Dr. Perry Kendall, a clinical professor at the UBC faculty of medicine’s School of Population and Public Health, was recently appointed to the Order of Canada.
Perry Kendall
He is one of 83 new appointments to the Order for 2019. Governor General Julie Payette made the announcement in June.
Kendall, also the co-interim executive director at the BC Centre on Substance Use, received the honour for his leadership in the public health sphere both in British Columbia and across the country, particularly as an advocate for harm reduction and as a champion for Indigenous health.
As B.C.’s former Provincial Health Officer, Kendall is the author of a report on Indigenous health, which helped inform the creation of the province’s First Nations Health Authority. The authority is the only one of its kind in Canada.
Nearly 7000 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order of Canada. The six-point white enamel insignia appointees wear symbolizes the northern heritage and diversity of Canadians, illustrating that no two snowflakes are alike.
Previously Kendall served as Toronto’s chief medical officer and the president of the Ontario Addiction Research Foundation. He was awarded the Order of British Columbia in 2005.