Our Highest Honour
I was left puzzled by Neil Godbout’s editorial on November 4th where he stated that Lyn Hall deserves to be awarded our City’s highest honour: Freedom of the City. Perhaps it slipped his mind that he wrote an editorial on March 30, 2021, where he stated that “More than ever, Hall must resign”.
The Order of Canada, the Order of British Columbia, the Freedom of the City. These are how our nation, province, and city recognize our most distinguished and respected citizens for their achievement, dedication, or service to their community.
The people we should be recognizing with our City’s highest honour are the people who inspire us. Whose actions make us swell with pride and say, “This is someone who makes our city great!”.
When I reflect on those who make me proud to be from Prince George and who would be most deserving of such an honour, I think of:
Chuck Chin
No one has volunteered more time and been more passionate about our community than Chuck Chin. No matter where he goes, his infectious smile lights up the room. With that smile and his camera, Chuck has changed the way we look at our city. His pictures are showcased locally, provincially, and nationally. He helped found Hell Yeah PG, whose Facebook group now has over 45,000 members and overflows with enthusiasm for our city. Daily, he highlights the beauty of Prince George and celebrates our successes and what we have to offer.
Baljit Sethi
An immigrant herself, Baljit has been a lifelong advocate for immigrants and women’s equality. She founded the Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society (IMSS) in 1976, which has gone on to assist thousands of people as they started their new life in our community. She has ensured that those from outside of our community who have chosen to settle in Prince George have been welcomed with open arms. Through IMSS, she has helped in their transition including language training as well as multicultural projects.
Dr. Mostafa Mohamed
While a professor at UNBC in 2006, he recognized one of the challenges in recruiting professionals to our community was a lack of a place to worship for those who follow Islam. Five years later his dream of an Islamic Centre was reality. It is because of the addition of the centre and mosque that our Muslim community has grown to over 400 members. This includes University professors, medical specialists, and doctors who chose to come here because they and their faith are welcomed and supported.
Bernie Gould
For forty-one years Bernie has been working to make life better for those who are challenged with poverty or have found themselves unhoused. She has been a tireless volunteer who, for the last two decades, has led a dozen or more people each day as they prepare over 120,000 meals a year for those in need. Despite the loss this year of her biggest helper and supporter, her husband Jack, she has continued her work. Whether it is meals or food hampers being provided to support those in their time of need or seniors on fixed income, she has never wavered in helping make our city a more compassionate and caring community.
Prince George is blessed to have people such as these community givers, who should be the ones considered for our highest honour, Freedom of the City.
Published in the Prince George Citizen, November 17, 2022
Read the article here