A remarkable Canadian invested into Order of Canada

March 5, 2021

OTTAWA— Dr. Josef Svoboda, O.C., was invested virtually into the Order of Canada today. His Excellency the Right Honourable Richard Wagner, Administrator of the Government of Canada, P.C., presented him with the Officer insignia of the Order of Canada during the private virtual ceremony, which was attended by a small gathering of family and friends.

Josef Svoboda, O.C.
Toronto, Ontario and Baker Lake, Nunavut

Josef Svoboda is a pioneer in the field of circumpolar ecology. Professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, he spent more than three decades in the remote north researching and cataloguing little-known plant communities in de-glaciated polar landscapes. As Canada’s representative on the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX), he took the unprecedented first steps in tracking the effects of climate warming on plant communities and arctic ecosystems. He has trained a generation of scientists who emulate his expertise and custodianship of this unique arctic biome.

Nominations for the Order of Canada are accepted on an ongoing basis throughout the year. Nominate someone who has made outstanding contributions to their field of endeavour to the Order of Canada. From community volunteers to scientists, from artists to entrepreneurs, the members of the Order of Canada have enriched the lives of others and made our country a better place.

Quick facts:

  • Encouraging excellence is at the core of the governor general’s mandate.
  • The Order of Canada is one of our country’s highest honours. Its Members, Officers and Companions are people whose service shapes our society, whose innovations ignite our imaginations, and whose compassion unites our communities.
  • Anyone can nominate a person for a Canadian honour, decoration or medal.
  • Each nomination is researched before being reviewed by an independent advisory committee or council, which then makes recommendations to the governor general.
     

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