Award-winning Victoria author Kit Pearson, best known for her children’s and young adult books, has been named a member of the Order of Canada.
Pearson is among the 103 newest appointments to the Order of Canada, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the nation and is one of the highest honours in the country.
“When you look at the list, it’s so diversified of all the different [categories] — sports and arts and film and business and politics. It’s very moving that there are so many people represented in different cultures and men and women and lots of people from B.C.,” said Pearson from her Oak Bay home.
Pearson, who won the Governor General’s Literary Award for her 1996 book Awake and Dreaming and is also known for her Guests of War trilogy, was appointed for her contributions as an author of Canadian literature for children and young adults. She was the only appointee from Vancouver Island.
“I’m just absolutely thrilled and honoured, especially that they recognized writing for children in Canada. It’s wonderful,” said Pearson.
“My father and my grandfather got it, so I feel as though I’m carrying on a family tradition. I was really proud of them and I’m just proud to be part of it.”
Pearson won the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence in 2014.
The appointments unveiled Thursday included former politicians, broadcasters, Olympians, actors, playwrights and scientists.
Among them are CBC broadcaster Gloria Macarenko, Olympic cross-country skier Beckie Scott, researcher Geoffrey Hinton — a world expert in artificial intelligence — Indigenous artist Maxine Noel and retired judge Roger Kerans, for his achievements in arbitration and mediation.
Since retiring from competition, Scott has become a leading international voice against doping in sports. She also heads a charity that runs programs for Indigenous youth to use sports and play to improve social and economic outcomes.
Appointees are selected by the Governor General on the recommendation of the advisory council for the Order of Canada, an independent council chaired by the chief justice of Canada.
Any person or group is welcome to nominate an individual as a candidate for appointment to the Order of Canada.
Created more than 50 years ago, the Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest honours. Close to 7,000 people have been invested into the Order of Canada.
