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Winston Kassim C.M. Investiture in the Order of Canada
TORONTO—June 18, 2010. IDRF (International Development & Relief Foundation) is highly pleased to announce that our Vice Chair, Winston Shyam Liaquat Kassim C.M., whose Appointment to the Order of Canada was announced on July 1, 2009, is being invested as a Member of the Order of Canada.
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General
of Canada, will preside over an Order of Canada investiture ceremony at
Rideau Hall, on Friday, June 18, 2010, at 10:30 a.m. The Governor
General, who is Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order, will
bestow the honour on one Companion, 12 Officers and 32 Members. The
Order of Canada, created in 1967 during Canada’s centennial year,
recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the
community and service to the nation by Canadians from all sectors of
society. Their contributions are varied, yet they have all enriched the
lives of others and made a difference to this country. The Order of
Canada’s motto is DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM (They desire a better
country).
Winston Kassim C.M. has devoted a
considerable part of his life volunteering for worthy causes, including
for IDRF, to whose sustainability and growth he has been dedicated for
over five years. He is the first Canadian of Guyanese origin who is
receiving the Order of Canada.
In the Governor General’s Media Release, Mr. Kassim’s citation is as follows:
“Winston S. L. Kassim, C.M.
Toronto, Ontario
Member of the Order of Canada
“Winston Kassim has advocated on behalf
of ethnic communities and humanitarian causes at the local, national
and international levels for more than 30 years. A committed and
dynamic volunteer, he played an instrumental role in establishing
several faith-based community centres, including two Ontario mosques
that provide outreach services to new immigrants. He is highly regarded
for his fundraising skills and networking abilities, which have
benefited many organizations, including the International Development
and Relief Foundation. Head of the Royal Bank of Canada’s Canadian
banking strategic initiatives, he also mentors individuals in the
workplace and in the community, helping to promote inclusiveness and
cultural awareness.”
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