By Neil Armstrong

For Pamela Appelt, a distinguished member of the Jamaican Canadian community who was recently appointed to the Order of Canada, this honour will help her to open doors for others.

She was among 83 new appointments to the Order of Canada announced recently by Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada. They include one Companion, 16 Officers, two Honorary Officers and 64 Members. Two appointments are promotions within the Order.

The Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest honours, recognizes people across all sectors of society who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to the nation.

“I am delighted. I am truly grateful and humbled. I give thanks that I chose Canada and Canada has blessed me in so many ways. It has given me the opportunity to do the best I can for the country of my birth and other places,” said Pamela Appelt, who lives in Oakville, Ontario.

She said Canada has opened many doors for her, and the Order of Canada will make her do even more.

She hopes that others looking on that come from Jamaica will realize that they can reach any heights they want, as long as they are focused, and they give back and open doors for others.

The Order of Canada citation notes that Appelt is an esteemed community leader. “The first Black Canadian woman appointed to the Court of Canadian Citizenship, she is dedicated to uplifting Black communities, particularly through her contributions to education initiatives and her mentorship of young leaders. For decades she has supported initiatives and organizations focused on arts and culture, and children and families in the Greater Toronto Area and the Jamaican diaspora.”

Before coming to Canada in 1966, she studied microbiology and biochemistry in London, England. After immigrating to Canada, she worked as a researcher in medical biochemistry at McGill University in Montreal. In 1979, she moved to Oakville with her husband and two children.

In 1987, she was appointed the first female Afro-Canadian to serve as a judge of the Court of Canadian Citizenship, a position she held for 11 years before retiring to pursue other interests.

Appelt holds a master’s degree in public policy, in August 2002 received an honorary degree from Northern Caribbean University in Jamaica, and earlier this year was a recipient of the vice-chancellor’s award for excellence at the UWI Toronto Benefit Awards.

She was appointed by the province of Ontario as an adjudicator with the Custody Review Board and the Child and Family Services Review Board, whose mandate is negotiation and dispute resolution for young offenders. In September 2007, Appelt was appointed to the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security Review Tribunal and since 2009, has been a member of the council of the Institute of Jamaica.

As a member of the board of the Harbourfront Centre and co-executor of the estate of Jamaica’s cultural ambassador Louise Bennett-Coverley—affectionately known as Miss Lou—Appelt was instrumental in securing funding for Miss Lou’s Learning Centre, formerly Miss Lou’s Room, at the Harbourfront Centre.

Appointments are made by the governor general on the recommendation of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada. A Member or an Officer of the Order of Canada can be promoted to a higher level if they demonstrate further exceptional achievement. A person can only be promoted five years after the last appointment.

Non-Canadians are eligible for an honorary appointment to the Order if their contributions have brought benefit or honour to Canadians or to Canada. Appointees will be invited to an investiture ceremony at a later date to receive their insignia. The dates of these ceremonies will be announced in due course.