dilawri Foundation has donated tens of millions of dollars to help charitable causes in healthcare, mental health, education, autism and public safety. Your honour, Premier, I present for the Order of British Columbia, Mr. Ajay Dilawri. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Ms. Deborah Doucette of North Vancouver. On her path to becoming President and CEO of BC-based investment firm, Audlem Brown, Deborah Doucette has been a pioneer in a traditionally male dominated industry. In 2007, she became the first female leader in the firm's then-84-year history, after serving as Chief Operating Officer for seven years. In 2019, Deborah was recognized by BC Business Magazine as one of the province's most influential women in the Trail Blazers category for her work to promote gender equity and finance. Her mentorship has been invaluable not only to colleagues at Audlem Brown, but to individuals throughout BC, through endeavours such as Minerva's CEO for a day, a program and her work with the UBC Sauder School of Business Faculty Advisory Board. Your honour, Premier, for the Order of British Columbia, I present Deborah Doucette. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Mr. Paul George of Gibson's. Over four decades, Paul George helped BC become a leader in environmental protection. He immigrated from the U.S. in 1968, collaborating with Haida leader Guja and others. His first campaign was to protect Guai Hanas, today a Haida heritage site and co-managed National Park Reserve. In 1980, George co-founded the Western Canada Wilderness Committee. Under his leadership, the organization grew to over 100,000 members and donors right across Canada. From 1980 to 2005, George led dozens of campaigns, building public support for wilderness protection. He co-authored over 120 educational newspapers to protect specific wilderness areas and endangered species. His tireless work resulted in the park protection of millions of hectares of wilderness and a lasting legacy for all British Columbians. Your honour, Premier, for the Order of British Columbia, I present Paul George. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Mr. Rusty Gopel of Vancouver. Rusty has made lasting contributions to BC's economic growth and social prosperity. His dedication to BC can be seen across five decades of work in a successful investment career, bringing employment and prosperity to people and businesses locally and nationwide. Through his key leadership and role in the 2010 Winter Olympics and his enduring support for many community causes that improved the lives of all British Columbians. In 1989, he co-founded Gopel Shields and Partners, bucking traditional business models to create an independent institutional brokerage where all employees shared in the successes. Starting with a staff of just 18, the company grew quickly throughout BC, Alberta and Ontario. Today, it is part of the largest independent investment dealer in the country, employing 700 people in BC alone. Your honour, Premier, I present for the Order of British Columbia, Mr. Rusty Gopel. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Dr. Bonnie Henry of Victoria. Be kind, be calm and be safe. For more than 20 months, Dr. Bonnie Henry has used this phrase to guide British Columbians through the COVID-19 pandemic in her role as provincial health officer. Dr. Henry has an extensive experience in public health, including responding to other significant health challenges such as the SARS outbreak in Toronto, the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, the Ebola crisis in Uganda and the polio eradication in Pakistan. She's recognised nationally and internationally for extensive knowledge and experience in public health over the past two decades and was specifically requested to represent Canada and support the World Health Organization and the Pan-American Health Organization. She's the author of Soap and Water in Common Sense and co-author with her sister Lynn of Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe. Four weeks that shaped a pandemic. Your honour, Premier, I present for the Order of British Columbia, Dr. Bonnie Henry. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Mr. John Malcolm Horton of Delta. Marine artist John Malcolm Horton has made significant contributions to the appreciation and safety of BC's coastal history and its waters through his paintings, which have been showcased in collections across Canada on commemorative coin designs for the Canadian Mint and in a lifetime of volunteer service to keep mariners safe. In his outstanding paintings, over 1,400 in number, John depicts the history of the coast of BC. For more than 40 years, he's been active in the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, Canadian Lifeboat Institution, Royal Naval Sailing Association, Royal Canadian Sea Cadets and the Naval Officers Association of British Columbia. He was instrumental in the development of the lifeboat institution and has used his own vessels to respond to over 890 incidents. Your honour, Premier, for the Order of British Columbia, I present John Horton. