December 28, 2023

The Honourable Steven Lewis Point, O.C., O.B.C. | LLB’85, LLD’13

Reason for award

For his dedicated commitment to reconciliation and esteemed leadership throughout his trailblazing career as a chief, judge and academic, and as the first Indigenous lieutenant governor of British Columbia.

Bio

The Honourable Steven Point is a double alumnus of UBC and retained close ties with the University after receiving his Bachelor of Laws in 1985.

Mr. Point served as director of the First Nations Legal Studies program at the Peter A. Allard School of Law from 1991 to 1994. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 2013 for his exceptional commitment in the field of law, legal and Aboriginal education, and his leadership in the Indigenous community.

In addition to his role as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, Point’s career included practicing as a lawyer, working at the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs and in the Department of Employment & Immigration, serving as a provincial court judge and the Chief Commissioner of the British Columbia Treaty Commission.

Mr. Point is a member of the Skowkale First Nation and has advocated for Indigenous people throughout his career, pressing for greater recognition of their contributions and their fuller involvement in all aspects of life in British Columbia.

Mr. Point is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals, the Order of Canada, the Order of B.C, the Joseph H. Cohen Award from the Justice Institute of British Columbia Foundation, a National Aboriginal Achievement Award, the Order of Chilliwack, and honourary Doctorate of Laws degrees from the University of the Fraser Valley and Capilano University.

Morris L. Barer, C.M. | BSc’72, PhD’77, MBA’87

Reason for award

For his leadership and groundbreaking research in health services policy.

Bio

Morris is the founder of CHSPR and dedicated many years of his career to leading and nurturing both the Centre and the careers of numerous affiliated faculty, students, and staff. Morris is a leader in every sense of the word and was endlessly visionary during his career about how to build structures and opportunities that help others succeed. He then was willing to put years of his time into turning these visionary ideas into reality.

Beyond his work at CHSPR, he helped launch the Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research and was instrumental in the creation of the International Health Economics Association. He was also the inaugural Scientific Director for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Health Services and Policy Research. In that role, Morris and his team transformed the health services research landscape in Canada. He also helped found what is now Population Data BC and ensured that it was set up as a “public utility”, available for all researchers in Canada.

Anne Bassett, C.M. | BSc’78, MD’82

Reason for award

For her research and clinical contributions to advancing our understanding of the genetics of schizophrenia, particularly in the identification and characterization of genetic subtypes of the disorder.

Bio

Dr. Anne Bassett is a senior clinician scientist within the Schizophrenia Division and heads the Clinical Genetics Research Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

She holds the Dalglish Chair in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome at the University of Toronto and University Health Network (UHN), is a professor in the University of Toronto Department of Psychiatry and is a senior scientist at the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, with cross-appointments in the Division of Cardiology and the Department of Mental Health at UHN. She received the 2020 Lieber Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Schizophrenia Research from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation; only one other Canadian has received this honour.

Carol Anne Lee, C.M., O.B.C. | BCom’81, LLD’19

Reason for award

For her transformational leadership and business acumen, and for her commitment to the revitalization of Vancouver’s Chinatown.

Bio

Carol Anne Lee, a native of Vancouver is CEO and co-founder of Linacare Cosmetherapy Inc. Linacare is a Vancouver based company that manufactures and distributes therapeutic skincare products across Canada. The company is headquartered in Vancouver’s historic Chinatown district in a building that was purchased by her grandfather more than 80 years ago. With long standing family ties to the history of Chinatown, she is strongly committed to the revitalization of the area and is the Chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, Chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Revitalization Committee and an Honorary Patron of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society.

Ms Lee has a Bachelor of Commerce from the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She serves on several boards and organizations including the Faculty Advisory Board of the Sauder School of Business, The Harvard Business School Canadian Advisory Board, the Legacies Initiatives Advisory Council established by the BC Government, the Rideau Hall Foundation, and the Leadership Council of the Perimeter Institute of Theoretical Physics in Waterloo.

Deborah McColl Money, C.M. | BSc’81, MD’85

Reason for award

For her contributions to women’s health, notably in the field of reproductive infectious diseases, as a researcher, clinician, teacher and mentor.

Bio

Dr. Deborah Money is the executive vice-dean of the Faculty of Medicine as well as a professor in the department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of British Columbia (UBC). She is also the executive director and director of the BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre. Dr. Money is the first formally trained individual in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Infectious Diseases in Canada and has established the first fellowship in Infectious Diseases for Obstetrician/Gynecologists in the country, which four trainees have completed thus far.

Linda M. Perry, C.M. | BEd’66

Reason for award

For her visionary leadership at Vela Canada, and for her transformational advocacy on behalf of people living with disabilities.

Bio

Linda Perry, from British Columbia has advocated and worked for and with people with disabilities for nearly forty years. She first volunteered on Vela’s Board of Directors in 1987; started working for Vela in 1990; and quickly developed the first Microboards. Linda provides direct support and facilitation to many Microboards and individuals accessing Individualized Funding. As Vela’s Executive Director, her other responsibilities include: project development; consulting support to families and organizations outside of British Columbia; providing workshops and presentations; and initiating networking opportunities with other like-minded organizations. Linda was a 2006 finalist for the YWCA’s Women of Distinction Award for Community Development and received the B.C. Big Picture Award for 2011. In April 2013 Linda accepted the Celebration of Families award from their sister organization The Family Support Institute (FSI). Linda’s unparalleled commitment and leadership has been pivotal and central to Vela’s growth, development, and success! Family and friends play an integral role in Linda’s life. She is a proud mother and grandmother. Linda and her husband, Bryan, parent five exceptional and delightful children. Her large and boisterous family is a source of joy and inspiration for Linda.

André Pierre Picard, C.M. | LittD’17 (Honorary Degree)

Reason for award

For his dedication to advancing public health understanding and practices in Canada as a leading health journalist and bestselling author.

Bio

André Picard is one of Canada’s top health & public policy observers and commentators. He has been a part of The Globe and Mail team since 1987, where he is a health reporter and columnist. He is also the author of five bestselling books. Picard is an eight-time nominee for the National Newspaper Awards, Canada’s top journalism prize, and past winner of the prestigious Michener Award for Meritorious Public Service Journalism.

He was named Canada’s first “Public Health Hero” by the Canadian Public Health Association, as a “Champion of Mental Health” by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health, and received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, for his dedication to improving healthcare.

A graduate of the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, André has received honorary doctorates from six universities, including UBC and the University of Toronto. He is a seasoned communicator who employs a conversational style to reach his audience. Additionally, he enlivens his research and commentary with personal stories to provide context for his audience. Fluently bilingual, André will enlighten and pique a sense of curiosity of audience members from all educational backgrounds. Behind the placid exterior lies an inquisitive, perceptive and industrious scribe for whom the work only begins with the official story.

The University of British Columbia recently announced André Picard as one of the Asper Visiting Professors at the School of Journalism, Writing, and Media for the 2020-2021 academic year, winter session. In 2020, Picard was awarded The Owen Adams Award of Honour. This award is the highest CMA award available to a non-physician.