A Vancouver Island man believes provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, is worthy of the Order of Canada.
Comox resident Tom Furlotte started a petition on ipetitions called ‘Let’s get Dr. Bonnie Henry an Order of Canada.’
Furlotte wants to shine a national spotlight on the work Dr. Henry has done as the face of British Columbia’s COVID-19 response.
“In B.C. we know her, but I’d like the rest of Canada to know her,” Furlotte said. “If we could get a medal for being such a good person, I think this is the way to do it.”
He added that Dr. Henry has provided a calming presence in these tense times.
“I got kind of hooked by just the way she portrayed herself, as a very calm but emotional person,” Furlotte said. “She’s very empathetic to everybody who has concerns about this (pandemic).”
Established in 1967 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Order of Canada recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation.
It recognizes people in all sectors of Canadian society, for enriching the lives of others and making a difference to the country. This honour is administered by the Chancellery of Honours at Rideau Hall.
Furlotte said Dr. Henry is the ideal candidate.
“I did some research on the Order of Canada itself and the first thing it says is, ‘Who inspires you? Do you know someone who has made a difference to your community or our country? A role model who stands above the rest or someone whose dedication has transformed their field, our nation, and the world? She fits all those criteria.”
On the petition, Furlotte said, “Dr. Henry has won admiration both in B.C. and the rest of the country for the way she has conducted the daily briefing on COVID-19 along with Health Minister Adrian Dix. She has come across as an expert with genuine feelings for her fellow humans – calm, dignified, reliable and caring, yet tough enough to let everyone know that she will not tolerate any nonsense beyond a certain limit that she sets herself.
Ottawa needs to know about Dr. Bonnie.”
You can link to the petition here.