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, Dr. Mel Crashden of Vancouver. Dr. Crashden has been central to BC's global reputation and communicable disease control and innovative scholarship in public health sciences through his leadership in the BC Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory. He's made significant contributions to research on hepatitis, HIV, HPV and COVID-19. With the emergence of COVID-19, BC and Canada needed urgent access to rapid validated tests for the virus. Under Dr. Crashden's leadership and relying heavily on his exceptional expertise, he and his team were able to rapidly develop and assay for the province to commence testing in January 2020, weeks before other jurisdictions. Access to this test was an essential element in the management and control of the outbreak and the safety of all of us British Columbians. Your honour, Premier, I present for the Order of British Columbia, Dr. Mel Crashden. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Ms. Carol Lee of Vancouver. Carol Lee is the chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, a registered charity that she co-founded in 2011. The foundation is committed to the cultural, economic and physical revitalization of Vancouver's historic Chinatown. In this role, she spearheaded projects that create a lasting positive impact on affordable housing, seniors' housing, and cultural and economic development. These initiatives include a social housing project located in the downtown east side that will provide 231 new homes and a 50,000-square-foot health care centre, the May Roy Hotel, which provides low-income housing in Chinatown, and the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, Canada's first institution of its kind dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories of early Chinese Canadians whose contributions have shaped Canada's past, present, and future. Your honour, Premier, I present for the Order of British Columbia, Carol Lee. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Dr. James McEwan of Vancouver. Jim McEwan is a BC-based biomedical engineer, inventor, entrepreneur, philanthropist, mentor, volunteer, and a member of the Order of Canada. He revolutionized one aspect of medicine through his invention of the automatic surgical tourniquet, a medical device that has significantly improved surgical safety, quality, and efficiency around the world. Dr. McEwan received the Bachelor of Science in PhD degrees in electrical engineering from the University of British Columbia. He's led and founded many successful companies and organizations including Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre, Medical Bioengineering Department, Western Clinical Engineering Limited, Delphi Medical Innovations Incorporated, and the Medical Device Development Centre, which is a non-profit centre that facilitates the collaborative development and evaluation of new medical technologies. Your honour, Premier, for the Order of British Columbia, may I please present Dr. Jim McEwan. Next to receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Mr. Brian Mintner of Chilliwack. Thousands of British Columbians are better informed and more inspired gardeners because of Brian Mintner. Those indeed include the 460 active volunteer gardeners here at Government House. His family is acclaimed 32-acre Mintner Gardens, was a top visitor destination for years and today passionate gardeners still flock to the Mintner Country Garden for advice and inspiration. A recipient of the Order of Canada, he's the best-selling author and regular garden commentator on the CBC and the BBC, a TV guest, gardening columnist in the provincial, national, and international newspapers, and former host of a gardening series on the Knowledge Network. Your honour, Premier, for the Order of British Columbia, I present Brian Mintner. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Dr. Janet Mort of Central Saanich. Dr. Janet Mort is an internationally acclaimed innovative literacy curriculum designer, author of two books, Organiser and Speaker. She's also responsible for the reading success of countless vulnerable primary learners. Upon retirement in 2007, after a 35-year career as a teacher, principal and superintendent of schools on Vancouver Island, Dr. Mort attained a Ph.D. in language and literacy. Still determined to address the unmet needs of struggling primary students, Dr. Mort aligned her research and vast experience to develop her joyful literacy interventions program. She formulated an effective assessment, teaching and tracking paradigm that educates children through playful activities. Your honour, Premier, for the Order of British Columbia, may I present Dr. Janet Mort. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Professor Andrew Petter of Victoria. Over a lifetime of service to the province, Andrew Petter's visionary leadership has had a transformative impact on public policy, legal education, university engagement, and community betterment. As a provincial cabinet minister, Andrew led efforts to end legal discrimination against same-sex couples, develop a mandate for the Nishka Treaty negotiations, create BC's First Forest Practices Code, and promote greenways and heritage preservation in the capital region. Andrew was recognized with the Order of Canada for these efforts as well as for his leadership in advancing university community engagement and higher education throughout the country. Your honour, Premier, may I present for the Order of British Columbia, Andrew Petter. