Officer of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: November 4, 2009
• Invested on: September 16, 2011

James Orbinski has spent his career combining medicine with humanitarianism. Through his numerous roles with Médecins Sans Frontières, including that of president, and as co-founder of Dignitas International, he has improved health care delivery and made medicine more accessible for some of the most vulnerable people in the world. Committed to building a more compassionate society, he has raised awareness of global humanitarian crises, and has been a witness for those who have been silenced by war, genocide and starvation. He remains an influential and inspiring figure who challenges everyone to join him in advocating for a more just, safe and peaceful world.