UBC community members among new Order of Canada appointees

Three Order of Canada medals.

On June 27, 2024, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, announced 83 new appointments to the Order of Canada. Many of the most recent appointments have ties to UBC, as faculty members, researchers, alumni, and supporters.

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.)

Yusuf Altintas, O.C. (Professor, UBC Faculty of Applied Science)
A professor of mechanical engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Yusuf Altintas continues to push the limits of manufacturing. The founder and director of UBC’s Manufacturing Automation Laboratory, he is a world leader in the fields of metal cutting dynamics and the computer control of machine tools. An exceptional mentor, he has also contributed to cultural and educational organizations worldwide.

Mellissa Veronica Fung, O.C. (Alum, UBC Faculty of Arts)
Mellissa Fung is an acclaimed veteran correspondent, author and documentary filmmaker. After being kidnapped in Kabul during her coverage of the war in Afghanistan in 2008, she chronicled her harrowing experiences in her best-selling book, Under an Afghan Sky: A Memoir of Captivity. Through her riveting films, she has become a powerful advocate for women and girls in war-torn countries, giving a voice to victims and calling for greater international protection.

Chit Chan Gunn, O.C., O.B.C.
Chan Gunn has shared the benefits of his innovative chronic pain treatment, intramuscular stimulation (IMS), with the world. He continues to broaden its impact through increased training and research, as well as philanthropic investments in academic programs and professorships. His substantial and transformative gift to the University of British Columbia led to the establishment of the Chan Gunn Pavilion, an integrated space for exercise science and sports medicine.
This is a promotion within the Order.

Lindsay Machan, O.C. (Associate Professor, UBC Faculty of Medicine)
Lindsay Machan is an early Canadian proponent of interventional radiology. A clinical practitioner at the Vancouver Hospital and an associate professor at the University of British Columbia, he continues to innovate while guiding others on their own paths to growth and success. His company created and licensed the paclitaxel coated stent, which has improved the lives of people with peripheral arterial disease.


Members of the Order of Canada (C.M.)

John Allan Cairns, C.M., O.B.C. (Dean Emeritus, UBC Faculty of Medicine; Alum, UBC Faculty of Medicine)
John Cairns has made major international contributions to cardiology, notably demonstrating the benefits of aspirin for patients with unstable angina, helping millions worldwide. As dean of medicine at the University of British Columbia, he led efforts toward its two-fold expansion. He also served with several academic societies and holds many elected fellowships, including with Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, for which he served as president.

Jane Knott Hungerford, C.M., O.B.C. (Alum, UBC Faculty of Education)
Jane Hungerford is admired for her leadership in fundraising for health care, education, social services and conservation efforts. She has raised millions of dollars for crucial cancer research and community services in British Columbia and beyond. The B.C. Cancer Foundation, Science World, the University of British Columbia, and the Aboriginal Mother Centre have all benefited from her determination and ability to bring people together. She is a proud member of the Gwich’in Nation.

William James Gordon Kirby, C.M. (Alum, UBC Faculty of Arts)
William Kirby proudly promotes contemporary Canadian art and artists. He is the founder and executive director of the Centre for Contemporary Canadian Art, where he developed the Canadian Art Database, an innovative and extensive resource made freely accessible online for artists, educators, researchers and the general public. His dedicated archival work has broadened awareness of contemporary Canadian art and artists at home and abroad.

Barry Paul Lapointe, C.M., O.B.C.
Founder and chair of KF Aerospace, Barry Lapointe has made lasting contributions to our country’s aerospace industry. Now Canada’s largest commercial aeronautical maintenance, repair and overhaul provider, the company also supports Royal Canadian Air Force pilot training and nationwide aircraft maintenance engineering instruction. As a dedicated philanthropist, he has contributed to post-secondary institutions and recently opened the KF Centre for Excellence in Kelowna.

Brandt Channing Louie, C.M., O.B.C. (Alum, UBC Faculty of Commerce and UBC Faculty of Law)
Brandt Channing Louie is a business entrepreneur and philanthropist contributing to public and non-profit organizations across economic, education, health and arts sectors. He is the chair and CEO of both London Drugs Limited and H. Y. Louie Co., Limited, a family-owned grocery retailer spanning four generations. He supports various community initiatives through the Tong and Geraldine Louie Family Foundation, and is a dedicated consultant on national anti-Asian racism strategies.

James David Meekison, C.M. (Alum, UBC Faculty of Arts)
James Meekison’s career has spanned 45 years in investment banking, cable television and private equity. He has served on many boards of directors, and has supported countless philanthropic endeavours, including the Jim Meekison and Carolyn Keystone Foundation. He is a long-time champion of the University of British Columbia, Shaw Festival, Arthritis Research Foundation, and Pathways to Education Canada.

Dan Poenaru, C.M. (Adjunct Professor, UBC Faculty of Medicine)
Dan Poenaru is a McGill University professor and pediatric surgeon. Starting in 2003, he established a pediatric surgical unit and novel training program in a remote area of Kenya, which have subsequently expanded the quality and quantity of treatments within the country and beyond. He also helped found three medical schools in Africa, and has served in leadership roles with the Global Initiative for Children’s Surgery and BethanyKids.

Linda Rabeneck, C.M. (Alum, UBC Faculty of Science and UBC Faculty of Medicine)
Gastroenterologist and University of Toronto professor Linda Rabeneck is a leader in colorectal cancer screening and prevention. As Ontario Health’s vice-president of prevention and cancer control, she led the roll-out of ColonCancerCheck, the first province-wide colorectal cancer screening program in the country. Its success influenced the development of similar programs across Canada and around the world.

Frances Marjorie Shaver, C.M. (Alum, UBC Faculty of Arts)
Frances Shaver has made groundbreaking scholarly contributions to the field of sex work. Professor emeritus at Concordia University, she is lauded for her respectful engagement with those working and living in the industry. Many researchers in this field have been inspired by her approach to research, her advocacy, and her commitment to fight for legal and policy changes to support and protect marginalized Canadians.

Marvin R. V. Storrow, C.M., O.B.C. (Alum, Peter A. Allard School of Law)
Marvin Storrow is a revered lawyer who, over six decades, has argued at all levels of the provincial and federal court systems, including the Supreme Court of Canada. He is highly regarded for working with B.C. First Nations and for litigating several groundbreaking cases on land titles and constitutional rights. An esteemed mentor to many members of the legal profession, he is admired for his advocacy of human rights and pro bono work.

Jack Edward Taunton, C.M. (Professor Emeritus, UBC School of Kinesiology and UBC Faculty of Medicine; Alum, UBC Faculty of Medicine)
Jack Taunton is an early leader in sport and exercise medicine. Professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia and an active fundraiser, he helped found SportMedBC, the Canadian Health and Fitness Institute, the Vancouver Marathon and the Vancouver Sun Run. He has also served as a specialist for elite athletes and the general public, as a national team physician and as chief medical officer for six major Games.

Please let us know if we have missed any current, former or UBC-affiliated faculty members or UBC alumni from this listing.