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Ms. Tracey Porteus of Victoria. Tracey Porteus' commitment to survivors of gender-based violence and those who support them began when she started volunteering at the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre at the age of 19. Her experience was so meaningful that she decided to dedicate her life to the cause. Now, 40 years later, Tracey's credited for growing the Victoria Centre from two staff to 22, founding and leading the 300 Programme Strong Ending Violence Association of BC, co-creating and leading a cross-sectoral program ensuring BC's response systems are working collaboratively, creating the award-winning Be More Than a Bystander Programme, a gender-based violence prevention initiative that engages men and boys to speak up to GBV, co-founding the Ending Violence Association of Canada, a national body working to advance policy, and co-creating the CFL's policy on violence against women intervention. Your honour, Premier, may I present for the Order of British Columbia, Tracey Porteus. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, call upon Dr. Dolph Schluter of Vancouver. Dr. Schluter is the world's foremost authority on the role that ecology plays in the origin and divergence of new species. His work has fundamentally changed our understanding of evolution, revealing the ecological mechanisms driving the origin of species and probing the factors generating and maintaining biodiversity. Dr. Schluter's seminal book, The Ecology of Adaptive Radiation, has received universal praise as one of the most important treatises on speciation and the origin of ecological diversity since Darwin's. Throughout his research career, Dr. Schluter has combined creative experimental studies in decisive field observations and novel analytical tools to push the field forward and earn his reputation as the leading evolutionary ecologist worldwide. Your honour, Premier, for the Order of British Columbia, I present Dr. Dolph Schluter. Next, to receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Erin and Ratna Stevens of Vancouver. Erin and Ratna Stevens are the co-founders and co-owners of Nature's Path, which is a family-owned and operated enterprise based in Richmond and one of the world's leaders in organic food manufacturing and distributing companies. The Stevens began with a modest restaurant and today their business is built on the philosophy of ethical business practice, sustainability, altruism, and now employing over 700 people selling products in over 50 countries. Between personal donations and the charitable contributions of their company, they have donated over 40 million dollars to support worthy causes in BC, the rest of Canada, and internationally. Many institutions have benefited from their philanthropy, including UBC, UVIC, the Vancouver General Hospital, and the BC Children's Hospital, as well as the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Your honour, Premier, for the Order of British Columbia, may I present Erin and Ratna. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Mr. Marvin Storo of Vancouver. Apart from his extraordinary achievements at the Supreme Court of Canada, Marvin Storo is a senior litigation partner practicing a diverse realm of law. An ardent author and speaker, he contributes greatly to the knowledge of a wide range of legal matters and concerns. Marvin served or serves 23 professional associations, provincially, nationally, and internationally. He's a lifetime supporter of legal aid. Early in Marvin's career, he was a chairman of the Legal Aid Society and said he completed one out of every seven legal aid cases in BC. He's a community leader. Marvin continues to volunteer and offer services pro bono. He and his family support educational endowments for First Nations and other learners at several post-secondary institutions. Your honour, Premier, I present for the Order of British Columbia, Marvin Storo. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Ms. Carol Taylor of Vancouver. Carol Taylor has been in public service virtually all of her life. From her very early career as a journalist covering politics to serving as a politician, herself to advising politicians, as well as business and community leaders. As a young journalist, Carol covered politics and worked as an investigative reporter at CTV and CBC television networks. She then migrated to politics herself, being elected as an independent Vancouver City Councilor in 1986 and as MLA for Vancouver-Langara in 2005. She was appointed finance minister, during which time she introduced four provincial budgets and oversaw the implementation of BC's groundbreaking carbon tax. Your honour, Mr. Premier, for the Order of British Columbia, I call on Carol Taylor. To receive the insignia for the Order of British Columbia, I call upon Ms. Ruth Williams of Kamloops. Ruth Williams was born in Big Bar Creek, a remote and isolated community and was raised by a single