by Emma Paidra, Canadian Jewish News
(The CJN) – At least five Jewish Canadians were among the 61 people appointed to the Order of Canada and announced by Governor General Louise Arbour on June 26. Included amongst those honoured is a molecular biophysicist originally from Edmonton — whose father is also a member of the Order of Canada — and an expert in gynecological oncology.
Since its founding in 1967, close to 8,800 people have been appointed or promoted within the Order. The award “recognizes people across all sectors of society who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to our nation.”
Dr. Lewis Kay, a University of Toronto professor and SickKids senior scientist, was first appointed to the Order in 2016. With the most recent round of appointments, he was promoted to the title of “Companion,” the highest level within the Order of Canada. To date, roughly 500 Canadians have been awarded this title.
Kay’s father, Cyril Kay, was also appointed to the Order of Canada in 1995. “To be able to have that commonality with somebody who had a big impact on you is a real joy,” says Kay. “There is no doubt that winning awards in isolation is not nearly as much fun as being able to share them with other people.” Not only are both father and son members of the Order of Canada, but they also share a professional field, as Cyril Kay is a biochemist.
Passing on a passion for biochemistry to younger generations is important to Kay, who occasionally shows high school students on school trips around his lab to discuss his field of study. “When I get up in front of a crowd of kids and I’m able to excite them, I’ll ask ‘When you come to university, would you like to take a course with me?’” he says. “When they put up their hands and say ‘Yeah,’ that’s the best feeling.”
“We all like to get patted on the backs, but I think that just doing what I do and getting satisfaction from it is important,” Kay told The CJN. “When I see a nice result or an experiment that worked, that’s very meaningful.”
The other four Jewish honourees appointed to the Order of Canada this year are: Dr. Allan Covens (Toronto), Dr. Trevor Hurwitz (Vancouver), Niv Fichman (Toronto) and Lorne Segal (Vancouver).
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