Nine members of the York University community have been appointed to the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian honours recognizing impactful individuals who have shaped Canadian society.
York-affiliated recipients are among the 80 appointments announced on Dec. 31, 2025 by the Office of the Governor General of Canada.
The newly appointed members affiliated with the York community reflect the University's impact across law, higher education leadership, health care and community services, publishing, sustainability, museum and art scholarship, and human rights advocacy.
Companion
Rosalie Silberman Abella, honorary degree recipient and former committee member
Abella became Canada’s youngest judge at age 29 with her appointment to the Ontario Family Court and later became the first Jewish woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada. During her tenure, she made contributions to Canadian law through landmark constitutional rulings that – among other accomplishments – advanced equality and human rights law.
She received an honorary degree from York University in 1991 and served as a committee member for York’s School of Public Policy and Administration Advisory Council.
Officer
Roseann Runte, former faculty and Glendon College principal
An author, teacher and academic administrator, Runte has held several leadership roles in academia, including serving as principal of Glendon College from 1989-94.
She later served as president of Carleton University and as head of the Canada Foundation for Innovation. She was also the first woman president of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. Throughout her career she has strongly promoted humanities in Canada, and been an advocate for bilingualism.
Members
Kim Ruth Brooks (LLM ’00), alum
Brooks is a tax lawyer, professor, human rights advocate and president of Dalhousie University. A nationally respected academic leader, she has held senior roles in legal education, including dean-level leadership, and has contributed extensively to research and teaching in taxation, equality and social justice.
She has played a leading role in advancing equity, accessibility and freedom of gender expression in higher education. Her work emphasizes inclusive leadership, research excellence and student-centred institutional change.
Rosanna Caira (BA ’80), alum
Caira is a journalist, podcast host as well as editor and publisher of Foodservice and Hospitality and Hotelier magazines. She is recognized for initiatives that empower women to take on leadership roles in traditionally male-dominated sectors.
She serves on industry boards and committees, including the Canadian Hospitality Foundation, and co-founded the Women in Tourism & Hospitality Summit, which provides networking, mentoring, training, education and financing opportunities for women in the hospitality and culinary sectors.
Jane Laurine Darville (BAS ’89), alum
Darville is a health care administrator and community health specialist, recognized for compassionate leadership in specialized health care populations. She served as founding board member and executive director of Toronto’s Casey House HIV/AIDS hospital and as executive director of Vancouver’s Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, which provides pediatric palliative care.
Reesa Greenberg, former adjunct professor
Greenberg is an independent scholar and art historian specializing in exhibitions and display. Her research focuses on the intersections of national, gendered and ethnic identities with contemporary art and war. She has advanced digital documentation of Canadian art and contributed to restoring Canada’s Pavilion in Venice.
James C. Hathaway (LLB ’79), alum, former professor
Hathaway is a scholar and author specializing in international human rights law, queer rights and refugee law. Through research, teaching and advocacy, he has contributed to global refugee protection. His work has been widely cited by senior courts and has shaped both scholarship and practice in the field.
He is a professor emeritus at the University of Michigan Law School, where he founded a program on refugee and asylum law, and a former professor of law at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Charles A. Hopkins, UNESCO Chair at York
Hopkins is an internationally recognized leader in placing sustainability as a core principle of education. In 1999, Hopkins assumed the inaugural role of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair at York, leading efforts to integrate sustainable practices into both the curricula and operations of York University.
He has brought those same efforts worldwide through collaborations with UNESCO, the United Nations University, higher education institutions and ministries of education.
John Mark Willinsky, honorary degree recipient (’08)
Willinsky is an educator, researcher and activist who has devoted his career to fostering equitable public access to research. Through his scholarship and leadership, he has been a voice in the open access movement, advancing new models of knowledge sharing in higher education and beyond. That work has included founding the Public Knowledge Project, now the world’s most widely deployed scholarly publishing platform, used in 150 countries and 60 languages to make research freely accessible.
He received an honorary degree from York in 1989 for his contributions to education, public engagement and research.
For more information about the Order of Canada or to view the full list of this year’s appointees, visit the Governor General’s website.