mother with six siblings. Ruth became a determined visionary and selfless individual who has done everything to improve the life of Indigenous peoples. Her passion and dedication for improving the health and well-being of Indigenous children and families can be seen through her involvement in numerous community and government committees for advancing a health care system that supports Indigenous peoples, supporting families and children in care, promoting early child education for Indigenous children, and developing health programs and services for Indigenous peoples. Not only has she directly impacted many Indigenous lives, but she's worked to improve the systems and policies that negatively impact Indigenous peoples. Your honour, Premier, I present for the Order of British Columbia, Ruth Williams. And that, ladies and gentlemen, completes the citations. What an outstanding group of inductees. Congratulations. All right, ladies and gentlemen, please join me once again in congratulating all of the 2020 and 2021 recipients of the Order of British Columbia. I'd now like to call on her honour, the Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant-Governor, to deliver her remarks. Your honour. Good evening, friends. It's wonderful to be among all of you this evening, and I mean that so, so very sincerely. I think I better be quick because I'm hungry, and I'm sure the rest of you are as well, but I do have a few brief comments to make and some thank yous. First, I'd like to thank Elder Butch Dick for the gift of a traditional blessing and for the, I think, really inspiring words that he shared with us tonight about the importance of providing compassion and support and kindness to people around the world. To Chief Justice Bowman, the Honourable Raj Chuhan, and all the members of the Advisory Council, you have done us proud today. And I also understand that birthday greetings are in order for the Honourable Raj, and so we're not allowed to sing, but we're with you in spirit. Happy birthday. And also my thanks also to Mr. David Valentine and Superintendent Glenn Greenhill, who joined me today as my honorary aides to camp. It's wonderful to work with these two, even if people sometimes think they're the Lieutenant-Governor, but oh well. So it really is my enormous privilege to welcome all of you here to Government House to celebrate the investiture of these 32 truly remarkable British Columbians. I can't tell you how thrilled I am to have you here in person. This is our first major event in two years, and we very much look forward to having many more. We're delighted to be opening Government House just in time to celebrate Her Majesty's 70-year reign and looking forward over the next year to celebrating with all of you. Throughout her reign, our Queen has served us with great dignity and has earned the respect of people around the world. She's given us a symbol of courteous stability, of dignity, and self-sacrifice. She's a symbol of female power, but also a symbol of restrained self-governing power, and that is a leadership quality we could use a lot more of in the world today. Over the past two years, in British Columbia and really around the world, we've witnessed examples of extraordinary leadership to match these extraordinary times. This past week, we've seen the courage and selfless determination of the Ukrainian peoples as they fight to defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their democracy, and not just for themselves, but for all of us. They remind us of the fragility of democracy and of the responsibility that we all share to uphold democratic values, principles, and institutions, and to work for peace in an increasingly turbulent world. Courageous and inspiring leadership comes in many forms, and here in our province we've been blessed with many recent examples. Today we celebrate you, the very best of British Columbia. In hearing the citations this evening, one cannot but be struck by the remarkable diversity of the contributions that we honor today. You've helped us to grow as a province and become a more just, caring, and inclusive society. You've shown us the brutal harms of colonization and inspired us to work towards the full realization of reconciliation in all its dimensions. You've enriched our lives with literature, with art, and with education. You've taught us to care for our environment and shown us that we must deal with the carbon that is melting our ice caps, choking our planet, and threatening our very existence. We've been humbled by the compassion and humanity of those who care for the most vulnerable among us, and we honor the steadfast purpose of our public health leaders, our scientists, and health professionals, some of whom have successfully guided us through two pandemic years, but whose vision for the health of humanity is so much bigger. We're fortunate indeed to find homes in this province of unparalleled beauty, diverse cultures, and abundant resources and opportunity. Our province has enormous strengths, but the challenges we face are complex and interrelated, climate change, reconciliation, poverty, and inequality, and the restructuring of our economy and society flowing from accelerating technological