Ottawa ON
Canada
Guy Parent, Canada’s Veterans Ombudsman, is pleased to honour two individuals with the Veterans Ombudsman’s Commendation, awarded for exemplary contributions to the fair treatment of Veterans and their families.
“It is an honour to have the opportunity to recognize the admirable work of these individuals on behalf of Veterans”, said Mr. Parent. “Their dedication to the well-being of Canadian Veterans is remarkable, and they should be proud of the positive impact they continue to make in the lives of so many of our Veterans.”
The Veterans Ombudsman’s Commendation is awarded to individuals and groups who work courageously and tirelessly to identify and advance issues on behalf of Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and the RCMP, and their families. The Ombudsman will present the Commendations to the recipients during a short ceremony to be held in Ottawa later this fall.
“This year, we received more nominations for the Commendation than ever before, and I thank the many individuals and organizations for their submissions. It is encouraging to hear of the wonderful work so many Canadians are doing in their communities each and every day in their dedication to Veterans.”
This year’s recipients are:
Dr. Heather MacKinnon had a distinguished military career. She served as a medical officer for 12 years and retired from the Canadian Armed Forces at the rank of Lieutenant-Commander. Today, Dr. MacKinnon operates a medical practice in Halifax focused on serving military and RCMP Veterans. She is a passionate advocate for Veterans. She tirelessly presses the federal and provincial governments for improvement in healthcare programs to better serve the needs of Veterans and their families. She is highly regarded by her colleagues as well as her current and former patients.
Thomas Lewis (Tim) Hoban retired from the RCMP after 24 years as Senior NCO/Detachment Commander. For his contribution, he received both the Queen Elizabeth II Golden & Diamond Jubilee medals. Tim has been an active member of the community and member of the Lions Club International for 45 years as well as past President and Governor of the RCMP Veterans’ Association. Over the years, he showed particular interest in helping troubled youths and Aboriginal Veterans. Recently, he’s been advocating for Homeless Veterans, to ensure those who proudly served maintain an acceptable standard of living.