Officer of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: October 23, 2008
• Invested on: June 18, 2010

In a varied and distinguished career, Michael Kirby has had a lasting influence on Canadian public policy. He played a key role as the senior public servant responsible for negotiations that led to the patriation of the Constitution and the Charter of Rights. Later, as chair of a task force on Atlantic fisheries, he helped to bring about a major restructuring of that industry. Among his many achievements as a senator, he led a committee that produced the first comprehensive examination of mental health and addictions in Canada. Now, as inaugural chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, he continues to champion improved health care options for some of society's most vulnerable members.