The Right Reverend William Irwin

Deceased
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Order of Canada

Officer of the Order of Canada
- Awarded on: May 6, 1998
- Invested on: October 22, 1998
He has continued his record of outstanding service to persons in need. During his years with Edmonton's highly successful Catholic Social Services, he initiated many new programs throughout Alberta. He created a twenty-four-hour telephone help-line for teenagers, a counselling service for sexually abused children and their families and programs for women who have been diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. Internationally, he established a program in the Phillippines to help former prostitutes develop new job skills through training. This is a promotion within the Order.
Member of the Order of Canada
- Awarded on: November 17, 1988
- Invested on: April 12, 1989
Founding President and Chief Executive officer for many years of Catholic Social Services in Alberta, he has been responsible for developing it into the largest multi-functional, non- denominational social service agency in Canada. Due to his vision, creative planning, organizational talents and caring attitude, he has touched thousands of lives and helped to alleviate some of the distressing social problems of our times.