TORONTO — The Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and Chancellor of the Order of Ontario invested 25 new appointments to the Order of Ontario for 2023, including North Bay's Jay Aspin.
"Public Service has always been my lifelong passion," Aspin says. "I am most grateful to my wife Joanne and children Katie and David for their solid support over the years. I am also appreciative of the wonderful people whom I have met and been privileged to work with over the years for the betterment of our communities. To be invested by the Province of Ontario with this prestigious honour is a recognition I will cherish for the rest of my life."
Watch the video footage above of Aspin's part in the Oct. 28 investiture ceremony held at the Royal Ontario Museum.
The Order of Ontario — the province's highest honour — recognizes outstanding people who have made exceptional contributions to helping build a stronger province, nation, and world. Members of the Order come from all walks of life and represent various sectors of society, including public service, business, journalism, and health care.
“As Chancellor of the Order of Ontario, it is my privilege to congratulate the Order’s appointees for 2023. These Ontarians have demonstrated the highest levels of merit, excellence and dedication in their respective disciplines, and they have made significant impacts here at home and around the world," said Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont. “Our province gratefully acknowledges their remarkable contributions, which inspire us all to be leaders and change-makers.”
According to his Order of Ontario bio, "Jay Aspin has dedicated more than four-and-a-half decades to enhancing the growth and all aspects of life in Northern Ontario. He served as Chair of the Near North District School Board, Trustee with the Nipissing Board of Education, Councillor with the City of North Bay, and as the Member of Parliament for Nipissing—Timiskaming. More recently, his service with Ontario Health has enhanced the province's healthcare system notably in Northern Ontario."
The 2023 appointees to the Order of Ontario are:
- Jay Aspin
- John M. Beck
- Jo-Anne Clarke
- Hon. David Collenette
- Claire Crooks
- Julie Di Lorenzo
- John English
- Lee Errett
- Gervan Fearon
- Patrick Foran
- Blake C. Goldring
- Herbert Ho Ping Kong
- Blake Hutcheson
- Michael Latner
- Bernard Leduc
- Joy MacDermid
- Dwayne Morgan
- Florence Ngenzebuhoro
- Hazelle Palmer
- Fred Possmayer
- Peter Simon
- Gary Slaight
- George Trusler
- Raquel Urtasun
- Bhavana Varma
“I am proud of the incredible breadth and depth of talent we have here in Ontario. Each one of these exceptional Ontarians are leaders and trailblazers who exemplify the best of our province,” said Michael Ford, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism. “Their achievements, dedication and leadership have contributed to building a stronger Ontario and a better world for all. On behalf of a grateful province, congratulations to all the appointees being recognized.”
Appointments to the Order are made on the recommendation of an independent advisory council based on the merit of nominees' accomplishments put forward by members of the public. Since 1986, 874 people have been appointed to the Order of Ontario. Members are invested with the Order’s insignia. Appointees are given post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials or post-nominal titles (letters placed after a person’s name) to indicate the honour held by the individual.