advance. Our readiness to meet these challenges and the very stability of our society depends to a large degree on the contributions of exemplary citizens such as yourselves, contributions that are all the more to be valued in this increasingly fractious world. And so I thank you for showing us that we can be more than individual actors, engaged in pursuits that serve our own self-interest, but rather as citizens who share responsibility for each other and for our planet and act accordingly. It is sometimes said that the greatest gift possible is a gift of oneself, and we owe you all so much gratitude for giving that gift so very generously to all of us. You're an inspiration to British Columbians, and you're certainly an inspiration to me. You give me hope for a better world, and I am deeply honored to be in your company this evening. Hychka, Mercy, thank you, and enjoy the evening. Thank you, your honor. Now I would like to call on the Premier of British Columbia, the Honorable John Horgan, to provide remarks. Premier? Thank you, Lucy. The suits from 2014 and the mustaches from 1984, and we're both glad to be here this evening to share in an extraordinary event. That is the celebration of extraordinary people. Only one of you in here is average, and he's extraordinary as well. So I want to say from the bottom of my heart how much of an honor and a privilege is it for me to, on behalf of all British Columbians, thank you for the sacrifices and contributions that all of you have made in different endeavors throughout your lifetimes to make British Columbia the place it is today. It's been years now since we've been able to gather like this, and I shutter to tell you that the only thing separating you from a very delightful meal is an Irish descendant who kissed the Blarney Stone in 2001 and hasn't stopped talking since, and there is no clock here. The speaker cannot cut me off, so I apologize for that, and I hope you had a snack before you sat down. I also want to thank Butch Dick for his getting us started in a good way. Butch and I are dear friends, and it's an honor to be here on the traditional territory of the Kong and speaking people, the song he's in Skwimawp, First Nation. The next time I see Butch will be at a Victoria Shamrock's lacrosse game, and he will be beating that drum very, very loudly to the delight of those on one side of the arena, and to the disappointment of those sitting right in front of him. But it is with admiration for all of you, the contributions you've made, we haven't been able to gather and see each other face to face for some time, and I'm delighted to see many of you for the first time in a few years, and Bonnie, it's good to see you again this week, I'll see you tomorrow. But it is all of you together from the various walks of life that Janet touched upon, philanthropists, medical breakthroughs, public health officials, entrepreneurs, artists, those who have been helping the vulnerable, those who have spoken up for those who have no voice, Professor Petter who taught me everything I know, one of which was to keep the wanting more, so I'm near the end of my remarks this evening, but it is two years since we've been able to gather, and I'm so delighted that we were able to do both years together tonight, and to see so many people who have made such a profound contribution to who we are as British Columbians, we all know that we are among the most fortunate people on the planet, and as we think of the past two years, whether it be the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, a heat dome, an atmospheric river, the revelations or the reminders of the lost lives of Indigenous children at residential schools and Indian hospitals throughout our history, it reminds us of how much we need to be accountable for, and how much we need to be accountable to each other, and at a time when we're looking at war in Europe for the first time in 80 years, it reminds us again of the resilience of the human condition, to watch the Ukrainian population standing up to the tanks and the bombs, to see people in Canada rallying together, opening up their hearts and their homes to the prospect of refugees coming to Canada, as they have come in the past, whether they be Syrian, whether they be Afghani, whether they be Vietnamese, we as a people are extraordinary, you among the most extraordinary, 475 British Columbians have received the Order of British Columbia, you are in a rarefied company and you are inspirations to all of us, to Janet, to myself, to all of us, on behalf of British Columbia, keep up the good work, I know all of you have much more in you, Vani, I'll see you tomorrow. Thank you, Premier Horgan. Ladies and gentlemen, especially those tuning in on the live stream, thank you very much for being with us today to celebrate these worthy British Columbians. The official party members of the advisory council and the 2020 recipients are about to leave for their group photograph. The 2021 recipients will be called for their photograph shortly. Now would you please stand for God Save the Queen and remain standing while the official party, the 2020 recipients and the advisory council leave the ballroom for their photograph. Thank you.