Three members of the Queen’s community – an expert on hate crime, an authority on food insecurity, and an advocate for inclusion and accessibility – have been appointed to the Order of Canada.
Barbara Perry, Michael Prince, and Valerie Tarasuk were among the 88 recipients announced by Governor General Mary Simon, LLD’94, on Dec. 18.
Here is a look at the Queen’s alumni recipients, each named a member of the Order of Canada:
• Barbara Perry, Artsci’85, MA’87, is a world-renowned expert on hate crime and an authority on right-wing extremism in Canada. She is currently the Director of the Centre on Hate, Bias, and Extremism at Ontario Tech University and was a co-founder of the International Network for Hate Studies. Dr. Perry’s work has focused on everything from policing diverse communities to building resilience among marginalized communities, and her expertise continues to foster global education and support for victims of violence.
• Michael Prince, MPA’76, is a leader on social and public policy who has been recognized for his profound contributions to disability rights in Canada. He has served as an adviser to federal, provincial, and territorial governments and participated in four royal commissions. A respected mentor and advocate, Dr. Prince is celebrated for his dedication to promoting inclusion and accessibility. He has also received numerous accolades, including a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), and Academic of the Year from the Confederation of Faculty Associations of British Columbia (2014).
• Valerie Tarasuk, DSc'18, is a Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto and holds a cross-appointment with the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Her research focuses on understanding the scale, characteristics, and health consequences of household food insecurity in Canada. She also examines the impact of community interventions and public policies on reducing food insecurity and its severity. For more than a decade, Dr. Tarasuk has been at the forefront of PROOF, an interdisciplinary research program dedicated to identifying policy solutions and advancing knowledge to combat household food insecurity across Canada.
The Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest honours and was established in 1967. Queen’s alumnus and Member of Parliament, John Matheson, Arts’40, LLD’80, was a driving force in its development. He said the Tricolour Society at Queen’s served as a model for the Order of Canada. 
