The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and Chancellor of the Order of Ontario, Edith Dumont, has named two Durham residents among the 25 new appointments to the Order of Ontario for 2023.
The Order of Ontario – the province’s highest honour – recognizes outstanding people who have made exceptional contributions to help 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.
One of the new appointees, Patrick Foran from Whitby is a CTV Consumer Alert reporter. His citation says he has had Ontario’s back for three decades dispensing financial and consumer advice. His relentless reporting on consumer fraud has helped thousands of people recover millions of dollars. “This tireless advocate always gives back, determined to educate on financial matters. He speaks at libraries, churches and community centres, works with charities including Bloorview Kids Foundation and World Vision, served on the federal government’s Financial Literacy Task Force and wrote four best-selling books.
Dwayne Morgan from Ajax discovered a love of writing in high school, when the “spoken-word” genre didn’t exist. As a Black teenager from Scarborough, few doors opened, and he launched “Up From The Roots Entertainment”, producing opportunities for other racialized artists. He lobbied the League of Canadian Poets to include performance poets, produced North America’s two largest spoken-word events and has performed globally. His words – and actions — inspire, said the citation.
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.”