UBC Reports Extras | Jul. 2, 2008
By Meg Walker
Four members of the UBC community have received Order of Canada honours for their careers and their contributions to society.
Kim Campbell, a graduate of UBC’s Faculty of Law and the recipient of an honourary doctorate from UBC in 2000, has been appointed to the rank of Companion, the Order’s highest rank. Dr. Campbell is honoured for her contributions to Canadian politics, and for her active leadership in the promotion of global democracy, international cooperation and women in politics.
Dr. Campbell lectured in UBC’s Department of Political Science before becoming a member of B.C.’s Legislative Assembly in 1986 and a Member of Parliament in 1988. She has filled a variety of government positions, many of which had never been held previously by a woman, including Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. In 1993, she was the first woman in Canada’s history to become prime minister.
Three UBC faculty members have been appointed to the rank of Officer.
Victor Ling teaches in two fields at UBC — Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology — and has been with the B.C. Cancer Agency since 1995.
Dr. Ling is honoured his contributions as a health care leader, including his groundbreaking research that has helped the scientific community to better understand why certain cancers become drug-resistant.
His research has led to new information about why many cancer patients do not respond to traditional chemotherapy treatment.
Professor Emeritus Timothy Oke, who started teaching geography at UBC in 1971 and was head of the department from 1991–96, is honoured for his contributions to meteorology and urban climatology.
The founder of the UBC Atmospheric Science Programme and of the International Association for Urban Climate, Dr. Oke is also recognized for his mentoring of generations of geographers. He currently serves on two expert committees with the World Meteorological Organization.
A faculty member with UBC since 1984, Dr. David Sweet was designated a certified specialist in forensic dentistry (DABFO) by the American Board of Forensic Odontology in 1992.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Sweet has developed a technique to extract DNA from teeth and bones. The international forensic community has accepted his methods as the benchmark for their jurisdictions. Sweet now oversees UBC’s Bureau of Legal Dentistry (BOLD) in the Faculty of Dentistry.
Dr. Sweet is honoured for enhancing Canada’s reputation as a leader in forensic odontology — the science of victim identification using dental charts and analysis of teeth — and for his contributions as a teacher, researcher and consultant.
Established to in 1967, the Order of Canada is the highest honour that Canada can give its citizens for exceptional achievement, merit or service.
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, announced 75 new appointments to the Order of Canada on July 1.
