The winners are in!
We had previously blogged about the nominations opening for the second-annual Top 25 Canadian Immigrants 2010 contest, the first awards program of its kind developed by Canadian Immigrant Magazine. All nominees had to be 14 years of age or older, a Canadian landed immigrant or citizen of Canada that has been living in Canada the majority of the time for at least three years.
The awards were looking to recognize Canadian immigrants that had made a difference, professionally or personally contributing to the success and diversity of Canada since immigrating.
The awards ceremony was held on May 25th, presenting all 25 winners with a commemorative certificate, lapel pin and most notably, a $500 donation to the charity of their choice.
This year, the winners included:
Donovan Bailey: originally from Jamaica, Bailey is best known for being the world’s fastest man and winning two gold medals for Canada in the 1996 Olympic Summer Games.
John Furlong: originally from Ireland, Furlong has often reminisced in the media about the moment he first entered Canada. He gave his passport to a customs agent, who said, “Welcome to Canada. Make us better”. Furlong is the CEO of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Winter Games, and this year he brought Canadians a renewed sense of patriotism as they gathered to watch the Olympics.
Ian Hanomansing: originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Hanomansing is one of the hosts of CBC’s The National. He began his career in local radio, having changed his name to something much more ”Canadian-sounding”. Days later, he changed it back.
J.Madigane: originally from Zimbabwe, Madigane is a busy doctor, serving in tiny Canadian rural towns and visiting aboriginal patients on reserves.
A full biography of the winners is available at Canadian Immigrant Magazine’s website
Congratulations to all the winners!
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
