Former premier Gordon Campbell has been awarded the Order of B.C.
A B.C. government news release describes Campbell, who announced his resignation amid controversy last year, as a visionary who led an exemplary life in the worlds of politics, business and education.
Campbell entered politics as a city councillor in Vancouver and later became the city's mayor, holding the office until 1993.
He then became leader of the Opposition Liberals and was elected to the legislature in 1994, finally becoming premier in 2001.
Last December, Campbell announced he was quitting politics after more than a year of controversy over the harmonized sales tax, and finally left his post earlier this year when he was replaced by current Premier Christy Clark.
A news release announcing the award commends Campbell for his years of "exemplary" public service, crediting him with making Vancouver more livable and, as premier, bringing the 2010 Winter Olympics to the city.
He was recently named high commissioner to Britain.
Campbell is among 14 new recipients of the Order of B.C.
Other notable recipients include:
- Crystal Dunahee, who became an outspoken advocate for missing children after her son Michael's disappearance in 1991. She is now president of Child Find B.C.
- Jim Robson, whose 47-year sports broadcasting career earned him a reputation as the "voice of hockey" in B.C.
- David Emerson, a former federal cabinet minister who made headlines in 2006 when he crossed the floor from the Liberals to the Conservatives just days after the 2006 election.
- Luigi Aquilini, a successful Vancouver-area developer and philanthropist, who immigrated from Italy in the mid-1950s and has been honoured by the president of his native country.
- Ken Dobell, a longtime bureaucrat with the City of Vancouver, TransLink and then the provincial government, where he became deputy minister to the premier in 2001.
