Governor General Presents Canadian Honours in Washington, D.C.-September 2017

OTTAWA—Earlier today, at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C., His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, invested Mr. Ronald J. Daniels as a Member of the Order of Canada. His Excellency also presented the Meritorious Service Medal (Military Division) to Major Jessica Harmon and Colonel Jeffery Stewart, members of the United States Army.

Additional information on the Order of Canada and the Meritorious Services Decorations as well as the recipients’ citations are below.

ORDER OF CANADA

Ronald J. Daniels, C.M.
Baltimore, Maryland, USA and Toronto, Ontario

Ron Daniels is a leader in North America’s university sector. During his tenure as the dean of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law, he transformed the school into one of the pre-eminent institutions of its kind. He started Pro Bono Students Canada to provide free legal assistance to local, community-based organizations, and made major contributions to public policy as chair of the Ontario Task Force on Securities Regulation and as an advisor to the Ontario Government. His commitment to academic excellence continues in his role as president of Johns Hopkins University.

MERITORIOUS SERVICE DECORATIONS

Major Jessica Harmon, M.S.M. (United States Army)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky, U.S.A.
Meritorious Service Medal (Military Division)

Between December 2015 and January 2016, Major Harmon, then Captain, demonstrated great leadership and initiative as the re-integration specialist of a Canadian citizen held hostage in Afghanistan. She designed and implemented a psychological support package, which laid the groundwork for the recovery of this Canadian and of future hostages. Major Harmon’s professionalism and dedication greatly contributed to enhancing relations between Canada and the United States.

Colonel Jeffery Stewart, M.S.M. (United States Army)
Fairfax, Virginia, U.S.A.
Meritorious Service Medal (Military Division)

From 2013 to 2015, Colonel Stewart consistently demonstrated exemplary leadership and outstanding professionalism as deputy chief of staff operations at the Canadian Joint Operations Command in Ottawa, Ontario. Moreover, his work ethic, planning and organizational skills enabled him to make a direct and meaningful contribution to Canadian Armed Forces’ domestic and expeditionary operational success. Colonel Stewart's dedication and commitment has brought great honour and recognition to Canada.