A former president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour will receive the Order of Canada this year.
Barbara Byers, who is from Ottawa, Ont., was named a member of the Order of Canada. She was one of 49 people to be named members of the Order, while six companions and 14 officers were also named on Dec. 30.
Byers is currently the secretary-treasurer for the Canadian Labour Congress.
For years, she “fought for the underdog” as a social worker, before becoming president of the Saskatchewan Government Employees Union (SGEU) and the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL).
Byers was nominated for the Order of Canada because of “her contributions as an important voice in the Canadian labour movement.”
She is also the founder of the SFL Summer Camp for Youth in Saskatchewan.
A date has not yet been announced for the Order of Canada ceremony.
Author Joseph Boyden, filmmaker Rudy Buttignol, and painter Ivan Eyre were also named members. Find the full list of Order of Canada recipients here.
Source: cbc.ca
