Three outstanding members of  the Caribbean community in Ontario  – two from Jamaica and one from Haiti- are among 23 persons who are being invested with the Order of  Ontario, the province’s highest honour.

The announcement was made on Monday by Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and Chancellor of the Order of Ontario, who will bestow the honour to the newest appointees during an investiture ceremony at Queen’s Park on February 27.

The three from the Caribbean  community are Dr. Upton Allen and Michel Lee-Chin who were both born in Jamaica,  and Myrtha Lapierre, a native of Haiti.

An Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration announcement notes that Dr Allen’s approaches to treating hospital-borne diseases have prevented the deaths of countless children.

Dr Allen received his medical degree from The University of the West Indies and acquired his paediatric training as well as training in his subspecialty in infectious diseases at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto.

He holds an MSc degree in clinical epidemiology from McMaster University and is a director of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, a fellow of the society, and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and the Royal College of Physicians  in the United Kingdom.

Lee-Chin is an entrepreneur and philanthropist.” His gifts to local hospitals have improved patient care, and his historic contribution to the Royal Ontario Museum led to the creation of the iconic Michael Lee-Chin Crystal,”  said the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration announcement.

Lee-Chin   has several business interests in Jamaica. He is chairman of  the National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited and founder and chairman of Portland Holdings Inc, a privately held investment company which owns diversified operating companies in media, tourism, health care, telecommunications, and financial services.

Retired nursing professor Myrtha Lapierre “broke barriers for Black Francophone nurses in Canada and is a leader among Ottawa  health professionals and the Haitian-Canadian community,” said the announcement from the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.

Lapierre  taught nursing in Canada  for 45 years.

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Among the other individuals being invested with the Order of Ontario are Comedian Dan Aykroyd and science fiction author Robert J. Sawyer.