By Tyler Sutherland
Two Winnipeggers will be invested into the Order of Canada during a ceremony in Ottawa on Wednesday.
Derek Riley and Vaclav Smil are among 45 recipients to receive the honour from Governor General David Johnston.
After wartime service, Derek Riley made invaluable contributions to his community. A member of Canada’s Olympic rowing team in 1952, he worked tirelessly to build the sport in Manitoba, and was instrumental in establishing a new facility for the Winnipeg Rowing Club. Former chair of the North West Company, he is also well-known in Winnipeg for his support of the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the Save the Jets Campaign.
Vaclav Smil is a renowned expert on global energy issues. A professor emeritus in the faculty of environment at the University of Manitoba, he provides critical insights into energy development, distribution and usage challenges. Smil frequently speaks at international forums, where he emphasizes the hazards of our current levels of energy consumption and uses the lessons of history to point a way forward.
